Congressman Falls 25 ft off ladder

beenthere · January 29, 2023, 01:32:50 PM

The pole saw works until the limb is a few feet higher that is dead and threatening.. then the bucket trick is used with son lifting me in the bucket to cut off the limb.. such that it falls clear of the bucket on its way down. Not smart, but got the job done.

When it didn't work well was when 16 yrs old and neighbor farm boy (24) and I were painting his Dad's farm buildings. 45+ ft to the barn eaves, 40 ft extension ladder placed in the bucket of a small Farmall cub tractor. To reach the eave height using a spray gun and not climb up and down to move the rigging, farmers son would slowly maneuver the tractor (crab walk sideways) while I stayed atop the ladder and shifted it along to the next spot to paint. Worked fine until a rear tractor tire dropped into a slight dip and the bucket moved laterally. Me, paint gun, paint bucket and ladder traveled down along the barn siding to come to a stop when the ladder caught a 12" diam post at the corner of the barn a few rungs ahead of me. Smashed up the ladder and I came to a stop standing by the post with my hand on top of the post. No injuries. Amazingly gentle stop and lucky as heck. Believe it or not, but it happened.

Hilltop366 · January 29, 2023, 01:43:20 PM

My wife and I watch Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation every year. Just saying.

Hilltop366 · January 29, 2023, 01:59:10 PM

There was a guy who worked for the phone company here, he was not inexperienced working with ladders and heights or pole saws etc. He wanted to trim some branches at home up higher than the pole saw would reach so he set up some metal staging and put on his safety harness and got up to the top and tied off and cut a large branch. The branch caught his harness rope and pulled him off the staging then the harness rope broke and he fell to the ground and died.

I have cut branches from staging with a gas pole saw before without a safety harness but have had a branch catch the pole saw and pull on it so I would not recommend even putting the pole saw harness on either, I would rather brake a pole saw than be dragged off the staging. Also cut the branches into shorter pieces too so they are lighter and less likely to catch things on the way down.

Ed_K · February 05, 2023, 08:26:03 AM

Rita and I take turns on who's going up in the bucket ;).

red · August 11, 2024, 12:14:25 PM

Doctor b rule people over 50 Should Not Climb Ladders

doc henderson · August 11, 2024, 12:53:39 PM

I thought it was for ladders over 50 feet!

Magicman · August 11, 2024, 02:29:22 PM

The last ladder that I fell off of was a 24'. Luckily, I was on the bottom step.

Resonator · August 11, 2024, 02:41:16 PM

When we cut the tree by Jeff's house, I did use something to climb it and tie the rope off. I won't say what it was, but it looked like a bunch of the capital letter "H", stacked up. (Yes I did it as safely as I could, and yes I'm under the age of 50).

TreefarmerNN · August 11, 2024, 03:08:46 PM

Quote from: red on August 11, 2024, 12:14:25 PMDoctor b rule people over 50 Should Not Climb Ladders

Hmmm, I violate that one by 20 years although the 40' ladder is mostly out these days. Mostly because it's so danged much trouble to put up. So is the 36" fiberglass but at least it's pretty rigid.

Magicman · August 11, 2024, 04:01:41 PM

36' extension ladders are the longest that I have ever handled, wooden and Fiberglas, but I was 50+ years younger then. I don't even want to see a 24' now.

SwampDonkey · August 11, 2024, 04:08:02 PM

I don't like to be up off the ground more than 6'. I ain't climbing no roofs.

Magicman · August 11, 2024, 07:48:10 PM

I have to get on top of the RV tomorrow afternoon.

doc henderson · August 12, 2024, 09:30:24 AM

in trauma, we go back and forth. used to be 14 feet and now I think it is 20 feet that makes it a level 1 trauma with great risk of death or disability. It is good to have a spotter and ladder holder. If you have used ladder all your life and became expert at placement and how to move, you are safer at 60 than a kid of 20 with no experience. The other issue is not being overconfident and trying to make a ladder work that is not appropriate for the job. My neighbor had a ladder on top of a narrow portable scaffolding. the angle of the ladder pushed over the scaffolding, and he landed on the railing of a stairway. he had life threatening rib fractures and a collapsed lung.