[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

I was wondering Who has , like me fallen of their ladder what happened and why.
Come on  - be honest!!

About 5 years ago was the last time I fell. 
I had the ladder up to a low pitched tile roof (don't do those any more!!)
the ground was grass, hard and dry and on a slight slope.  I went up ok, did the three windows but when I was 2 - 3 rungs on the ladder going back.................
It slipped and down I went.  I had 13 staples in my scalp!! lucky not to kill my self.

It happened because I put the ladder on Dry hard grass and at two much of an angle.
Learned a lot since then!!

David Salkeld

[Ian_Giles]

I've had a few slippages, the worst was when I was up the ladder cleaning the sign of a Kwik Save shop.
I knew the pavement was slippery and worn smooth, so I put the ladder up at a really steep angle, and I mean steep too!
I'd just got the the top and before I coud start....whoosh! out went the bottom

I was lucky, both of my feet went outside the rungs and I landed squarely on my heels.
At the time, this particular Kwik Save also had a bakery and one of the bakers had come out to cool down and have a crafty fag while sat on the window sill of the window almost directly underneath me.
Should've seen his face when I landed on my arse by his side
Shame he wasn't underneath me...he'd have broken my fall

I just looked at him and grinned sheepishly, put the ladder back up and started again, while he, without saying a word began to edge away from me...
After an hour I could only walk on tip toes cos I'd damaged my heels, luckily I had only bruised the bone in each foot...made me look like a mincing teapot for a few days though

Had lots of near misses, you know, the ones where the ladder shifts suddenly and then catches, no harm done, but you know full well that if it hadn't caught on something the consequencies could have been really serious.

If you have spent years up a ladder, even though you may have been lucky enough to have never fallen (and I know very few who can honestly say that) you will have had lots of those little non event type slips, and it's just the luck of the draw if you escape unharmed.
Eventually your luck will run out. (or your knees will wear out :)


Regards,

Ian

[KJG]

With 21 years 'proper' industrial under me belt, I've never once fallen of a ladder. The higher the laddering, the more respect I give it.

[Sir Squeaky]

I've a 5ft pointer ladder slip out on me, and it was so quick I was on my back before I realised what was happening.

Never fallen from a full size ladder, but I've also had one slip on hard dry grass.
I didn't fall as I was just stepping on to a sloping roof on the front to do the top windows.
What it meant was I had to shout for a pedestrian to put my ladder back up, as I was stuck on the roof.

Rog.

[Roy Harding]

Started my 21st year of window cleaning on the 1st of dec, and have never fallen.

But have had two near misses as Ian said move an inch and stoped, and have you ever had the fealing, your at the top and sudenly you feal as if your falling backwards and you sudenly shoot forwards, or is it me.

Slamed my head in the van last year six stiches ( stop laughing Debbie )


Regards Roy

[KJG]

Dave! I honestly wasn't being rude, you look like a big fella, which is obviously is all muscle being a wc. Were all your falls off aluminium ladders? I'm 15st and have only and would only use wooden ladders. Sorry for any offence.

[dai]

13 years, fell once, broke one of those metatarcel [david beckham] things.
I was doing this job, first clean too. I was standing 3 rungs from the top trying to detail the far top corner. Had one hand on the bottom of the frame to keep my balance. Suddenly the window [that had been closed by the way,] swung outwards from the top and pushed me off the ladder. The ladder never moved but down I came onto a rock hard dried out lawn. I was laying there trying to figure out where hurt most. After a couple of mins I managed to get up and hobble to one of those rustic garden benches. I plonked myself down and the bloody thing snapped like a carrot so I was on my arse again. I managed to get up and hobble to the front door of the house. The bitch was the most unsympathetic person I have ever met.
I had left my car in a street that was behind her house and I had could not get to it without walking a considerable distance. In the end pesuaded her daughter to go and get my car and bring it to the front. Had to drive myself to hospital though.
All this came about because some idiot had fitted a tilt and turn window upside down, and another had gone too far up his ladder.
I was proud of the fact that the ladder had'nt moved though. I'd fixed stablisers on it. DAI

[Gordon_Taylor]

I had a fall a few years ago, broke my wrist and hurt my back a little, I was using open top ally's, first thing I done when i had the money was replaced all my ladders with wooden point's I change the feet regulary and make sure there in good condition, for me it's about confidence at a shade over 17 stone I need to feel the ladder is 100 percent rock solid.

