It seems most of these ladder accidents are down to user errors but the ones I dont like are the unknown ones. New houses are the worst. A nice lawn almost up to the house, you sit the ladder, give it a good kick into the ground and up you go. Problem is the builders have put all sorts of rubbish down and cover it up with a lawn. Twice I have footed a ladder and half way up it tilts to one side. The ladder is actualy sitting on a pile of bricks covered by a lawn which with a heavy load becomes unstable and gives way. Over you go. Thankfully I am only little
and was able to slide down with no damage done.
The other time I went I rolled away, got my feet on the floor to get my balance but fell straight onto a large barbed wire fence. ( I work mainly in very rural locations and this was about 2 miles from the next nearest house ) Full body weight onto the wire, sideways, but face down, with both arms over and through the other side of the wire and literally pinned across the chest and under the armpits with the arms locked in as well. The only way out was to slowly and carefully lever myself up on my chest until I was able to use my hands to push even further off the wire. ( Steve McQueen eat your heart out
) Punctured is a word I would use and ripped apart. In many places and still have many arm and chest scars to prove it. That was painful but not life threatening thankfully. I dont like barbed wire anymore!
But thankfully nothing like the outcome that some of you guys have experienced
Take care up there guys, or should I say take care down there before you go up there!
JohnL
