AllByteNoBark
Gold Member
That sounds like a bad day! I feel off one when it went out from under me years ago and would ahte to think about that happening now that I am older. Hurt bad enough then. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.
My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day.
- Thread starter Diggin It
- Start date
- Views: 21641
OK. But how did the roof come out. Any leaks ?
I once climbed a 22' ladder to cut the cracked limb off an oak tree out front. The ladder was extended to the max with about a foot over the top of the limb. When the limb shear off, the remaining branch that held the ladder raised up 1' 2" and I was trapped holding an expensive saw with 1 arm and keeping the ladder up with the other. Dropped the saw and 'walked' the ladder back to the main trunk.
I bought a towable boom-lift to eliminate any future opportunities for this place to kill me.
I once climbed a 22' ladder to cut the cracked limb off an oak tree out front. The ladder was extended to the max with about a foot over the top of the limb. When the limb shear off, the remaining branch that held the ladder raised up 1' 2" and I was trapped holding an expensive saw with 1 arm and keeping the ladder up with the other. Dropped the saw and 'walked' the ladder back to the main trunk.
I bought a towable boom-lift to eliminate any future opportunities for this place to kill me.
Thomas
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Those so call little things can mess one up for while even longer the older we get. 
bunyip
Elite Member
Those so call little things can mess one up for while even longer the older we get.
Even 20 years ago I used to bounce, now I just break.
goeduck
Super Member
At work we have a monthly safety meeting and about every 3rd month the subject is ladders. Ladders, ladders, ladders. You can not dismiss the importance of working safely on them.
2 years ago we had one of our best friends that had his own construction company take a customer call late in the day and got on a ladder to do a repair. Ladder slipped and he fell hitting his head, medics said DOA by the time they got there. He was not a risk taker by any means and no one knows exactly what happened but the general consensus was he reached too far, trying to save time and get home to his family. That did not happen that day.
Many moons ago I walked steel girders 100s of feet in the air without any fall protection whatsoever and never thought twice about it. Concentrated and picked my fall point but I would NEVER do that today. Take your time and be careful.
2 years ago we had one of our best friends that had his own construction company take a customer call late in the day and got on a ladder to do a repair. Ladder slipped and he fell hitting his head, medics said DOA by the time they got there. He was not a risk taker by any means and no one knows exactly what happened but the general consensus was he reached too far, trying to save time and get home to his family. That did not happen that day.
Many moons ago I walked steel girders 100s of feet in the air without any fall protection whatsoever and never thought twice about it. Concentrated and picked my fall point but I would NEVER do that today. Take your time and be careful.
bunyip
Elite Member
I have an 18' extension ladder that I bought over 30 years ago, well known local brand and solid aluminium construction, was a couple of years ago I was putting it on a roof rack and noticed that the rivets that allowed the top section to slide were almost pulled through the main body of the ladder, this would have caused it to fold in half while someone (me) was up the top.
I drilled them out and replaced them with high tensile rivets with washers applied with an air riveter, they are very hard to apply and have a special name but I cannot recall what it is but you won't set them with a hand riveter unless you have Arnie helping you.
They held on the block that the top section of ladder slides through and holds it against the bottom rails, as a matter of course I replaced the rivets on the hooks on the bottom too even though they looked OK.
The washers were to distribute the pressure more evenly over a greater area, so far so good and I do check it regularly.
I drilled them out and replaced them with high tensile rivets with washers applied with an air riveter, they are very hard to apply and have a special name but I cannot recall what it is but you won't set them with a hand riveter unless you have Arnie helping you.
They held on the block that the top section of ladder slides through and holds it against the bottom rails, as a matter of course I replaced the rivets on the hooks on the bottom too even though they looked OK.
The washers were to distribute the pressure more evenly over a greater area, so far so good and I do check it regularly.
Industrial Toys
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I will never use an extension ladder without it being tied off preventing the bottom from sliding out or something else to prevent that.
I also never climb a stepladder without testing the feet to make sure they have firm footing and the feet aren't sitting cockeyed. Cheap ladders are bad for that.
Never ceases to amaze me, how quickly we fall. Maybe we watch too much TV where falling is always shown in slow motion.
I did a lot of quite dangerous ladder and other lift devices, work yesterday. I wondered a few times if any one ever had a heart attack or other debilitating emergency on a ladder. I'm getting too old for this stuff!
I also never climb a stepladder without testing the feet to make sure they have firm footing and the feet aren't sitting cockeyed. Cheap ladders are bad for that.
Never ceases to amaze me, how quickly we fall. Maybe we watch too much TV where falling is always shown in slow motion.
I did a lot of quite dangerous ladder and other lift devices, work yesterday. I wondered a few times if any one ever had a heart attack or other debilitating emergency on a ladder. I'm getting too old for this stuff!
goeduck
Super Member
^^^^(bunyip post) sounds like you did an excellent job and I would have done the same.
At work we have a no repair rule on ladders. If a ladder is defective the crews are required to dispose of them. Many take them home which is as it is, but the thought process the company has is that there are no exceptions, they want no ladder injuries.
At work we have a no repair rule on ladders. If a ladder is defective the crews are required to dispose of them. Many take them home which is as it is, but the thought process the company has is that there are no exceptions, they want no ladder injuries.
bunyip
Elite Member
I don't know what your regulations are but metal ladders are not allowed on any worksite where electricity is present, these rules do not apply to home, this includes roofing contractors working near a source of power and plumbers.
Most just buy plastic/GRP ladders, downside is they are heavier.
Most just buy plastic/GRP ladders, downside is they are heavier.
Tractor Seabee
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Just wait till you get my age; used to trip on rocks now its pebbles. Definitely not as nimble as my younger day. Like Diggin did in my late 60s I was up on a makeshift walk plank starting to get down onto a stepladder, woke up laying in a ditch and couldn't move for the pain. FD worked me out and to the ER. Lucky, two broken ribs and a lot of bruises. That was the worst pain I ever had and since. Did it cure me? Guess! Wife won't let me get above 4 rungs any more. Learning new tricks now.
Ron