Happy Day's

[windows_chepstow]

After just six months of window cleaning I became to over confident with my B & Q ladders.

To gain access over a short sloping porch I put my ladders on the window sill - instead of getting a safer angle above the window - and climbed up.

It was extremely hot and the lawn was hard.

When I got to the top, the ladder slipped backwards and I first landed on the porch roof with a bang - I tried to cling on with my finger tips - then hit the ground; landing on my feet with my legs through the rungs.

A passer-by rushed up to me and Wor Lass just looked at me stunned.

'I'm a Geordie, I'm okay', I said trying to act cool.  'I'm parachute trained from the army'.

But my shaking hands showed I'd just pood my pants.

My finger-tips were scratched and I had a few bruises; but otherwise okay.

Also, my A-Frames have twice slipped from under me in the same shop and I've landed unhurt; with with a loud clatter.  The floor is really greasy as they have a bakery in there.  I now place a scrim under the feet or get Wor Lass to foot me.

[Paul Coleman]

I was wondering Who has , like me fallen of their ladder what happened and why.
Come on  - be honest!!

About 5 years ago was the last time I fell. 
I had the ladder up to a low pitched tile roof (don't do those any more!!)
the ground was grass, hard and dry and on a slight slope.  I went up ok, did the three windows but when I was 2 - 3 rungs on the ladder going back.................
It slipped and down I went.  I had 13 staples in my scalp!! lucky not to kill my self.

It happened because I put the ladder on Dry hard grass and at two much of an angle.
Learned a lot since then!!

David Salkeld

I've been quite lucky really I suppose.  I had a few minor incidents where the ladder has just shifted slightly and I had two incidents where the ladder slipped.  The one that sticks in mind more is when I had the ladder leaning against the ground floor guttering of a tiled roof.  I was trying to reach the upper floor windows with an Unger pole (it was too short as I didn't have enough extension pieces).  Anyway, I climbed a rung too high and as I leaned forward the ladder see-sawed, slid down the roof and stopped with the top about six inches from the edge.  Yes, I was rushing too much.  Both of the worst incidents happened when I was angry about something unrelated to work.  The lesson I learned was to be calm when working at height.  Being pumped up with anger's adrenalin is a safety hazard.  I also put it down to being less experienced then.

HOWEVER, I had a lucky escape about a year ago too and this one is worth reading because it's quite unusual but could happen to anyone:  I was climbing down my ladder wearing a pair of trainers.  These particular trainers had those loops on the back that you can put a lace through - you know, those bits that are situated above the heel of the footwear.  Anyway, as I was coming down, the trouser leg of my overalls got caught on this lace loop and I ended up falling backwards off the ladder.  Fortunately, I was only 3 or 4 rungs up and I somehow landed with my back rounded so I rolled.  It was instinctive.  I've never learned how to do that.  I wasn't even rushing - just plodding away.  Shaken but not stirred.

[DP]

I fell off about 9 months ago simple lapse of concentration, only about 7ft I forgot to step in (where the ladder goes from double to single) whilst building a roof at the side of my house. Sprained ankle which gave me grief for months and very dented pride especially as I was trained to use ladders by members of the Fire Brigade and used to teach others.  

My brother fell last year whilst fixing some tiles on his roof only first floor. 4 weeks in hospital and 5 operations trying to fix pins in his ankle, they have now decided that his leg will have to be amputated below the knee. A high price to pay for some diy but not as high as it could have been.
                              

