Ladder work, like running with scissors

[John Kogel]

I fell the other day, but I was at ground level, carrying the 28' extension ladder. I was maneuvering between the 2 storey house and the fence, trying to watch both ends so as not to scrape the wall or the fence, and I stepped into a sunken patio and wiped out. I knew the step was there, but got caught up in the inspection process and forgot to watch my feet too.

I twisted my left ankle, smacked my left knee on the concrete and twisted my right knee a bit. The ladder came down hard and woke up sleeping babies all over the neighborhood.

I was able to limp upstairs and do the kitchen while the aches went down, then went back out and finished off the roof check. This was a steep roof, so I was just going around the house with the ladder.

I wasn't badly damaged, not looking for sympathy. I just want to remind everybody to expect the unexpected.

[Steven Hockstein]

Reminds me of a contractor that we do buisness with. After working on many roofs, open ended stairways, and various other areas where he could have easily been killed in a fall, he was on the second rung of a step ladder and lost his balance and fell. He broke his shoulder, ribs, and an elbow. He has never felt the same.

Hope you are OK soon.

[Mike Lamb]

Good wake-up message. The most important part of our job is not getting hurt.

[Rob Amaral]

Sorry to hear that...!

[Jim Katen]

Glad to hear you're ok.

I've gotten into the habit of keeping my knees bent when walking around with a ladder on my shoulder. Don't know why, but it's easier to recover from a misstep that way.

[John Kogel]

Glad to hear you're ok.

I've gotten into the habit of keeping my knees bent when walking around with a ladder on my shoulder. Don't know why, but it's easier to recover from a misstep that way.

I might try that. Sounds like a way to get a young guy to run over and help the old codger all stooped over with the ladder. []