OSHA 1910.25 Stairway Requirements: What Facility Managers Need to Know

Stairways are such a familiar part of a commercial building that they can easily become an overlooked safety issue.

But for employers, facility managers, property managers, engineers and contractors, stairways are part of the walking-working surfaces OSHA regulates under 29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart D.

OSHA 1910.25 establishes requirements for stairways used in general industry workplaces. The standard addresses standard stairs as well as spiral stairs, ship stairs and alternating tread-type stairs. It also covers fundamental requirements such as stair dimensions, load capacity, headroom and landings.

Understanding the standard is particularly important when modifying an existing commercial facility, installing new rooftop access, replacing mechanical equipment or evaluating how workers move between different elevations.

Here are the major requirements commercial property and facility teams should understand.

 

What Does OSHA 1910.25 Cover?

OSHA 1910.25 applies to stairways in general industry workplaces, including:

• Standard stairs
• Spiral stairs
• Ship stairs
• Alternating tread-type stairs

There are several exclusions, including certain articulated stairs, scaffold stairs, stairs designed into machines or equipment, and stairs on self-propelled motorized equipment.

The distinction matters because not every stair-like access system is governed by exactly the same requirements.

For example, a fixed ladder accessing a rooftop is primarily addressed by OSHA 1910.23, while a standard stairway providing routine access between working levels falls under 1910.25.

OSHA Standard Stair Requirements

For standard stairs, several dimensions are particularly important.

Stair Angle
OSHA requires standard stairs to be installed at an angle between: 30 degrees and 50 degrees from horizontal.

This is one of the first things to evaluate when reviewing an existing access stair or designing a new one.

Maximum Riser Height
For standard stairs subject to the current dimensional requirements, the maximum riser height is: 9.5 inches.

Minimum Tread Depth
The minimum tread depth is also: 9.5 inches.

Minimum Stair Width
Standard stairs must have a minimum width of: 22 inches between vertical barriers.

There is an important qualification for older stairs: OSHA provides an exception for certain standard stairs installed before January 17, 2017. Those stairs can be deemed compliant when they meet the dimensional combinations provided in OSHA’s Table D-1 or otherwise satisfy the applicable angle requirement.

That means facility managers shouldn’t automatically apply the new-stair dimensions to every older staircase without first determining when the system was installed and which provisions apply.

OSHA Stair Landing Requirements

Landings are another common area of confusion.

Under OSHA 1910.25, stairway landings and platforms must be:

• At least as wide as the stair, and
• At least 30 inches deep in the direction of travel.

Door placement also matters.

When a door or gate opens directly onto a stairway, OSHA requires a platform. The door swing cannot reduce the effective usable depth below the applicable minimum.

For platforms installed on or after January 17, 2017, that usable depth cannot be reduced below 22 inches. For older installations covered by the provision, the corresponding threshold is 20 inches.

This becomes especially relevant around rooftop mechanical rooms, penthouses and restricted-access areas where space is limited.

Stairway Headroom Requirements

OSHA generally requires at least: 6 feet 8 inches of vertical clearance

above stair treads, measured from the leading edge of the tread to the overhead obstruction.

Spiral stairs have a separate minimum headroom requirement of 6 feet 6 inches.

Mechanical piping, ductwork, structural framing and later building modifications can create clearance issues in older facilities, so headroom should be considered during access assessments.

How Much Weight Must OSHA-Compliant Stairs Support?

OSHA also establishes structural capacity requirements.

Each stair must be capable of supporting at least:

Five times the normal anticipated live load

and never less than a concentrated load of:

1,000 pounds applied at any point.

This is an important reminder that stairway compliance isn’t solely about dimensions.

Structural capacity matters too.

Uniform Riser Heights and Tread Depths

OSHA requires stairs to have uniform riser heights and tread depths between landings.

Why does this matter?

Workers naturally develop a rhythm when climbing stairs. An unexpectedly higher riser or shorter tread can create a trip or misstep hazard.

For facility managers evaluating older access systems, consistency between individual steps should therefore be part of the assessment—not simply overall stair dimensions.

When Are Standard Stairs Required?

OSHA states that standard stairs are used to provide access from one walking-working surface to another when operations require regular and routine travel between levels, including access to operating platforms for equipment.

This can become particularly important in commercial and industrial facilities.

If employees regularly need access to rooftop HVAC systems, elevated equipment or mechanical platforms, the appropriate permanent access solution should be evaluated rather than assuming that a ladder or highly compact stair system is automatically suitable.

OSHA permits spiral, ship and alternating tread-type stairs only when the employer can demonstrate that providing standard stairs is not feasible.

OSHA Requirements for Ship Stairs

Ship stairs are much steeper than conventional stairs and are commonly encountered where available space is limited.

