Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Follow all the steps for ladder safety

Bill Campbell

Those of you who follow this column will remember last summer when I wrote that I thought my roof would make it another year. About a week after writing that article, a hailstorm totaled it. During May, a contractor's crew and I replaced the roof. I'm not one for letting a chance to swing a hammer slip by. Fortunately, the contractor didn't mind the extra help, or that I asked to have one piece of drip edge replaced three times to get it to look just-right. Installing the new drip edge reminded me of the importance of having a good ladder (to keep from destroying the drip edge) and practicing safe ladder use (to keep from breaking a bone or two).

The roofer's 24-foot, fiberglass side-rail ladder was a beauty. Much more than was needed for my ranch-style house, but it is almost always better to have more ladder than is needed instead of not enough. Placing it against my fireplace chimney with the feet on firm level ground made the climb to and from the roof very comfortable, and the extra reach kept us from having to nail a block along the edge of the roof to prevent crushing the drip edge. It sure put to shame the questionable methods I have used in the past to get on my roof. Now I'm going to have to request a nice extension ladder for my next birthday.

While I was thinking about the proper time to drop the necessary hints, I was browsing the Internet and came across a web site for Rincon Industries, Inc.: http://www.rinconind.com/guide.html. It manufactures a product called Ladder Stiff'ner that it claims strengthens old stepladders and lengthens the life of new ladders. I don't know how well it works, but I have been on many ladders that could have used a little help.

The folks at Rincon also published a set of Ladder Safety Guidelines that included the following statistics about ladder use: "Every day, one person dies as the result of a ladder fall; in all, 65,000 people yearly sustain injuries severe enough to require treatment in hospital emergency rooms."

I hope you will all think about this the next time you grab the old wobbly ladder you might have in the garage or basement. The thing I liked most about the web site was the rules for safe ladder use. They are as follows:

• Inspect all ladders prior to every use.

• Do not use ladders with structural defects; put a "Do Not Use" tag on it and withdraw it from service.

• Carry ladders parallel to the ground.

• Tie ladders down securely when transporting.

• Maintain ladders free of oil, grease, and other hazards.

• Do not load ladder beyond maximum intended load.

• Use only for the purpose for which the ladder was designed (refer to manufacturer's labeling and recommendations).

• Barricade traffic areas in vicinity of ladder use, and lock, barricade, or guard doorways in which a ladder is placed.

• Keep area around the top and bottom of ladder clear.

• Do not move, shift, or extend ladder while occupied. Never walk a ladder.

• Use only non-conductive side rails around electrical equipment.

• Do not use top or top step for standing/stepping.

• Do not stand on cross bracing.

• Always face the ladder when ascending or descending.

• Always maintain three points of contact with the ladder (2 feet/1 hand or 2 hands/1 foot should be in contact with ladder at all times).

• Carry tools in pouches around waist; use a rope to raise or lower large items such as tool boxes or materials.

• Do not overextend sideways. Use the belt buckle rule: keep your belt buckle positioned between the side rails at all times, which will maintain your center of gravity.

• Never allow more than one person on the ladder at a time.

• Wear protective clothing and rubber-soled shoes.

Those cover the basics. Follow them and maybe you won't be one of the 65,000 who are injured each year, or worse yet, the one per day who is killed. If you have questions about proper ladder use, contact me or try the folks at Rincon Industries, Inc., through its web site.

Bill Campbell is an Extension Educator, Farm Systems, at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois. You can write to him in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: (217) 782-6515. E-Mail: campbellw@idea.ag.uiuc.edu

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING AUGUST 1997