Ladder Inspection Checklist

What this checklist is for

Ladders move between people, rooms, trucks, and job areas, which makes damage easy to miss. A ladder inspection checklist helps employees check rails, rungs, feet, locks, labels, and setup conditions before climbing.

Falls remain a common workplace hazard, and ladder problems are often visible before use. A cracked rail, damaged foot, missing spreader lock, oily rung, or wrong setup angle can turn a short task into a serious event. The checklist keeps the decision simple: use only ladders that are suitable and in good condition.

Suggested checklist items

• Rails, rungs, steps, and platform are not cracked, bent, split, loose, or contaminated.
• Feet, pads, shoes, and slip-resistant surfaces are present and in good condition.
• Spreaders, locks, ropes, pulleys, and hinges work correctly for the ladder type.
• Labels, capacity markings, and warnings are legible.
• Ladder is clean, dry, and free of oil, grease, mud, or loose material.
• Setup surface is stable, level, and protected from traffic when needed.
• Damaged ladders are tagged or removed from service.

How to use this form

Use the sheet as a pre-task prompt and record. The most useful forms are specific enough to guide the worker but short enough to complete during a normal shift. Keep the completed record with maintenance, inspection, or supervisor files according to your company's procedure.

• Inspect the ladder before carrying it to the work area.
• Check both condition and intended setup location.
• Remove damaged ladders from service instead of leaving them available.
• Use the form for portable ladders, step ladders, and extension ladders with site-specific additions.

Recommended frequency

Before use and after any drop, impact, or suspected damage.

Frequency should increase when equipment is shared, conditions change quickly, or a finding repeats. A small business can start with one routine form and then split it into area-specific forms once patterns become obvious.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Checking the ladder condition but not the setup surface.
• Leaving a damaged ladder in the storage rack with no tag.
• Using a step ladder folded or an extension ladder at the wrong angle.
• Ignoring missing labels because the ladder looks familiar.

Who should use it

Maintenance teams, stockrooms, facilities staff, contractors, and supervisors.

Supervisors should review completed forms for repeated defects, missing signatures, and findings that are marked but not corrected. A checklist becomes more valuable when it triggers follow-up instead of only filling a folder.

Source notes

The links below point to public safety resources used to shape the checklist topic. Requirements may vary by industry, state plan, equipment, and task. Review official sources and qualified guidance for your exact workplace.

• OSHA Stairways and Ladders
• OSHA Top 10 cited standards

FAQ