OSHA 10-Hour Construction ReviewStairways and LaddersMedium
An employer is constructing a temporary stairway to provide access between two levels of a building under construction. What is the maximum permissible angle for this stairway?
- A30 degrees
- B60 degrees
- C50 degrees
- D35 degrees
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. 50 degrees
OSHA states that stairways must be installed between 30 and 50 degrees from the horizontal. An angle greater than 50 degrees would make the stairway too steep for safe use and would be considered a ladder.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While a safe angle, it is not the maximum permissible angle.
- B. An angle of 60 degrees is too steep for a stairway and would be classified as a ladder, requiring different safety standards.
- D. This is within the permissible range but not the maximum.
Stairway Angle Limit
Stairways must be installed at an angle between 30 and 50 degrees from the horizontal to be considered a stairway by OSHA.
- Minimum angle: 30 degrees.
- Maximum angle: 50 degrees.
- Angles outside this range are considered ladders or ramps.
Memory trick: Fifty degrees, that's where the stairway frees.