Although a current osha requirement our fall protection inspection teams see ladders that do not pass the simple climbing width regulation of a minimum of 16 inches.
Osha roof ladder requirements.
Under the new regulations a ladder over 24 feet high will require a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system.
The requirements for wells for fixed ladders are as follows.
The minimum perpendicular clearance between the center line of fixed ladder rungs cleats and steps and any obstruction on the climbing side of the ladder shall be 30 inches 76 cm except as provided in paragraph a 15 of this section.
Wells must completely encircle the ladder.
A ladder that is less than 24 feet high does not require a fall arrest system of any sort.
The minimum perpendicular distance from the centerline of the steps or rungs or grab bars or both to the nearest permanent object in back of the ladder is 7 inches 18 cm except for elevator pit ladders which have a minimum perpendicular distance of 4 5 inches 11 cm.
Installing fall protection personal fall arrest systems ladder safety systems cages wells on existing fixed ladders over 24 feet that do not have any fall protection by november 19 2018.
Wells must be free of projections.
Per osha 1910 23 b 4 ladder rungs steps and cleats have a minimum clear width of 16 inches measured before installation of ladder safety systems for fixed ladders.
Here are three osha fixed ladder fall protection requirements with delayed effective dates source.