Free Ladder Safety Training Videos

Ladders are so familiar that people stop respecting them – and then a routine job turns into a fall from eight feet onto concrete. These free training videos cover the whole cycle: picking a ladder with the right duty rating and material, inspecting it before every use, setting it up at the correct angle on firm footing, climbing with three points of contact, working from it without overreaching, and the handful of mistakes behind most ladder accidents. Watch them free, no email required.

Free videos build awareness – but ladders are regulated. In general industry they fall under OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D (walking-working surfaces, including 1910.23 for ladders), and in construction under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart X, and your employees must be trained to recognize ladder hazards. Take the free practice test below to check your team’s knowledge, then see how the complete kit gives you an audit-ready training record for every employee.

These previews are part of our library of free safety training resources. Ladders are covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23 in general industry and 29 CFR 1926 Subpart X in construction. Ladder falls are one piece of a bigger picture – for guarding edges and openings, scaffolds and personal fall arrest systems, see our free fall protection training videos.

Watch: Free Ladder Safety Training Video Previews

Take the Free Ladder Safety Practice Test

Ten questions drawn from the same material as the videos above – duty ratings, inspection, the 4-to-1 setup rule, three points of contact, and safe work practices. You will get your score instantly, with the correct answer shown for anything you miss. No email required.

Ladder Safety Toolbox Talk + 10-Question Practice Test (PDF)

Need Documented Training, Not Just Awareness?

Free videos build awareness – but OSHA expects employees to be trained to recognize ladder hazards, and expects you to be able to show it. The complete Ladder Safety Training Kit gives you the full video with no watermark (available in English or Spanish), the employee quiz and answer key, a presenter’s guide, printable certificates, and sign-in sheets – an audit-ready record for every employee. For work at height beyond ladders, see our free fall protection training videos.

Ladder Safety Training Questions

Are these ladder safety training videos free?

Yes – every video on this page streams free with no email required. Only the downloadable toolbox talk and printable practice test, and the paid kit, are gated.

Does OSHA require ladder safety training?

Yes. Ladders fall under 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D in general industry (including 1910.23 for ladders) and 29 CFR 1926 Subpart X in construction, and employees who use them must be trained to recognize ladder hazards and the procedures that minimize them. Free videos build awareness; the kit gives you the documented, repeatable training and the records behind it.

What is the 4-to-1 rule?

For a straight or extension ladder, the base goes out one foot for every four feet of height to the point where the ladder rests. A ladder touching a wall at 16 feet, for example, has its base about 4 feet out. Too steep and it tips back; too shallow and the base slides out.

What does three points of contact mean?

Two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand, in contact with the ladder at all times – while facing the ladder. That means carrying tools in a belt or hoisting them separately, because you cannot climb safely with something in your hand.

Which rungs should you never stand on?

Neither the top cap nor the top step of a stepladder, and not the top three rungs of an extension ladder. If you need that height, the ladder is too short – get a longer one. The same judgment applies to overreaching: keep your belt buckle between the rails and move the ladder instead of leaning out.