Climbing up a ladder today

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

Today, I ascended a ladder up the side of a large condominium complex, in order to record information about a roof-mounted heat pump. As I stepped on the roof I thought that I felt the ladder flex, but I wasn’t positive. On the return trip, I stood at the edge of the roof and studied the area surrounding the base of the ladder, and tried to decide where I might land should it fail. I decided that I would push off, jump to one side, and hope to land on a wooden patio table, which I reasoned would bend or break and absorb some of the impact energy. I descended very carefully, while trying not to lean back or exert any pressure away from the building. About five rungs down I found myself staring at two popped lag screws in a fascia board that was completely termite eaten. I stopped reasoning at that point, and with my heart pounding increased the speed of my descent. Half way down, I saw two more lag screws firmly imbedded in healthy wood, and concluded that I was never in imminent danger. However, I did remind myself that if the ladder had failed I could have been killed or seriously injured, and all for the price of a two bedroom condo inspection, or $400.00. Take care of yourselves. It’s bad enough that terrorists are trying to kill us. And, remember NACHI needs you. Joy to the world.

[John McKenna]

Keith,

I was once up on a ladder painting the sofit of a two story
house when a wasp came at me. I used one hand, with a
brush in it, to swat at the wasp. When I did, the ladder
tilted slightly and then flip all the way around. I held on
with a white knuckle grip.

I was now gripping the bottom side of the ladder, as I had
just flipped it around. I yelled for my friend to come and
help me.

My friend came running around the corner and fell on the
ground laughing (not kidding here). I managed to climb
down the back side of the ladder, while my friend remained
on the ground still laughing. I kept saying it was not
funny... but he kept laughing and between breaths...
said it was funny.

The moral of the story is this... who needs terrorist, when
you have friends like this...

Merry Christmas.

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

A point well taken, and how can we not remember "a betrayal "at Christmas time. I'm worried that Christmas might bring another terrorist attack. Pray for peace.

[Mark A. Timpani, CMI]

be careful

[Henry Valenzano, CMI]

Originally Posted by kswift

Today, I ascended a ladder up the side of a large condominium complex, in order to record information about a roof-mounted heat pump. As I stepped on the roof I thought that I felt the ladder flex, but I wasn’t positive. On the return trip, I stood at the edge of the roof and studied the area surrounding the base of the ladder, and tried to decide where I might land should it fail. I decided that I would push off, jump to one side, and hope to land on a wooden patio table, which I reasoned would bend or break and absorb some of the impact energy. I descended very carefully, while trying not to lean back or exert any pressure away from the building. About five rungs down I found myself staring at two popped lag screws in a fascia board that was completely termite eaten. I stopped reasoning at that point, and with my heart pounding increased the speed of my descent. Half way down, I saw two more lag screws firmly imbedded in healthy wood, and concluded that I was never in imminent danger. However, I did remind myself that if the ladder had failed I could have been killed or seriously injured, and all for the price of a two bedroom condo inspection, or $400.00. Take care of yourselves. It’s bad enough that terrorists are trying to kill us. And, remember NACHI needs you. Joy to the world.

His words are right on. I wasn't that lucky i ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks and it took 5 years to finish putting me back together.

PS: I know I'm still not right in the head

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by hvalenzano

His words are right on. I wasn't that lucky i ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks and it took 5 years to finish putting me back together.

PS: I know I'm still not right in the head

Thanks for the reminder ,your post sure will help many to remember to be just a little more carefull.

Second statement I do not think I want to go there .
Have a great holiday ,Thanks

Cookie

[David P. Valley]

My ladder nightmare...
Attachment 7925

Please be very careful out there.

[gbeaumont]

Originally Posted by dvalley

My ladder nightmare...
Attachment 7925

Please be very careful out there.

Hi Dave,

How are you doing now? another friend of mine down here (a roofing contractor) fell from a single story roof last year, he badly broke is left ankle resulting in pins, plates, legos and all kinds of other implements to be inserted. He is going back into hospital for his 3rd operation next month.

As David said be carefull out there

From what I have seen on various message boards and from speaking to inspectors at conferences and the like I hear of about 1 death per year in our industry and around 3-4 serious injuries.

Be safe, be well, remember gravity has never been known to fail.

Regards

Gerry

[mthomas2]

Keith,

Probably just my reading comprehension, but I don't quite understand what happened... what was causing the ladder to "flex", and how was it flexing?

[Michael W. Gault]

Originally Posted by kswift

I could have been killed or seriously injured, and all for the price of a two bedroom condo inspection, or $400.00. Take care of yourselves. It’s bad enough that terrorists are trying to kill us. And, remember NACHI needs you. Joy to the world.

Some of us do it for half that...

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Originally Posted by mgault

Some of us do it for half that...

That's the problem. We should all been doing it for what Keith is charging times two [x2].or x3 or x4!! Not less. Makes sense to me.


Merry Christmas guys!!!
</IMG>

Keith happy to see that you made it down allright.

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

Michael, here's the scoop. The ladder was secured with three sets of lagscrews on either side of the rails, a pair close to the base, a pair at the midpoint, and a pair at the top. The rails extended above the roof line as hand-holds. A few rungs down I came face-to-face with the lag screws securing the top of the ladder and they had indeed popped, which I experienced as the ladder flexing at the top, simply because they were imbedded into termite damaged wood. When I got a little more than halfway down I saw the lagsrews securing the ladder at the mid point, and realized that they were indeed holding in solid wood, and therefore there was never any real danger of the ladder pulling away from the building. But, let me assure you, my heart was pounding.

[mthomas2]

Gotcha... the ladder was attached to the wall of the condo. That was what I was missing when I first read post, I was thinking this was free standing ladder, and perhaps the termite damaged soffit was failing.

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

Not a failure of your reading comprehension, but my failure as a descriptive writer. PS This was a three story building, and there's no way I would ascend three stories on a free-standing ladder. (I'm leaving that to people with wings).

[Henry Valenzano, CMI]

Originally Posted by kswift

Not a failure of your reading comprehension, but my failure as a descriptive writer. PS This was a three story building, and there's no way I would ascend three stories on a free-standing ladder. (I'm leaving that to people with wings).

Just drink a Red Bull it gives you wings