# Be carefull on those ladders



## danpik

back on march 2nd I was getting onto the roof of my house, something I have done 100 times before, to clear some snow from a few trouble spots. Placed the fiberglass extension ladder against the eave's of the roof with the legs of the ladder on the paver stone patio. I use this location all the time as it is clear and level. As I was stepping off of the ladder onto the roof the ladder suddenly disappeared and shot out directly behind me. I was standing roughly 10' off the ground at this point. 0.2 seconds later I was on the ground (we did the math) and the following pictures of my left wrist were the result.







inventory...
3 plates, 12 screws, and 1 pin


----------



## joecaption

Sorry you got hurt.
Happen to me once with a bundle of shingles on my shoulder.
I got lucky and grabbed the gutter before falling.
Simple way to prevent that from happening again is to buy a snap on ladder stand off.
I have one on my go to ladder as well as adjustable legs with pads on the feet.


----------



## Colbyt

That hurts me just to look at the pictures.

Here's to a full and speedy recovery.


----------



## Startingover

Ouch. Hope someone heard you or saw you and helped.


----------



## danpik

I am not sure a stand-off would have helped here. the ladder went straight out behind me. All I can think is that I must have missed a ice spot on the patio. once I was at the gutter line it changed the balance enough for it to shoot straight out. By time I got home from the hospital and was able get back out there, the whole area was clear as the temps got above freezing and the sun was on it full strength


----------



## BigJim

My stars, that has got to really hurt. Hope you mend very quickly with very little or no pain, I really hate that for you.


----------



## danpik

Startingover said:


> Ouch. Hope someone heard you or saw you and helped.


 unfortunately, nobody was around. Wife was still at work and no neighbors home either. Fortunately, I have a lot of good first responder training thru National ski Patrol. I basically did a first responder analysis and determined at the time I was good to get to the hospital ER (4 miles). I was half way there before I realized I had a cut on top of my head too. We figured the shovel hit me and gave me a shallow 3" laceration


----------



## danpik

BigJim said:


> My stars, that has got to really hurt. Hope you mend very quickly with very little or no pain, I really hate that for you.


The pain is gone now from the breaks (about 15 pieces in there). The only pain I have right now is the tight muscles and tendons. They feel like everything was tied into knots.


----------



## BigJim

danpik said:


> The pain is gone now from the breaks (about 15 pieces in there). The only pain I have right now is the tight muscles and tendons. They feel like everything was tied into knots.


Good grief, that is one bad break, hopefully it will get back to normal soon for you. I just hope it don't give you trouble later on down the road.


----------



## Nestor_Kelebay

If you're using an extension ladder, use a bungee cord or something to secure the ladder to the evestrough or flashing of the roof you're wanting to get onto. Make sure the bungee cord is on the far side of the ladder so you're not likely to trip on it stepping onto or off of the ladder.

Also, the extension ladder should be extended high enough above the evestrough or flashing that you can comfortably step from the ladder onto the roof and from the roof onto the ladder.


----------



## SeniorSitizen

I'm sorry to hear of such a terrible misfortune and I do believe I'll go ahead and fix mine that's missing one rubber anti-skid pad.


----------



## Scottg

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> Also, the extension ladder should be extended high enough above the evestrough or flashing that you can comfortably step from the ladder onto the roof and from the roof onto the ladder.


Our fire department rule is five rungs above the roof. We're hauling heavy cutting saws / chainsaws up there sometimes. Maybe not always practical for home DIY, but two people, specifically trained in various types of ladders are checking the placement, etc. Again, this might not be practical for typical folks, but most guys have some kind of harness and arrestor gear in case they have to jump out a window or find their own way off roof via a line.


----------



## Windows on Wash

+1

Thanks for posting this and I am glad you are healing up. Ladder safety is critical.


----------



## concretemasonry

Ladder safety is critical by all means since many things can happen when you are on a ladder.

I was doing a roof inspection and the home owner moved my ladder from where I had it set, but the owner set it in place in a slightly different location while I was on the roof. To get off the roof, I got on the ladder because I had a portion above the eave, but when I got my weight on the portion below the eave, the the ladder "sprung" and I got flipped off. - Landed flat footed on the concrete driveway with my knees and hips locked, but luckily, my hear hit the bark mulch around a shrub. I was hospitalized for 5 or 6 weeks and had therapy several times a week for 2 months.

