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OSHA does not provide specific design and construction requirements for self-closing gates, but a self-closing gate typically has a spring-loaded device that allows the gate to automatically close behind the user. In other words, a worker never has to touch a self-closing gate to close it.
OSHA says in the preamble of the walking-working surfaces final rule that “self-closing gates are passive fall protection methods that automatically restore guardrail protection as soon as the worker passes through the opening.” It does not require the worker to take any action to restore that protection.
The key takeaway here is that if the gate at the top of a fixed ladder does not automatically swing into a closed position, it is a swing gate and must be replaced.