Stupid Ladder Tricks – A Discourse in Safety

In today’s world, the small residential roofer is at a disadvantage. They don’t have all the necessary equipment for most solutions or the manpower needed to do them in a timely manner. They make do with aging equipment, tools and even the trucks that they drive.

A monitor to keep an eye on safety issues is virtually nonexistent. No one tells them that they have to clean up accumulating debris, no repair crews come in to assess and fix equipment, and OSHA is not on site to document risks.

This post arose from an email that Mike Hess sent me recently. Mike is a Residential & Commercial Sales rep for Affordable Roofing and is no stranger to the ladder. Included in the email were some photos that you are seeing here now. They are only humorous, in that they make you shake your head in disbelief and wonder.

This Is Not A Step

If memory serves me correctly, the warning labels on ladders came about when a consumer stepped on the top rung of a ladder, had a nasty fall, and then attempted to sue the ladder manufacturer for not warning him that it was unsafe to do so. This was one in the many frivolous lawsuits back then that sparked a boom in product warning labeling.

Even with all the labeling in the world, you cannot get away from the fact that people are inherently ignorant. This page is a testament to what goes on every single day. As is this page and this page.

Safety First

According to OSHA, falls from an elevated height account for one third of all deaths in construction. Between the years of 1995-1999, OSHA documented approximately one fall per day and the trend is on the rise. Therefore, it is important that safety and health programs contain provisions to protect workers from falls on the job.

You risk falling if ladders are not safely positioned each time they are used. While you are on a ladder, it may move and slip from its supports. You can also lose your balance while getting on or off an unsteady ladder. Falls from ladders can cause injuries ranging from sprains to death.


So, in the words of Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, “Let’s be careful out there”.

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1. 

   Steve Sagovac says:

   June 7, 2008 at 6:07 am

   These images are amazing. I have an article on my site that states that (here in Australia) that falls from a ladder is the 2nd most common accident for weekend DIY Handymen. I wonder what ever happened to common sense. Steve
2. 

   Roof Info Staff says:

   June 9, 2008 at 12:42 pm

   Your article states the number one accident for the DIY guy is grinders. It could have easily been ladder falls, but I think a lot of them are not crazy enough to get up on the roof in the first place.

   Ron.