# Ladders - Revisited



## Marion (Mar 30, 2009)

I had a ladder come down with me, about a month ago. Bummed my leg and ankle pretty bad. Still healing. Granted, it was stupidity on my part, but it makes a guy/gal think, none the less.:whistling2:

Next month I plan to replace three ladders. I plan to get the 1AA 375lb capacity D500 series Werner. I'll get a 20', 24' and a 32'.

http://www.wernerladder.com/catalog/details.php?series_id=174

What are your "go to" ladders and why?


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## VanDamme (Feb 13, 2010)

All my ladders are type II including my 32' and Little Giants. Keeps me from gaining too much weight so I won't collapse the ladders Haha! Plus.....I really hate packing around the extra weight if it's not needed.

One of the handiest ladders I have is a 20' extension. Works where a 16' won't and not as heavy as a 24'

I would say my most used ladder is the 24'


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Mostly 24's. I liked the Werner MT22 for the versatility....except it weighed alot. All of mine are 250# rated. I never hired fatties.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Almost all of mine are 300 lb IA fiberglass. I did just get a 32' type II AL though, to keep the weight down for the crew on the longer ladders.

I think 28's and under will be fiberglass. 32's and 40's will be Al just for the weight savings. I figure 28's on down will be IA rating just because they should handle the abuse better than lighter duty ladders.

Personally, I have very little use for 16's. 20, 24 and 28 are used a lot. 32 frequently, and 40's so far I only need once or twice a summer and I have borrow those so far. 60' ladder only twice ever and hopefully never again. Rather put a 40 on scaffolding again than use a 60'.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

I'd like to know how you fell and why. That seems like a good lesson. Please share?


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

I use the 300lb rated ladders with a couple shorter 250's 
I have 4', 6', 8', 10' step ladders and 16', 20', 24', 28', 32', 40' extension ladders and the ones that get used the most are 6' 16' 24'


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## Marion (Mar 30, 2009)

Ok TJ, as embarrassing as it is, I'll share.

We were doing a face-lift on an old Cod. Finished the interior but, due to winter weather, couldn't complete the exterior. Spring rolls around. I have 2 jobs going. One is a new 5000' office building and a residential repaint. Got a good break in the weather. So, I figure we take advantage, slip over to the Cod, finish it up, invoice and goodbye.

First off, there is no level ground in SW Virginia. All hills. There is some cut'n to do. My 16' is on top off the stack of the ladders on the rack. I figure I can reach it with the 16'. My 16 has this type of feet.








Remember, I said there is no level ground here. The ground sloped sharply away from the house. I, being stupid and in a hurry, didn't take time to stake the feet of the ladder. I'm sure you can finish the story yourself.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

I don't think that's a Ladders for a professional painter, All my ladder are Werner Equalizer 250 Lbs. and I have never had a problem with them, I'll prefer to spend 5 minutes or more setting it up, because you are not going to finish faster, you are going to get hurt.

Sorry about your leg and ankle


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Marion said:


> Ok TJ, as embarrassing as it is, I'll share.
> 
> We were doing a face-lift on an old Cod. Finished the interior but, due to winter weather, couldn't complete the exterior. Spring rolls around. I have 2 jobs going. One is a new 5000' office building and a residential repaint. Got a good break in the weather. So, I figure we take advantage, slip over to the Cod, finish it up, invoice and goodbye.
> 
> ...


thanks for the story. I think we all can relate to making mistakes when we are in a hurry, I know I can. I just think its valuable to tell the story and remind others and yourself of how to avoid these situations in the future. Thanks for sharing.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

anybody else have some good reminders via a ladder accident they've been in or witnessed? I was going to start a thread but this seems like a good place to have this discussion already.

Could be an exterior or interior. I know I've fallen in a stairway pretty good one time. I was standing on the trim that was about a foot wide to cut in and slipped off. I think what made the fall worse was I tried to keep from spilling paint. Another was doing a burger king ext. Unlevel ground:thumbsup: I was on a 6' step. It slipped out and I fell straight back and my head came a couple inches from slamming into a stone planter edge. I swear step ladders for me are more dangerous than 40' extensions. 

I know a guy I worked with on a crew was doing black dryfall on scaffold. He fell off and smashed his wrist real bad. He said his depth perception was off because everything was black.

Any one else care to share? Your own experience or somebody you worked with?


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## VanDamme (Feb 13, 2010)

TJ Paint said:


> anybody else have some good reminders via a ladder accident they've been in or witnessed? I was going to start a thread but this seems like a good place to have this discussion already.
> 
> Could be an exterior or interior. I know I've fallen in a stairway pretty good one time. I was standing on the trim that was about a foot wide to cut in and slipped off. I think what made the fall worse was I tried to keep from spilling paint. Another was doing a burger king ext. Unlevel ground:thumbsup: I was on a 6' step. It slipped out and I fell straight back and my head came a couple inches from slamming into a stone planter edge. I swear step ladders for me are more dangerous than 40' extensions.
> 
> ...


Not too many ladder falls (knock on wood), but did twist a 6" on terrible ground.....shouldn't have tried, fell off and broke my right wrist on the side of the ladder. Got real good spraying with my left hand for a couple of weeks!


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

My 3-way ladder got crushed when someone had set up 2 feet on concrete and 2 feet on soft soil.

Long story short, he ran up, it started to sink unevenly, and he landed right on top of the middle of my ladder, and I now have a very useful S shaped ladder.


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## alpinecrick (May 11, 2007)

Type II's through 32 ft. Type I's for 36 and 40 ft. I have a Type III 16 ft that I use to carry up onto roofs or other dificult places. Type I's for step ladders. The paint store mistakenly ordered a Type Ia 4 ft step ladder for me a while back, so he only charged me the Type II price--I like it a lot........

Type I ext ladders are a bit heavy for packing around all day.........



Casey


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