• OSHA requires fixed ladders to be upgraded with personal fall arrest or ladder safety systems by 2036.
• Cages and wells can be used in combination with required safety systems, provided they do not interfere with the systems.

Cages and wells

Cages and wells were the primary fall protection on fixed ladders installed before November 19, 2018. However, all newly installed fixed ladders over 24 feet (those installed on and after November 19, 2018) must have personal fall arrest systems or ladder safety systems. On and after January 17, 2017, for fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet above a lower level, when employers replace fixed ladders, cages, or wells, or any portion of a section thereof, then a ladder safety system or personal fall arrest system must be installed with the upgrade where the replacement is made. This does not apply to minor repairs, such as replacing a bolt or repairing a weld on a cage.

On and after November 18, 2036, all fixed ladders over 24 feet (even the existing ones that were installed before November 19, 2018) must be equipped with personal fall arrest systems or ladder safety systems. Note: On April 6, 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed to remove the 2036 deadline at 1910.28(b)(9)(i)(D). If finalized, the change would allow upgrades to existing fixed ladders when the ladders reach the end of their service lives.

OSHA has said that employers may use a cage or well in combination with a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system provided that the cage or well does not interfere with the operation of the system.

Cages and wells must be designed, constructed, and maintained:

• To permit easy access to and egress from the ladder.
• To contain employees in the event of a fall.
• To direct employees to a lower landing.

Cages and wells must:

• Have sections that are offset from adjacent sections, and
• Have landing platforms provided at maximum intervals of 50 feet.

Employers may choose to install cages or wells on fixed ladders under 24 feet, since those ladders do not require a ladder safety system or fall protection system.

Platforms

Fixed ladder platforms must be at least 24 inches by 30 inches.

Personal fall arrest systems and ladder safety systems must:

• Provide protection throughout the entire vertical distance of the fixed ladder for all ladder sections, and
• Provide a landing platform at maximum intervals of 150 feet, if the fixed ladder has one or more sections.