UCSB Ladder Safety Program

Overview

Ladder-related falls remain a leading cause of workplace injury. The UCSB Ladder Safety Program establishes minimum requirements for the safe selection, inspection, use, and management of portable and fixed ladders at UCSB-controlled facilities.

The program ensures compliance with:

• Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR §3276 (Portable Ladders)
• Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR §3277 (Fixed Ladders)
• ANSI A14 Series Standards

The program applies to all UCSB departments, field stations, leased properties, and personnel who own, manage, or use ladders—regardless of ladder height.

Department Heads and Chairs

Deans, Department Heads, and Chairs are responsible for:

• Ensuring Ladder Safety Program implementation and compliance within all units under their authority, consistent with campus Environmental Health and Safety Policy 5400
• Providing the authority and resources necessary to meet program requirements
• Designating Equipment Responsible Persons (ERPs) and Supervisors in writing and ensuring they have the training and knowledge required to perform their duties

Equipment Responsible Persons (ERPs)

Equipment Responsible Persons (ERPs) are responsible for program administration within their designated units and for:

• Ensuring ladder users and supervisors complete required ladder safety training
• Maintaining a current ladder inventory with an established equipment identification system
• Ensuring required inspections are completed and documented
• Maintaining inspection and training records
• Ensuring procedures are established and implemented for defective ladders to be immediately removed from service
• Performing or assigning documented program audits

Supervisors / Principal Investigators (PIs)

Supervisors and PIs are responsible for operational compliance within their areas of authority and for:

• Completing ladder safety training prior to supervising ladder use and maintaining current knowledge of applicable requirements
• Verifying training completion prior to ladder use
• Ensuring inspections are performed at required intervals
• Ensuring damaged or unsafe ladders are immediately removed from service
• Reporting unsafe ladders to the ERP and ensuring corrective action is taken
• Evaluating tasks to determine whether ladder use is appropriate or if safer alternatives are required
• Exercising Stop Work Authority if unsafe conditions are observed

Ladder Users

All UCSB personnel (faculty, staff, students, visitors, and volunteers) who use ladders during university-related activities are responsible for:

• Completing required ladder safety training prior to use
• Performing pre-use inspections
• Reporting ladder safety deficiencies to their supervisor and ERP
• Following UCSB safe-use requirements and manufacturer instructions
• Maintaining three points of contact while climbing
• Tagging defective ladders as “Dangerous – Do Not Use” and reporting them immediately
• Not using damaged, red-tagged, improperly inspected, or otherwise unsafe ladders

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S)

EH&S provides institutional oversight and program support and is responsible for:

• Maintaining and updating the Ladder Safety Written Program
• Providing regulatory compliance guidance and technical support
• Developing, providing, and/or recommending training resources
• Conducting risk-based program reviews or audits
• Intervening or recommending suspension of unsafe activities in cases of serious safety hazards

Inspection & Training Requirements Summary

• Pre-use visual inspections are required before each use
• Periodic documented inspections are required for portable ladders at established intervals
• Fixed ladders require documented annual inspections by a Qualified Person
• Training is required prior to ladder use
• Refresher training is required following incidents, unsafe use, or equipment changes
• Detailed procedures, forms, and documentation requirements are available in the UCSB Ladder Safety Written Program

For questions or to request training: IS@ehs.ucsb.edu