Stairways and Temporary Stairs During Construction
29 CFR 1926.1052 · 29 CFR 1926.25 · This talk in Spanish
Why it matters
Permanent stairs get used long before they are finished: no rails yet, no treads yet, pans full of debris. OSHA has specific rules for stairways used during construction, including when pan stairs can be climbed and what rails must be up. Today we make sure the stairwell is not the most dangerous part of the job.
Hazards
- ⚠ Climbing pan stairs with unfilled pans or slick temporary fill
- ⚠ Missing stair rails and handrails on open sides
- ⚠ Debris, cords, and material stored on treads and landings
- ⚠ Poor lighting in enclosed stairwells
- ⚠ Uneven riser heights catching feet in dim light
- ⚠ Door swings at landings knocking workers back down the flight
Controls and safe practices
- ✓ Do not use metal pan stairs until pans are filled with concrete or secured temporary material to spec.
- ✓ Stair rails and handrails installed on every open side before general use, 4 or more risers or over 30 inches.
- ✓ Keep treads and landings clear: no storage, no cords across steps, cleaned every shift.
- ✓ Light every stairwell: temporary lighting working on every flight before dark trades start.
- ✓ Fix or flag variations in riser height; they trip people even in daylight.
- ✓ Landings clear of door swings, and doors with vision panels where traffic is heavy.
- ✓ Report damaged treads and wobbly rails immediately; barricade the flight until fixed.
What the OSHA standard says
Exact words from the official text, with a link to each paragraph.
“Stairways having four or more risers or rising more than 30 inches (76 cm), whichever is less, shall be equipped with: (i) At least one handrail; and (ii) One stairrail system along each unprotected side or edge.”
“Slippery conditions on stairways shall be eliminated before the stairways are used to reach other levels.”
“Except during stairway construction, foot traffic is prohibited on skeleton metal stairs where permanent treads and/or landings are to be installed at a later date, unless the stairs are fitted with secured temporary treads and landings long enough to cover the entire tread and/or landing area.”
“During the course of construction, alteration, or repairs, form and scrap lumber with protruding nails, and all other debris, shall be kept cleared from work areas, passageways, and stairs, in and around buildings or other structures.”
By the numbers
- In private construction, falls, slips, and trips that led to at least 1 day away from work happened at a rate of 30.0 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in 2024, compared with 22.6 across all private industry. (BLS, The Economics Daily: National Safety Stand-Down highlights fall hazards in construction, 2026)
Site check before the talk
Walk the site and tick each line. Each line comes from the text quoted above.
- ☐Put at least one handrail on stairs with four or more risers or more than 30 inches of rise. (29 CFR 1926.1052(c)(1))
- ☐Add a stairrail on each open side of those stairs. (29 CFR 1926.1052(c)(1))
- ☐Fix slippery spots on stairs before anyone uses them. (29 CFR 1926.1052(a)(7))
- ☐Keep everyone off skeleton metal stairs until secured temporary treads and landings cover them. (29 CFR 1926.1052(b)(2))
- ☐Keep stairs clear of scrap lumber with nails and all other debris. (29 CFR 1926.25(a))
Quotes checked word for word against the official eCFR text on October 5, 2026. This is a summary for a crew talk, not legal advice; the full official text governs. How we check
Crew discussion questions
- Which stairwells are open for use and which are off limits right now?
- Are all our pan stairs filled, and who verifies after each pour?
- Where are the dark spots in our stairwells at 6 a.m.?
- Whose job is stairwell housekeeping this week?
Applicable OSHA standards
29 CFR 1926.1052, 29 CFR 1926.25
Download the print-ready PDF with sign-in sheet
Free. We email you the PDF, and that is it.
GC asking for a safety plan?
We generate your site-specific safety plan in under 30 minutes, with every OSHA citation checked against our standards table, and a Spanish version for your crew.
Build your plan for $49More toolbox talks
- Excavation Protective System Selection
- The Competent Person Daily Excavation Checklist
- Working Around Dump Trucks and Haul Roads
- Skid Steer Safe Operation
- Excavator Swing Radius and Quick Couplers
- Masonry Wall Bracing and the Limited Access Zone
Talks by trade
General ContractorAll toolbox talks
Safety documents
Site-specific safety plan, $49JHA, $29Written safety program, $149