×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

(OP)
I have an elevated steel platform with standard handrail all around.
I need to put another 4' high platform on top of this platform.

The issue is the ladder of 4' high platform is near the handrail of the bigger platform.
Since the ladder is just 4'+, I cannot put a cage.

Is there a cause of concern here? Is there a minimum distance for the ladder from handrail to be safe?
Should I modify the handrail to be higher?

What are the things I can do here.
I cannot move the platform farther away from the handrail even if I can, what is the minimum distance?

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

How tall is the elevated platform? If the elevation of the upper platform is over 24' from ground floor, you'll need to have some sort of harness ladder safety system, increase the height of the guardrailing, or move the ladder.

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

If the edge of your ladder is closer than 4 or 5 feet to the handrail of the lower platform, you would tie your cage bars down to the handrails (or extend the handrail height).

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

(OP)
tlhs, why would I need a ladder cage for a 4 ft platform?

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

So that you can tie it into the guardrail if you don't want to build a really tall guardrail at the lower level. The 'cage' in this example, though, would just be the top cage ring and then something to tie that ring into the guardrails below. With that platform height, your top ring is likely high enough that it won't impede entering the ladder at the lower level.

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

I'm not sure if anything is required to be done, OSHA doesn't specify every single thing.
One option is to put a top hoop on that ladder, then run vertical bars down to the handrail similar to this detail:



It'll look funny, but be workable.
Move the ladder farther from the edge is another option. Or put stairsteps in, with 4', wouldn't take up too much room.

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

increase the height of the handrail in the vicinity of the ladder and using engineering judgement increase the size of the members in the handrail in that area....

RE: OSHA/Safety requirement for ladder near handrail

I second sail's response. No cage. Extend the handrails up to the same height as the handrails on the upper platform. I've done this before. The workers appreciate it.
 

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources