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The twelve categories

Ladder rules you must know

Compiled by the Sitonce editorial team from the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, NASCLA's own published material and the federal standards named belowUpdated 2 min readFacts verified 4 September 2026
The short answer

A ladder used for access must extend 3 feet above the landing. A portable ladder is set at a 4 to 1 ratio. A self-supporting ladder must support four times the maximum intended load.

Subpart X, and mercifully short. Three rules cover most of what is asked.

Three feet above the landing

A ladder used to access an upper landing surface must extend at least 3 feet above it, at 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1).

The reason is obvious once you have climbed one. Without something to hold at the top, the transition is where people fall.

The four to one ratio

A portable ladder is placed so the horizontal distance from the base to the support is one quarter of the working length, at 1926.1053(b)(5).

Sixteen feet of working length means four feet of base. Questions give you one and ask for the other, and it is straightforward arithmetic once you know which way the ratio runs.

One out for every four up

The phrasing that stops people inverting it. A ladder at four feet out and sixteen feet up is correct. Sixteen out and four up is a ramp.

Capacity

A self-supporting ladder must support at least four times the maximum intended load, at 1926.1053(a)(1). The same multiple as scaffolds.

Other rules that appear

  • Ladders must not be used on slippery surfaces unless secured
  • The top step of a stepladder is not a step
  • Metal ladders are not used near energized electrical equipment
  • Each employee must be trained by a competent person, at 1926.1060

Why this category is worth securing

Three numbers, one subpart, and questions that are almost always direct. It is among the cheapest material on the paper.

Common questions

How far must a ladder extend above a landing?

3 feet, under 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1).

What is the ladder angle rule?

A 4 to 1 ratio - one foot of base for every four feet of working height.

What load must a self-supporting ladder carry?

Four times the maximum intended load.

Can you stand on the top step of a stepladder?

No. The top step is not a step.

Who trains employees on ladder use?

A competent person, under 29 CFR 1926.1060.

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