Avoiding Ladder Accidents

According to a USA Today article, ladders send 222,000 people to emergency rooms each year and that data isnt exactly a surprise when you honestly consider the kind of 2nd rate ladders that many people invest in. Yes, those flimsy, tipsy and wobbly ladders are enough to remind you of a toddling baby and probably shouldnt be used for much more than reaching the flour bucket on the top shelf of your pantry.

In this article you will read about three potential ladder accidents that every ladder-user can face when working on home improvement projects in--or around--the home. In this article, you will also read about a ladder (the Little Giant Ladder) that can also help you prevent these potential accidents. You dont have to invest in a Little Giant Ladder of course; there are other well-made ladders which are highly preferable to the $35,00 toddler ladders. However, in this article I will use the Little Giant Ladder as the example of preferable ladder safety.

Possible Accident #1: The Up and Down SyndromeThe up and down syndrome can be explained in just 3 steps:

1) You climb up the ladder to paint a section of your wall or to hang the first of a row of pictures.2) You clim ack down and move the ladder over in a sideways direction3) You clim ack up and repeat the process again (and again, etc.)

All of that up-and-down climbingand especially on a flimsy laddergives you more of a chance of getting into an accidentnot too mention a sensation of monotonous dizziness!

You can have less ups and the downs with a Little Giant Ladder that comes in a 24-ladder system. Basically this type of Little Giant Ladder is 24 ladders in one and can even be divided into two sturdy ladders that support a relatively long platform which you can use to walk back and forth in front of a wall instead of up, down, across, up, down, across, etc. The horizontal platform is a Little Giant Ladder feature that can be used and appreciated by home improvement aficionados who dont want to risk life and limb just to hang a series of pictures or paint a wall.

2) The Top Rung Dilemma

Lets say that youve just purchased one of those $35.00 ladders that are inexpensive, and yes, a bit flimsy. Lets also say that you are trying to paint a wall in your living room which happens to be one of those walls that extends and slopes into a very high vaulted ceiling. You only have the flimsy ladder which probably doesnt have a height of more than six feet, so in order to paint that high wall you decide to stand on the very top rung of the ladder. Sound familiar? It may sound very familiar to some of you ladder dare-devils out there but taking ladder chances simply doesnt pay! Instead of taking chances you can use a Little Giant Ladder (or another sturdy, adjustable ladder) and adjust the height of the ladder so that you can reach the high points and still stay safely stable on a lower rung. Little Giant Ladder options also include a 90 degree ladder that allows you to get up close to a wall and a Little Giant Ladder foot platform that allows you more steady surface area for your feet!

3) Can staircases and ladders ever be compatible?

Staircases and ladders have never been exactly complementary elements. If you have ever tried to hang a photo on a wall that has contiguous contact with a staircase, you were most likely putting yourself in the ladder-danger zone. With a Little Giant Ladder however, you can adjust either end of the ladder to a lesser or greater height so that you can remain stable even when you are working on curbs, stairs or other uneven surfaces. A Little Giant Ladder (or possibly some other well made ladders) also are made with a flared base and rubber ends that provide even more additional safety and security.

Remember, home improvement isnt dare-devil venturing. Take some time to invest in the right products and work at protecting your unfortunately fallible self from ladder accidents.