Under OSHA 1910.25, ship stairs must generally:

• Be installed between 50 and 70 degrees from horizontal
• Have open risers
• Have vertical rise between tread surfaces of 6.5 to 12 inches
• Have tread depth of at least 4 inches
• Have tread width of at least 18 inches

But the important facility-management point is not simply whether a proposed ship stair meets these dimensions.

OSHA restricts the use of ship stairs to circumstances where the employer can demonstrate that standard stairs are not feasible.

OSHA Requirements for Spiral Stairs

OSHA 1910.25 also establishes specific requirements for spiral stairs.

Among them:

• Minimum clear width: 26 inches
• Maximum riser height: 9.5 inches
• Minimum headroom: 6 feet 6 inches
• Minimum tread depth: 7.5 inches, measured 12 inches from the narrower edge
• Uniform tread size

Again, spiral stairs generally aren’t intended to replace standard stairs simply because they require less space. Their use must fit OSHA’s conditions for alternative stair types.

Stairways, Handrails and Fall Protection

One of the most important things to understand about OSHA 1910.25 is that it does not operate by itself.

OSHA 1910.25 requires handrails, stair rail systems and guardrail systems to be provided in accordance with 1910.28.

OSHA 1910.28 further addresses fall hazards on stairways.

For example, an employee exposed to an unprotected side or edge of a stairway landing 4 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by a guardrail or stair rail system. OSHA also establishes handrail and stair-rail requirements based on stair configuration and width.

This is why a complete stairway assessment shouldn’t stop with rise, run and width.

The overall walking-working surface needs to be considered.

 

OSHA’s 2026 Stair-Rail Guidance

There is also a timely reason to revisit stairway compliance.

In February 2026, OSHA issued interim enforcement guidance concerning handrail and stair rail system requirements under 1910.28(b) and 1910.29(f).

That guidance reinforces why facility managers should evaluate OSHA Subpart D as an interconnected group of requirements rather than treating 1910.25 as an isolated dimensional checklist.

For a current project, employers and designers should review the applicable OSHA requirements and current agency guidance rather than relying on an old stairway checklist.

Where Stairway Compliance Becomes Important on Commercial Rooftops

Stairway issues frequently appear during:

• Rooftop HVAC replacements
• Mechanical penthouse modifications
• Roof replacements
• New equipment installations
• Solar projects
• Rooftop additions
• Access-platform installations
• Building expansions

A building may have had an acceptable access arrangement when originally constructed, but years of equipment additions and modifications can change how employees and contractors use the roof.

That’s why rooftop safety should be evaluated as a system.

The path from the building interior to the work location may involve:

stairs → ladder → hatch → walking-working surface → fall-protection system → work area.

A weakness anywhere in that sequence can create a safety problem.

Stairways Are Only One Part of Walking-Working Surface Safety

OSHA 1910 Subpart D contains several related standards facility managers should understand.

They include:

• 1910.22 — General Requirements
• 1910.23 — Ladders
• 1910.24 — Step Bolts and Manhole Steps
• 1910.25 — Stairways
• 1910.26 — Dockboards
• 1910.27 — Scaffolds and Rope Descent Systems
• 1910.28 — Duty to Have Fall Protection
• 1910.29 — Fall Protection Systems Criteria
• 1910.30 — Training Requirements

For commercial building owners, this is an important distinction.

OSHA compliance isn’t achieved by looking at one isolated piece of equipment. Rooftop access, walking surfaces, ladders, stairs, anchors and fall protection systems often need to work together.

Evaluating Stairways During a Fall Hazard Assessment

When reviewing a commercial property, facility managers should consider questions such as:

• How frequently do workers use the stair?
• Does the stair provide routine access to equipment?
• Are tread depths and riser heights uniform?
• Does the stair have adequate headroom?
• Are landings properly sized?
• Are appropriate handrails or stair rails present?
• Are workers exposed to an unprotected edge?
• Has equipment been added around the stairway?
• Does the access route lead to another fall hazard?
• Are fixed ladders or rooftop anchors involved after the stairway?

A comprehensive fall hazard assessment can identify problems that may be missed when stairs, ladders and rooftop systems are evaluated separately.

How Shine On Anchors Helps Commercial Facilities

Shine On Anchors specializes in commercial fall protection and difficult-access safety systems.

Our work includes:

• Fall hazard assessments
• Roof anchor inspections
• Roof anchor certification
• Roof anchor installation
• Horizontal lifeline systems
• Fixed ladder fall protection
• Guardrail systems
• Rope access systems
• Engineered fall protection solutions

For facility managers, the objective isn’t simply to install another piece of equipment.

It is to create a practical access and fall-protection strategy that accounts for how employees and contractors actually maintain the building.