About 9 years later, I started to get the repairs to a shortened, crooked leg close to normal . - Two knee surgeries/replacements and a hip replacement, but I lost a few inches in height and am still planning on more improvements on my skeleton.

Sometimes, you never know what I might happen. It pays to have very good insurance coverage.

Dick


----------



## Jmayspaint

Anti-slip pads should be used anytime a ladder is placed on a hard, flat surface like paving stones, wood decking, or flooring. The little rubber pads on the bottom of some ladder feet help, but its still a good idea to always use a pad. I often use anti-slip pads designed to go under area rugs to keep them in place.


----------



## concretemasonry

The pads are really great IF you make sure they are rotated right and placed properly on the surface with full contact. They sure do help with slipping/sliding if what you place them on is stable.

Dick


----------



## danpik

A lot of good useful info guys. Hopefully it will prevent someone else from having this happen. The patio I placed my ladder on is a nice level, usually clear, surface. I am not real sure what I missed. I am guessing a small patch of ice. All I know is when I got home from the hospital the next day it was raining slightly and any evidence of what was there was gone. When I looked at where the ladder was laying in the yard, it was almost directly behind where i was climbing up like it shot straight back. This is one of the newer fiberglass ladders that has the good pads on the bottom


----------



## SeniorSitizen

Similar to the lawn tractor loading ramps problem. Your ladder didn't kick out until you moved one foot to the roof or in that direction and the foot still on the ladder caused the kick out. With tractor loading ramp kick out, the ramps don't kick out until the front wheels go off the ramps and onto the vehicle.

Maybe my ladder should have ice studded pads.


----------



## talukdar

Oh dear, You get serious hart.
But You need to be very careful at the work, though you have done the same work hundred times before. Get better soon. Best of luck.


----------



## Fix'n it

i have one of these. and it would have prevented that. those rubber feet really stick to the roofing. 

http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/n-biq04...ed_images/24-inch-attachment.jpg?t=1398725710

it was kind of expensive. but in reality it is one of the best investments i have ever made. as i have almost no doubt that my ladder would have kicked out on me without this.


----------



## md2lgyk

Same thing happened to me a few years ago. Despite untold numbers of safety training classes over the years, I set the base of the ladder too far out from the wall and it slid out from under me. It probably would've made a great YouTube video - I landed flat on my back on the ladder, my left hand was the only thing that touched the ground, and I didn't even drop my hammer. My X-rays showed a badly broken wrist. It healed with one piece of bone a bit out of place, but my doctor said at my age it wasn't worth the risk of surgery to fix that. Fortunately, I'm right-handed, but my guitar-playing days are over.


----------



## danpik

md2lgyk, Sorry to hear about your accident and the resultant outcome. It sucks to loose the ability to do something you enjoy. I never did figure out what caused my ladder to do what it did. Took all the proper steps in setting it up. Flat, dry, level surface...proper distance out from the eave/wall...3-4 rungs above the eave line where it was set up...etc. Stood on the bottom rung and wiggled it to see if it would shift any...all of that. Never stepped above the eave line when I was getting onto the roof. Did not put any weight on the portion of the ladder above the eave line. All I can figure was there may have been something (ice) on the bottom of the rubber pad(s) on the feet of the ladder. The ladder was literally straight out in the yard behind where I set it up. 

Fortunately , my surgeon wanted everything back in it's proper position and did a great job. I go back today to see him for a follow-up and see when I can start therapy on the wrist joint. My hand therapy went well and I am about 95% full movement of the fingers. I will have to ask him If I can play guitar after this (I couldn't before)


----------



## briana26

Oh god, that's so terrible. Hope you will get soon.


----------



## danpik

^^^^ Thanks, doing fine. Most of the range of motion has come back (about 75%). I can play golf as poorly as I did before the accident, ride bike with a little pain but, not too bad. Most everything else I am able to do as before. The only thing I still can not do is a push-up with the palms of my hand flat on the floor. I still need to get the scar tissue/muscle stretched out enough for that much flex.


----------



## paintdrying

I was getting on a 20 foot extention ladder at my house. Feet were on wet concrete. I got maybe 6 rungs up and the ladder slid. My stabilizer stopped the ladder from sliding. That stabilizer saved me from a bad accident.


----------

