Portable Ladder Pre-Use Inspection Card and Log

This template is for portable ladders used in a building-trades lab, shop, or similar work area, including step ladders, extension ladders, and other movable ladders. It is meant to document a pre-use inspection before the ladder is climbed. If your site uses fixed access equipment, scaffolds, or aerial lifts, those need separate inspection forms. You can also customize the ladder type field to match the units in your inventory.

This is a pre-use inspection card, so it should be completed before each use or work session. That cadence helps catch damage that appears between shifts, after transport, or after a ladder has been loaned to another area. If a ladder is stored in a high-traffic shop, it is common to inspect it every time it is pulled from storage. Any defect should trigger removal from service immediately.

The person who is about to use the ladder should complete the inspection, since they are the one verifying the ladder is safe for the task. A supervisor or competent person should review cases where a defect is found, the ladder is tagged out, or the disposition is unclear. If your program assigns inspections to a lead hand or shop instructor, the template can be adjusted to reflect that workflow. The key is that the person signing has actually checked the ladder.

Yes, it is aligned to portable ladder inspection expectations under OSHA general industry and construction ladder requirements, including the need to remove damaged ladders from service. It also supports the broader duty to keep access equipment in safe condition and free of obvious defects. The template is not a substitute for training or a written ladder safety program. It works best as the record that the inspection happened and that any non-conformance was handled.

Common misses include cracked side rails, loose spreaders, worn feet, missing slip-resistant pads, and dirty rungs with oil or mud. Another frequent issue is using the wrong ladder type or duty rating for the task. People also forget to check labels and warnings, which can hide a missing rating or unreadable manufacturer guidance. This form forces those checks into a repeatable sequence.

Yes. You can add fields for ladder material, height, fiberglass use near electrical work, or local tagging rules. Many users also add asset tracking, location, or a photo upload field to make removal from service easier. If your program has specific PPE or access-control rules, those can be added to the use-specific safety checks. Keep the core defect checks intact so the form still captures the safety-critical items.

An informal check is easy to skip and hard to prove after an incident. This log creates a consistent record of who inspected the ladder, what condition it was in, and whether it was cleared or removed from service. That matters when a ladder is shared across crews or stored in a common shop area. It also makes follow-up on defects much easier because the disposition is documented.

The ladder should be tagged and removed from service right away, then stored or isolated so it cannot be used accidentally. The deficiency description should be specific enough that a supervisor or competent person can decide whether repair, replacement, or disposal is appropriate. If the ladder is returned to service after correction, the form should show what was fixed and who approved it. Never leave a damaged ladder available for the next user.