Correction on hazardous extension-ladder setup

December 1, 1993

Mr. Herbert B. Weller
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Weller:

This is a correction to our November 5 response to your September 20 letter requesting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to confirm or comment on your interpretation of statements made by OSHA in our previous correspondence to you concerning the misuse of extension ladders.

The second paragraph should have been worded as follows:

As stated in the February 6 letter, OSHA realizes that there is a potential for misuse of Keller Ladders as well as for any ladder used at a construction site. Also, if the misuse of a ladder results in a hazard to an employee (e.g., setting up a Keller ladder backwards or at an angle less than 75 1/2 degrees measured from the ground or floor so that the shoes do not sit flat on the ground or floor surface) a citation is warranted.

As you pointed out in your letter a Keller ladder will have to be proper set up at an angle greater than 75% from the horizontal to above the safety shoes rest flat when used on a surface sloping away from the ladder supporting structure.

If you have any further question concerning our correspondence, please contact us again.

Sincerely,

Roy F. Gurnham, P.E., Esq.
Director
Office of Construction and Maritime
Compliance Assistance

[OSHA's November 5, 1993 letter and the September 20 request are reproduced on the source page; omitted here.]