[P @ F]

Mine was down to that old enemy {RUSHING} , was doing a house that was 2 levels above ground and 1 below , the patio was wet and slimey so i used to chain the ladders to railing that went down to the basement , on this occasion i saw fit not to , got to the top of the ladder and it went straight away , it slid all the way across the patio , i didnt even let go of it , it went so quick .
I took out a hanging basket on the way , that slowed me down a bit , then i hit the railing , the ladder began to upend and i went headfirst into the concrete floor  of the basement, all i ended up with was a small bruise on the knee !

That was my lucky escape , but it taught me a lesson i will not forget !

  Rich   P @ F    

[Andrew McCann]

In just over 18 months or so I have had a few "slips" those and reading posts like these made my mind up to go WFP. Most of these posts are about " the ones that I got away with"...  I have now minimised my chance of NOT getting away with it. I still use ladders only as and when I HAVE to.. thank god 

Andrew

[chris@c.m.s]

havent fallen while window cleaning yet, though i did fall when I was helping a roofer, still not sure how i did it but ended up with one foot on the ground with my inner thigh over one of those folding camp type beds, was about an inch from complete agony and maybe having less than the 4 kids i have now, but also had moments when i have had to grab the ladder quick forgeting i'm not on the ground and leaning back doh  :         

[s.hughes]

Never fallen myself although I should never say never. Had a mate who's ladders twisted when he was only 3 rungs up. Fell on his elbow and was in surgery for 7 hours while they put him back together. His elbow is now pinned together with metal.

Steve

[kingfisher]

Had several falls from a ladder most of them were in the first six months.
The most stupid one was down to incredible over confidence; I had to place a ladder down a narrow ally-way with a tall hedge down one side making it difficult to climb up the normal way with out getting a face full of hedge.
So I decided I would climb up the inside of the ladder then when I was half way up I tried to swing round to the outside of the ladder I did a complete 360 landed on the floor on my a-r-s-e still holding on to the ladder.

The second most stupid one was in the snow I got away with it for the first few windows until compacted ice built up under the ladder feet, the ladder slipped back only stopping when it hit a flower bed then I bounced off it like it was  a spring board landing in the middle of a rose bush.

Older and wiser now I hope

Kev

[Paul Coleman]

Had several falls from a ladder most of them were in the first six months.
The most stupid one was down to incredible over confidence; I had to place a ladder down a narrow ally-way with a tall hedge down one side making it difficult to climb up the normal way with out getting a face full of hedge.
So I decided I would climb up the inside of the ladder then when I was half way up I tried to swing round to the outside of the ladder I did a complete 360 landed on the floor on my a-r-s-e still holding on to the ladder.

The second most stupid one was in the snow I got away with it for the first few windows until compacted ice built up under the ladder feet, the ladder slipped back only stopping when it hit a flower bed then I bounced off it like it was  a spring board landing in the middle of a rose bush.

Older and wiser now I hope

Kev

Wow.  I did some daft things when I was younger but even I am amazed at the first incident    .   I've had ladders at 45 degree angles and thought I was OK because the lower end was well dug into the ground.  I guess there's a big difference between me trusting my equipment and abusing it though.

[S.C.S]

  Hi all Merry Christmas My first post in ages!! 

As for falling of ladder ive fell of twice,

First time was about 2 months into window cleaning i was on a slopping roof and as i walked back down the roof i stepped on the top of the ladder which was not resting on anything and it just pushed the bottom out luckily at the time my mate who i was in buiness with was below and as i fell he sort of caught my back if that makes sense cause as i fell my to legs went through the runners on the ladders so if id have landed id have broken my legs.

Second time was this year cleaning a slopping roof again the ladder just went i was about 11 ft up and this time i was on me own i was using one of them b & q ladders, i myself im 6ft 7 as some of youmight no whos met me and im close on 20stone im not fat b4 any of you say ha ha and i broke the ladder as i fell i had to throw the thing away good job really i came away with a little cut on hand and wet troussers as it was raining and all that for just cleaning there up stairs windows for £2.50 makes me wonder if it worth it sometimes.

Andy

[S.C.S]

and i aint thick just hungover ha ha slopeing

[lee_dewing]

hi, been w/c 2yrs, when i first started; 3 month's in, working for someone else.