Congressman Falls 25 ft off ladder

[thecfarm]

Steve, come on down!! 

[petefrom bearswamp]

 I modified the ladder rule to read over 85 I guess.
was on a step ladder three times in the last three days, but only 3 or 4 steps up.
Checked the level of planer and jointer shavings in  my chip wagon, checked one of my security cameras and changed a light bulb.
Foolish? yes but no other way to get it done in that time period.
Anything over  6' step ladder i wait until son who is 61 (perhaps I should tell him about the 50 rule) or grandsons ranging from 32 down to 26 are here.
Even at the low elevation I described above there is a pucker factor involved.

[Dan_Shade]

It's wise to be wise.   :D

I'm almost 50,and I think about the ladder rule every time I use a ladder.

There was a member here that died after falling from a step ladder. 

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Come on man! Dang it!  i know ma rights!    ITS JUST A SCISSOR LIFT!

I'd love to watch the judge's face when they bring him in for arraignment and read the charge.   :D :D :D

[peakbagger]

If I build the next house, its going to have hatch in the roof right next to the chimney and metal roof.

Per Osha, a ladder is for climbing, not for hauling tools up with you (use a rope and bucket), not for doing anything that requires more than one hand. Ladder needs to be tied off and if working from it the worker needs fall protection tied to a stationary source and the tie off needs a shock absorber. 95% of ladder accidents are basic violations of the rules.

I still can do roofs pretty comfortably. I usually tie off to the chimney. Next major project I will probably pick up an inertia reel.

I helped someone build a house who used a manlift for the roof. It was a big roof 32 wide by 60 feet long probably a 3/12 pitch. Definitely handy moving the plywood to right where we needed it and same for ice and water shield and shingles. The pain is it was not a flat lot and maneuvering it around despite 4 wheel drive was not easy. He had two of them at different times, the first year it was fairly new rig and worked well, the second time he got a beat up one from the same rental place, it was real sloppy to use. They were running low on equipment so it was this or nothing. He was glad when he was done with it. He was doing a lot of work solo with me helping on occasion and paying rent all the time so it was not cheap.

[Ianab]

Per Osha, a ladder is for climbing, not for hauling tools up with you (use a rope and bucket), not for doing anything that requires more than one hand. Ladder needs to be tied off and if working from it the worker needs fall protection tied to a stationary source and the tie off needs a shock absorber. 95% of ladder accidents are basic violations of the rules.

OSH have tightened up on builders / roofers here. If they are working on a roof a temporary safety rail has to be put in place. That's generally like scaffolding pipes from the ground up to a rail at waist height at the edge of the roof. Pretty quick for a scaffold crew to slap up, and then the ladders are clamped in place to that and it's all tagged as compliant. I guess it's an additional expense added to a re-roof, but if it prevents a broken neck it's worth it. 

Short term work like cleaning a flue or fixing a TV antenna is exempt, the law says "All practical steps to reduce risk". Getting a scaffold crew in to let you mount a TV antenna isn't practical.

[peakbagger]

I dont think US requires rails on the edges of roof as long as the crews are tied off with an inertia reel. Without fall protection there has to be safety barrier. A lot of my industrial clients did not have rails or fall protection and complained when I told them they needed them. They hire contractors to do the work up on the roofs and just get the contractor to take responsibility. On the last job they ran a permanent safety cable the length of the ridge pole and the contractor and employees were expected to put on a harness and use a retractable inertia reel. I was not worried about the contractors but expect one of the employees will end up on the ground someday.  

[metalspinner]

Speaking of congressmen
I was scrolling CL a while back and saw an ad for some roof slate tiles - $5 each. 
I responded and set up a meeting time. 
When I arrived and met the guy it turned out to be Tim Burchett, our congressman. But I didn't let on that I knew that. 
We went and looked at the pile of slate that was mostly buried in the mud at the bottom of a hill. I made him An offer on the whole pile and he agreed. 
He helped me hump all that slate up the hill to my truck. There was ALOT more than both of us thought and in the end I ended up paying about $2 each. 
While we were walking up and down the hill, I started asking him about the news of the day and his insiders opinion on it. 😆😆
This is what I've been making with the slate ...


 



 

[doctorb]

A 12' or so fall at 21 broke my L5. I was absolutely in peak condition at the time.

It's not always the fall, but how the sudden stop at the bottom ends things that counts.

Very true.  But consider what else you would have broken if you were 61.

[WV Sawmiller]

MS,

   Okay, I'll bite. What is that? A stretcher for cats or something?

[metalspinner]

😆😆
A fancy cheese serving board. 

[beenthere]

Who would eat cheese off that slate?

[metalspinner]

Well, I washed it first!

[Jeff]

Who would eat cheese off that slate?

Me!

[Ianab]

I dont think US requires rails on the edges of roof as long as the crews are tied off with an inertia reel. Without fall protection there has to be safety barrier.

Most roofs in NZ are low pitch (no snow load), and single story. So the temporary rail around the perimeter is realistically more practical than tying in. The roof isn't so steep there is a danger of sliding off, but a misstep near the edge could end badly.  But bottom line is "practical measures to reduce the risk". 

I didn't break the ladder rule at the weekend, but I don't know if riding up in a FEL bucket to trim some trees is OSH approved. Nothing bad happened, and the trees got trimmed so the livestock  trucks can get in the friends driveway without loosing aerials and chunks of fibreglass. It did seem a lot safer than climbing a ladder at least. Basically a redneck man-lift. ;)

[Don P]

Not saying I haven't but they are not a safe lift. A local man slipped in one and cut is hand off at the wrist several years ago while limbing from a tractor bucket.

[Southside]

To be legal it would have to be a manufacturer approved man basket and fall protection harness used with a tractor. They are actually pretty affordable and really nice to work in. 

[red]

The Congressman is recovering at home his injuries include a fractured pelvis a punctured lung and several torn ligaments in his neck 

[trapper]

Wasnt a ladder but last night attending grandson basketball game getting out of bleachers on the bottom step slipped and fell landing on my knee.  Hurts a lot if I bend it past 90 degrees.  Must have pulled a tendon or mussel.  This is the knee that had the knee cap removed 40 years ago. when a front end loader pulled out in front of me while on a motorcycle.

[barbender]

Dang trapper, that doesn't sound good😬

[Hilltop366]

Now who was it on here that was in the tractor bucket cutting branches and the branch hit the hyd leaver and dumped him out the bucket? 

[Ianab]

Now who was it on here that was in the tractor bucket cutting branches and the branch hit the hyd leaver and dumped him out the bucket?

Never said it was OSH approved, just 10X safer than a ladder.  ;) A bucket lift with a fall protection would be 10X safer again, unless the branch fell on it.... 
Still need to keep your wits about you.

[Don P]

Well, on the levers. Our Lull came from a masonry company. It had something come in the cab from above and wipe out the controls in its past. It is much safer than a tractor and bucket and I hope nobody was in there and that it didn't drop on anyone, keep your head on a swivel.

[Magicman]

slipped and fell landing on my knee. Hurts a lot if I bend it past 90 degrees.

Ouch!!  Hopefully you will be OK with R&R.

[Larry]

Now who was it on here that was in the tractor bucket cutting branches and the branch hit the hyd leaver and dumped him out the bucket?

I can take full credit for that trick.  Guess I could blame it on the ladder as I had to climb it to get in the bucket.

I now have a pole saw!!!!!  And accident free.