Safety message about ladders

[Car-Guy]

Came here to learn something about CD ladders and walked away with a different safety tip.

Both work great, usually, but both have problems when falling. One can cause you to break your arm/leg/back or neck. The other can break your wallet or lifestyle.

 

[TriumphTR3fan]

I asked specific questions of the OP, because I object to the notion that at some specific age, people should "stay off ladders" just because.

Ladders, used properly by able persons of any age, are safe.

When accidents occur, there is always something amiss either with the person (actual poor balance due to many factors; poor judgment leading to poor balance, such as reaching out too far to trim a branch; muscle weakness, loss of sensation in the feet, poor eyesight, too tired to be working, etc.) or with the ladder (ladder bent/out of true, not properly braced, uneven ground where no ladder should even be, stepladder sides not completely locked in place, etc.)

I respectfully disagree that "ladders used by able persons of any age, are safe." The problem I see is that someone may not be aware that their able condition has changed. You may have an undiagnosed condition that under normal conditions shows no symptoms. While on a ladder there can be strains that cause us to have disorientation or sudden weakness. For example, standing on a ladder can alter your blood pressure that can cause disorientation. Other medications can also affect you while you are on a ladder. I still use a ladder for some low repairs but always with someone nearby. I used to have the same opinion. Then my DW & I had a long conversation with my MD about this subject. We both realized that we need to adjust our boundaries as we age.
A routine task that I have done for years is replacing batteries in smoke detectors for some relatives. One is about 15' up in a cathedral ceiling. It is a simple task for me as I am over six feet tall. After replacing it this fall I told the relatives that they needed to get a smoke detector with a ten year battery & have it installed by someone. The task just isn't worth the risk of someone being seriously injured.



We built our current home as a one story in part because of this issue. Stairs & ladders become more hazardous as we age. I just don't bounce as well as I used to.

 

[Rchaser]

Ladder Fall

In 2018 my husband was on a Werner ladder while washing the windows on our RV. The ladder was balanced properly and he is a thin normal weight man. He leaned to the side slightly and the aluminum ladder actually bent thrusting him off of it. He hit his head on a railroad tie incurring a huge baseball sized hematoma on his forehead. He ended up in ICU for several days as the fall also caused fractured ribs and a punctured spleen with internal bleeding and emergency surgery needed. He appeared to be in shock when I found him. He's had trouble with spacial distancing decisions since.

The ambulance took him to a nearby military hospital. He had Medicare alone that year. We kept calling for the remainder of the bill but were told it was still being processed by BAMC (the military hospital). Last year we received a notice from the US Treasury Dept that his SS would be garnished monthly until the $2400.00+ remainder they said they were due was paid. We never received a notice or a bill and we weren't allowed to view any charges. They were covering those 'surprise' Medical Bill stories on the news last year. as apparently this is not uncommon. It also included a $650 late fee for a bill we never received. We learned that dealing with the US Treasury you have 0 recourse. And we couldn't find anyone to take the Lerner ladder case for suit since they've been sued so many times previously and we were just one lone incident. Long story short : Beware of LERNER ladders. He's lucky it didn't kill him is the upside.

 

[Fermion]

I go for the 300 pound rating fiberglass ladders every time. No 225 pound rating aluminum stuff for me.

 

[Boho]

I got an aluminum 250lb rated Louisville Ladder. I heard about microcracks in fiberglass ladders, and them falling apart from vibrating in a pickup truck over time. And they're heavy. I don't do physical work every day and I don't want to add risk to my back by carrying a heavy ladder.

 

[Brat]

Years ago the guy who cut my hair fell off a ladder when cleaning a gutter on his house and died. After that, we replaced our gutters with Leaf Guard gutters.

 

[W2R]

I respectfully disagree that "ladders used by able persons of any age, are safe. The problem I see is that someone may not be aware that their able condition has changed."

+1000 My father spent considerable time working as an emergency room surgeon and said he was SO tired of treating so many older people who wouldn't admit to themselves that they were no longer kids, and had consequently been seriously injured after falling off a ladder, or had a heart attack while mowing the lawn.

Anyone who knew my father would agree that he had many faults but his medical judgment wasn't one of them. So, now that I am older I don't climb ladders or mow the lawn. Not being destitute, it doesn't kill me to hire someone to do these things and I sincerely believe that this markedly increases my life expectancy.

 

[Boho]

One safety measure I intend to take is avoid having two hands in the air while looking up when I'm standing on a platform with nothing to lean against. Having my full foot on a platform as opposed to my partial foot on a ladder step is nice, but not necessarily enough. After watching a lot of drywall videos in preparation to smooth out a botched ceiling (botched by a pro a long time ago), I decided not to use a screed. A screed would require me to keep both hands on it and reach up while making long strokes. I'll stick with a drywall knife and use my other arm for balance. I could probably avoid a ladder all together. One video showed something you could attach to a poll to smooth drywall mud. Then I could sand it. And I could apply it with a roller.