When Is a Squirrel Cage Ladder Required on a Building? 
When is a squirrel cage ladder required on edifices? It depends. This article will review the OSHA ladder standards and discuss trapping squirrels in attics, supplemental food for squirrels, and constructing a landing platform for the squirrel cage ladder. We will also discuss how to inspect the exterior of the building and check for possible entry points and access routes. The best time to conduct this inspection is in early August or early September.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ladder standards
The OSHA ladder standards for squirrel cage ladders are designed to provide workers with a safe place to climb, but they do not apply to all types of ladders. Unless the ladder is part of a machine that requires training or emergency operations, it is not subject to the standards. If the ladder is part of a machine, it must be equipped with a personal fall arrest system. These requirements may be interpreted as requiring that the ladders be made of metal, but not necessarily steel.
In addition, the ladders should have landing platforms that are at least three feet off the ground and must be equipped with personal fall arrest systems. Employers must also install toeboards and guardrail systems along the exposed sides of the ladder, and a self-closing gate at the hole entrance. If the ladders aren’t equipped with personal fall arrest systems, they must be replaced, or they must be repaired.
Providing a landing platform for a squirrel cage ladder
Providing a landing platform for a nesting squirrel cage ladder is easy, but many people misuse them. Most climbers lean back against the cage while climbing down to free up a hand for holding tools. The cage is designed so that it is 7 to 8 feet above the ground. The caged ladders are sometimes used on tall buildings, silos, and work platforms. The ladders are often broken into sections with landing platforms.
Creating a safe environment for the cage is important. To ensure its safety, the ladder must start at least seven feet off the ground. This will give the climbers enough space to walk into the cage and climb the ladder without risking a dangerous fall. Also, ladders must be built so that the sections of the ladder are offset from each other. A landing platform is required at every 50 feet, at the end of each ladder section.
Trapping squirrels in attics
Before trapping squirrels in your attic, make sure it’s an unsuitable place for them. You can disrupt their activities by removing food sources, or by making the attic very bright. Either way, you won’t get any new squirrels unless you remove them from your attic with a cage trap. Trapping squirrels in attics with a squirrel cage ladder requires some basic equipment.
The first step in removing squirrels from your attic is to seal all entry points. Otherwise, they’ll simply return and start chewing on your electrical wiring and destroying your property. It’s best to use steel for attic repairs, as rodents can’t gnaw through it. A squirrel in your attic can make a lot of mess, so be sure to keep your attic clean with the steps outlined above.
Next, you need to bait your trap. Make sure you place the trap under a light source in the attic. Squirrels are scared of the dark, so they’ll likely come down and explore the light. You should place chum on the trap to attract the animals. Using a one-way door will make this trap easy to set. Once you have a trap in place, you can then move on to removing the squirrels.
Providing supplemental food for squirrels
Providing supplemental food to squirrels on buildings has some benefits, as well as a few disadvantages. While some species may decrease their territory when provided with supplemental food, others like Sullivan’s red squirrels are likely to actively defend feeding sites. Furthermore, many squirrels will cache five times as much food as wild ones, and they may also be more vulnerable to predators, such as cars. Nonetheless, this does not mean that providing supplemental food to squirrels will have any negative impacts.
Although peanuts aren’t normally associated with squirrel diets, the sweet sap from maple trees is a major source of energy for the red squirrel. A squirrel can’t just munch on these products; it must first score the bark of the maple tree and then wait for the sap to dehydrate. Luckily, the sugar-rich residue that results is a convenient source of caloric fuel for a patient squirrel. This kind of manipulation of the food supply is a form of farming.
When is a squirrel cage ladder required on a building?
Answer 1: A squirrel cage ladder is required on a building when it is more than 20 feet tall.
What is the minimum width of a rung on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 2: The minimum width of a rung on a squirrel cage ladder is 3 inches.
What is the maximum vertical distance between rungs on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 3: The maximum vertical distance between rungs on a squirrel cage ladder is 12 inches.
What is the minimum length of a tread on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 4: The minimum length of a tread on a squirrel cage ladder is 9 inches.
What is the maximum number of treads on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 5: The maximum number of treads on a squirrel cage ladder is 20.
What is the minimum clear width of the stairway at the top landing of a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 6: The minimum clear width of the stairway at the top landing of a squirrel cage ladder is 30 inches.
What is the minimum clear width of the stairway at the bottom landing of a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 7: The minimum clear width of the stairway at the bottom landing of a squirrel cage ladder is 36 inches.
What is the minimum vertical height of the handrail on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 8: The minimum vertical height of the handrail on a squirrel cage ladder is 42 inches.
What is the maximum vertical height of the handrail on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 9: The maximum vertical height of the handrail on a squirrel cage ladder is 48 inches.
What is the minimum clear width of the platform of a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 10: The minimum clear width of the platform of a squirrel cage ladder is 30 inches.
What is the minimum length of the platform of a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 11: The minimum length of the platform of a squirrel cage ladder is 24 inches.
What is the maximum length of the platform of a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 12: The maximum length of the platform of a squirrel cage ladder is 36 inches.
What is the minimum vertical height of the guardrail on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 13: The minimum vertical height of the guardrail on a squirrel cage ladder is 36 inches.
What is the maximum vertical height of the guardrail on a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 14: The maximum vertical height of the guardrail on a squirrel cage ladder is 42 inches.
What is the minimum horizontal distance between the rungs of a squirrel cage ladder?
Answer 15: The minimum horizontal distance between the rungs of a squirrel cage ladder is 12 inches.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
