Perhaps third time lucky

[Liz Jones]

Helen,
My ladder was propped securely alongside my arched porch , I was working on a circular widow above the porch , I'd just picked up my tools and recall putting one foot on the ladder , the next recollection was picking myself up off the tamac drive , my arm had caught a low brick wall . The ambulance arrived and I met it at the bottom of the drive with my arm wrapped in a towel , I tried to convince her I was OK but she insisted I still get checked over as I couldn't assure her I hadn't bumped my head besides my arm needed stitching up and I'd obviously had a blackout for some reason .

I admit I'm not quite so confident on ladders anymore as I had no definite explanation why the accident happened .

Teresa,
I spoke to my Dr regarding dizzy spells-was told to move more slowly, seems our arteries narrow&fur up in old age so the blood doesnt move as fast as it should hence dizzy spells &blackouts. When younger i was a Fire Officer, i was a turntable driver/opporater. This ladder was 104ft from the ground to the top, every Wed we extended the ladder to full hight (having brought it out to the drill yard !!) i then ,armed with some rags in my right jacket pocket, oil can in my left pocket &a grease gun in my hand i would climb to the top.Having reached the top i leaned out &started oiling&greasing the moving parts--no safety harness or hard hat--104ft up......
Now a step ladder is too high.............. Ah well !
Liz

[Krisi]

"Window cleaners" are not common where I live or where I used to live. I mean you could hire someone to wash your windows, but it's not like you see them in the neighborhood. Most folks I know wash their own windows but certainly not every two weeks. More like once a year.

As for ladders, where I live, if you have to work higher off the ground than you can reach, you do it from a ladder or a scaffold if it's a big job. I had a roof replaced. They used ladders to get onto the roof. I had other repairs done. The guy used a ladder.

When I was working, I used ladders often. I carried a step ladder and a 28' extension ladder on my work vehicle. I can't imagine how work would get done if ladders were outlawed. You have to know how to use a ladder safely of course, but that's not hard to learn.

If a ladder is securely attached then I'm okay, but if it's just leaning against the building I'm sure the bottom is going to kick out just as I'm reaching the top!

There's a specific angle to use, but basically, if you stand at the base of the ladder and reach your arms out straight in front of you and your hands can grasp the rungs, you're good to go. If the base of the ladder is on grass or dirt (as opposed to a floor or pavement), jump on the first rung a time or two to see if it's going to tilt to the right or left. If it does, reset it.

[Teresa]

Looks like we've hi-jacked Helen's thread sorry Helen !

Liz,
I'm sure you recall the long wooden ladders often used on construction sites , I had to do progress photography for a couple of large building companies . In those days I would carry my camera case in one hand and my tripod in the other and once I'd got my balance climb the ladder without holding on to it , I must admit coming down wasn't quite so easy .

Many years ago I worked on a large RADAR installation , the building was 60 ' tall and the top of the scanner another 45' no matter what the weather ,day or night maintenance work could be very precarious . I'm sure many others have been in situations like that and possibly far worse , as you say on the other extreme I've also manged to fall off my stepladder !

[Liz Jones]

"Window cleaners" are not common where I live or where I used to live. I mean you could hire someone to wash your windows, but it's not like you see them in the neighborhood. Most folks I know wash their own windows but certainly not every two weeks. More like once a year.

As for ladders, where I live, if you have to work higher off the ground than you can reach, you do it from a ladder or a scaffold if it's a big job. I had a roof replaced. They used ladders to get onto the roof. I had other repairs done. The guy used a ladder.

When I was working, I used ladders often. I carried a step ladder and a 28' extension ladder on my work vehicle. I can't imagine how work would get done if ladders were outlawed. You have to know how to use a ladder safely of course, but that's not hard to learn.



There's a specific angle to use, but basically, if you stand at the base of the ladder and reach your arms out straight in front of you and your hands can grasp the rungs, you're good to go. If the base of the ladder is on grass or dirt (as opposed to a floor or pavement), jump on the first rung a time or two to see if it's going to tilt to the right or left. If it does, reset it.

Fire Training School (U/K) heel of the ladder should be 1/3rd the hight away from the building = viz 9ft high heel3ft from building.