Fixed Ladders, Changing Rules: Navigating OSHA’s Ladder Fall Protection Requirements -- Occupational Health & Safety

Fixed Ladders, Changing Rules: Navigating OSHA’s Ladder Fall Protection Requirements

Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 2:00pm ET - 1:00pm CT - 11:00am PT

Ladders have always been a common tool—but under today’s safety standards, they come with new responsibilities. With OSHA’s update to Subpart D, a major change is reshaping how organizations must think about fixed ladders. Any ladder that extends 24 feet or more above a lower level is now required to include fall protection. That applies to single ladders and to multiple ladder sections where the total fall distance is continuous.

This session breaks down what that regulation means for facility managers, safety professionals, and anyone responsible for keeping workers safe at height. We’ll focus on the practical side of compliance: how to assess your existing systems, how to plan updates before the 2036 deadline, and how to avoid costly missteps along the way.

Whether you manage a few fixed ladders or hundreds, this session offers clear guidance on how to move forward with confidence, meet compliance requirements, and protect the people who count on your systems every day.

About the Speaker:

Thom Kramer, PE, CSP: Senior Safety Consultant – LJB Engineering

Thom is a safety consultant and structural engineer with 30 years of experience. He is an internationally recognized expert in applying engineering and safety practices to reduce risk for workers at heights. As a dually registered professional engineer and certified safety professional, he specializes in the assessment and design of fall protection systems, as well as fall protection program development and training. Thom is the former Chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Full Committee and previously chaired three subcommittees (ANSI Z359.1, .6 and .17). He also serves as the Vice President of Finance with ASSP, the current Chair of the ANSI Z359 National Work at Height Task Force, and as the President of the International Society for Fall Protection. He is widely considered as a thought leader in the fall protection and work at height industry, having given more than 300 technical sessions and workshops on the topic.

Moderator:

David Kopf, Executive Editor and Publisher, OH&S

A career business media professional, David Kopf has led OH&S since January 2023. He has been with OH&S’s parent company 1105 Media since 2007, previously publishing and editing titles for the post-acute healthcare market. Prior to that, Kopf has served in various editorial capacities in the telecommunications, data communications, banking and power sports industries. Kopf is committed to reinforcing and expanding OH&S’s value and range of services for workplace safety professionals, and the Executive Q&A webinar series is the latest example of that initiative.

Sponsors:

Kee Safety separating people from hazards is at the heart of Kee Safety’s global mission. The Kee Safety team is fully trained in national safety standards and how our product capabilities solve fall safety concerns. This expertise, combined with innovative problem solving and industry knowledge provides you and your clients with the best possible customer service. www.keesafety.com

Date: Feb 26, 2026

Time: 11:00am PT

Duration: 1 hour

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