Posted on December 3, 2025 by Brent Phillips

When it comes to safeguarding city infrastructure and ensuring public safety, maintaining an OSHA-compliant water tower is a top priority for water asset managers and city water authorities. Ensuring that your water tank or municipal water asset meets OSHA compliance is not only a matter of legal responsibility but also critical for worker safety and uninterrupted service. Here’s what you need to know to keep your city water tank up to standard.

OSHA Fall Protection Requirements

Fall hazards are the most significant risks when maintaining or inspecting a water tower. OSHA requires comprehensive fall protection for any worker exposed to falls from heights greater than six feet, including on ladders, scaffolds, or open platforms. According to federal standards, water towers must use one of the following OSHA-approved fall protection strategies: guardrail systems, safety fall net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. City municipal employers are responsible for installing, maintaining, and ensuring the correct use of these safeguards to maintain an OSHA-compliant work environment around city water tanks or towers.​

Regular Inspection and Maintenance Standards

Regular inspections are essential for OSHA compliance. It’s critical that city water storage tanks and towers must get inspected at least once every five years, ideally more frequently, to identify hazards and maintain structural integrity. Inspection reports should document all findings, including corrections for OSHA compliance issues. Skipping inspections can expose asset managers and municipal leaders to regulatory enforcement actions for significant deficiencies:

• Missing or damaged fall protection systems
• Obstructions creating trip hazards
• Improperly maintained walking surfaces​

Obstruction-Free Access and Ladder Safety

Safe and unobstructed access to water towers is a key OSHA requirement. Ladder safety standards dictate that no single ladder run should exceed 30 feet between platforms. Ladders and access routes must be free of barriers and debris, regularly inspected, and equipped with secure handholds. Addressing any obstructions and ensuring that ladders meet OSHA specifications are critical for maintaining an OSHA-compliant city water tank.​

State and Federal Regulatory Responsibilities

While city water authorities must meet federal OSHA regulations, individual states may impose additional safety requirements. For example, state health and labor departments can conduct inspections and require documentation demonstrating OSHA compliance. These state and federal agencies often collaborate but maintain separate oversight roles, underscoring the need for thorough, up-to-date regulatory record-keeping for each municipal water asset.​

Qualified Personnel and Documentation

OSHA mandates that only adequately trained and qualified personnel perform inspections, maintenance, or repairs on water towers. Thorough documentation of all procedures, safety checks, and corrective actions is essential. Cities must maintain records detailing employee training, equipment inspections, and confined space permits, especially when atmospheric or physical hazards are present in the water tank.​