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Attic pull down

50% I see have nuts loose, missing, screws falling out. Make a habit of tighting them up and cary extra , to repair on customer's time.
It surprises me how many HVAC/R trucks I see with cheeesy HO quality ladders on them. We have 4', 6', 8' & 24'+ 300 IA ladders on each truck. Had a lady bitch out one of the guys cause he didn't have a 10'r on his truck and had to call in for one. He lucked out and saw a friend who worked next door and borrowed his and she bitched about that too! (I wish I knew how to scan the crazy bicth and her husband's letter in here for you all to see. 3 pages of fiction and embellishment-we've been by three times to confront them and they aren't there or in meetings.)

That same 30 seconds with a sawzall will turn an unsafe ladder into its proper form when cut from top to bottom through the rungs

I've got no excuse for not following ladder safety. I used to be the projectionist for the ladder safety films years ago.

But one day, in a big hurry, I did something really dumb. Working on an overhead heater about 12' off the ground, all I had was an extension ladder, so I hurriedly leaned the ladder against the heater.

When I got to the top, the unit turned sideways as the gas line elbow turned and there I was with nothing supporting the ladder!!!

TIMBER!!!

I decided to take my chances by jumping rather than going down with the ladder. Miraculously, I landed on my feet, but badly sprained my ankles, and am probably an inch shorter now

Dice.......

Yeah, lucky for you that you didn't fall on anything really important.

Actually, when I think of going head first through the windshield of the old man's Caddy at 17 and walking away I guess it took me nearly another 40 years to realize how fragile we really are.

About five years ago I fell getting down from the top of an 8 ft walk-in box while attempting to use a 6 ft stepladder. That stupid move caused some of the biggest and nastiest set of bruises, aches and pains I had ever experienced, but I shook it off and limped around for a couple of weeks. I didn't really let that other me at the time all that much.....I just went on doing what I always did.

After falling off the ladder two months ago and breaking my back I have had a lot more opportunity to re-visit the issues of working safe. Now that I'm back working nearly full time, I still have some full-time reminders of my mishap.

The sooner we all realize how easily we can get seriously injured by not watching out for your own safety the better.

Re: Re: We had lots of crappy ladders

Originally posted by bb

Originally posted by spotts
I wonder what James BR549 wouls say about a tech in booties?

I'm not James but I can say it makes you look like a smurf.

Screw booties....I wear nice slip-on Roper shoe-boots.

Originally posted by The Penguin
All this talk about bad ladders makes me think how lucky I was to fall 10 ft flat on my back and walk away with only sore back muscles for a day or two

Same thing happened to me, on cement, luckily I fell on my head.
I did take an ambulance ride but walked out of the ER, went to work the next day......but I am a tough guy doncha know.

Re: We had lots of crappy ladders

Originally posted by spotts
I wonder what James BR549 wouls say about a tech in booties?

I'm not James but I can say it makes you look like a smurf.

Originally posted by oil lp man
6 foot long rebar as a chisel?
Now thats just plain dumb.

Just grip it and rip it. No hammer, chisel weighed 30 lbs. It's in the bottom of the river now.

6 foot long rebar as a chisel?
Now thats just plain dumb.

Originally posted by bmf
he should have known to toss that ladder himself

Hell- there was a bunch of them. Dad was from the "Make Due With What You Got" generation. I remember forcing him to buy a rotary hammer after I got a compression fracture in my spine from breaking concrete with a 6' piece of 1¼" rebar with one end barely sharpened. I'm 39, that was 18 or so years ago and I am reminded of that day everyday.

[Edited by spotts on 06-01-2004 at 06:32 PM]

he should have known to toss that ladder himself

We had lots of crappy ladders

before I bought Dad out. I bet it only took a month to kill all the shaky ones. Bugged Dad bad, I'd say "Hey! New ladders are CHEAP compared to one of these guys in a hospital bed!" Actually I've tossed all kinds of old unsafe tools, buy earplugs, gloves, safety glasses, etc. by the case. No booties tho. Just can't bring myself to do it. I wonder what James BR549 wouls say about a tech in booties?

I fell off a 6 ft fiberglass ladder in november. Had a compound fracture of my left wrist. Told the Dr that my shoulder hurt worse then my wrist---said lets get the wrist done first. Two months later they did a MIR on my shoulder and found a rotary cuff tear. Just had that fixed 6 weeks ago and now doing the therapy thing. Havent slept in the bed since the surgery. Me and the recliner are the best of buds!!! This was a work comp thing --the boss told me last week we're up to $28,000 on the whole deal so far. Didn't miss much work but have been doing a lot of weight limited jobs. Fortunate!! At any rate just take your time and be careful,its your body and you have to live with the pain.

Originally posted by will 2
I know some bosses that would say, "30 sec with a sawzall will turn that POS 10' into a decent 8'."

I know several as well

I know some bosses that would say, "30 sec with a sawzall will turn that POS 10' into a decent 8'."

About a year ago I had an 8' fiberglass ladder dump me. It had a soft spot in one leg that was not obvious.
I was on the third step and when I fell, it broke both bones in my leg at the shin.

I now have some nice titanium hardware in my leg.......
and a new step ladder.

I used to work for a hvac co. in the 80s. I worked on commercial sheetmetal installs.
There were a few instances where OSHA showed up and lead installers would quickly run over and say throw out those extension cords and that ladder, oh and that ladder too.
Funny how unimportant our safety is until they thought they might get fined for not being safe. And catch hell from the owner.

Thats what the edit button is for below your message. To change screwups.

Originally posted by lusker
although I typed 24" you know I meant 24'


sorry, and so are his kids

All this talk about bad ladders makes me think how lucky I was to fall 10 ft flat on my back and walk away with only sore back muscles for a day or two

although I typed 24" you know I meant 24'


sorry, and so are his kids