Telesteps vs Step Ladder for Attics

[Billy Boerner]

I use a telestep inside the home. Never failed yet. I better go knock on wood now

[Brian E. Kelly]

I used to pull the pins at the bottom Billy (until they broke off) and let the entire ladder collaspe closed very quickly on itself. Two or three years of that it finally broke.

[Bryce W. Jeffrey]

I thought that I would share with you my experience with a telescoping ladder. I purchased this piece of high tech equipment from my local Home Depot Store. It was manufactured by a Quebec company known as MetalTech. While coming DOWN from a roof inspection, the right side of the ladder collapsed. I was fortunate that the Real Estate Broker was present. He witnessed my fall and transported me to the hospital emergency room. He then had the misfortune to inform my wife where I was and what happened. This COLLAPSE ocurred June 6/07. I underwent emergency surgery due to the possiblity of bone infection and the possibility of amputation. The final results of the fall: compound fracture of the left wrist ( bone protuding ), compressed 2nd and 3rd vertebrae, torn rotator cuff, 100 shots of morphine, 200 percocets, three days in the hospital, permanent mobility disability of the wrist.

On the positive side, thankfully it happened in my 60's and not when I was a young house builder. To-day it is difficult to hold a screw or nail and I suffer from hand tremors. In fact I am fortunate when compared to the suffering of our men and women in Irag and Afganistan.

To all you nay sayers and telescoping ladder supporters, be careful, they are inheritantly dangerous. The newer models are colour coded to indicate they are fully locked in position.

MetalTech, Extend&Climb, Telesteps, they are all the same thing being manufactured under license. They are banned in Germany and have been given an unsatisfactory rating by consumer rating agencies.

Take a look at the pictures and decide if they are worth the risk to your health. Remember that you have a wife and kids waiting at home for you.


MY COLLAPSE OCURRED WHILE COMING DOWN!
Attached Thumbnails

[David P. Valley]

Bryce,

I'm sorry to hear of your terrible incident. I hope everything is better today.

I never did like those telescoping ladders anyways.

[George A. H. Luck]

Well, I guess they call them "collapsible" for a reason! Fibre glass step ladder and a 28 foot aluminum for me.
Hope things have progressed Bryce.

[Bryce W. Jeffrey]

David:

Thank you. I have been in the construction business for over 40 years. How stupid could I be. Just the word "telescoping" should be enough of a warning. Combine that with the word "ladder" and what fool in his right mind would trust himself to a "telescoping ladder". I am still in the process of litigation.

[John Allingham]

My poll seems to be running about 75% in favour of telesteps for attic hatches but Bryce's post has me a little scared.
I picked up two last night, one called Telesteps and the other Metaltech. The Metaltech seems a little easier to use. The Metaltech is color coded (red/green) to show the rungs are locked.
The instructions say to leave unused rungs grouped at the top. That seems a little inconvenient. It's much easier to pull up rungs from the top.
Pull up the first rung till it locks, pull up the second rung till it locks, etc until you've reached the attic hatch. This method leaves unused rungs grouped at the bottom however.
Does anyone know what the problem is with unused rungs grouped at the bottom? Does anyone use it this way?

[Bryce W. Jeffrey]

Metaltech is the company that I am sueing. Based out of Quebec. I have succeeded in having the ladder removed from Sears Canada. I am now working on Home Depot. The ladder is undergoing forensic testing with engineers retained by my solicitors.

My ladder was not colour coded, but when the collapse occured at the engineer's test facilities it was revealed that the total supporting latch to hold the ladder rungs in place was a metal pin approximately 3/8 inch by 1/4 inch. Sorry folks but when you see what is holding you up it does not take too much imagination to foresee the results. These ladders are high tech, convenient and dangerous. The original Sweedish design was possible OK but these knock offs known as Metatech, Extennclimb and Telesteps are going to kill someone eventually.

Take a good look at the pictures. This collapse was six feet maximum while I was coming DOWN from a roof. The arc caused by my weight (195 lbs) was enough to cause the ladder to bow and create enough friction to allow me to access the roof. Starting back down changed the arc of friction and the ladder collapsed.

In life we are the product of our decisions. I decided to use the ladder and was injured. I chose to inform others. You must make your own decision.

It's your neck.

[David P. Valley]

With the telesteps, you're putting your life on a set of pins.

I'll stick with the foldable ladders thank you.

[Brian E. Kelly]

More people are injured or killed on conventional ladders. Ladders are dangerous. Be careful

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by jallingham

My poll seems to be running about 75% in favour of telesteps for attic hatches but Bryce's post has me a little scared.
I picked up two last night, one called Telesteps and the other Metaltech. The Metaltech seems a little easier to use. The Metaltech is color coded (red/green) to show the rungs are locked.
The instructions say to leave unused rungs grouped at the top. That seems a little inconvenient. It's much easier to pull up rungs from the top.
Pull up the first rung till it locks, pull up the second rung till it locks, etc until you've reached the attic hatch. This method leaves unused rungs grouped at the bottom however.
Does anyone know what the problem is with unused rungs grouped at the bottom? Does anyone use it this way?

Don't know about the Metaltech but the directions for the TeleSteps are the same. If you don't open the ladder to full height, you open from the bottom. You release the locks at the bottom and the ladder collapses into itself. Nothing holding the ladder in the open position if you do it the other way. I guess the question is, who are you going to blame when it collapses because you did the opposite of the manufacturers directions?

I wouldn't buy the the normal bar step version. I like the wide step version and the locks appear to be bigger because of the available space.

Are any of the accidents involving the "wide step" version of these ladders or only the bar step version? Bryce?

[Linas I. Dapkus]

Originally Posted by mbenerowski

How did it break? Did it fail? Or did it get damaged.

The poor thing couldn't bear the heavy load. They're only rated for 300 lbs.

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by dvalley

With the telesteps, you're putting your life on a set of pins.

I'll stick with the foldable ladders thank you.

Ditto Dave...!!!

The Pins SNAPPED off on my Telesteps, and I weigh about 175 lbs.

I would NEVER use anything but Folding Step Ladder(s) and my Gorilla Ladder AGAIN.

I posted the pictures here of the Telesteps in two pieces last year I think on this MB....In my opinion their an ambulance waiting.

[Brian E. Kelly]

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Brian, in looking at your pictures, is there a reason you did not follow manufacturers instructions for extending your ladder?