# Safety Question?



## epretot

I found this "College Prep" practice quiz on the countertop of my customer's house. Thought I would share it.

This certainly isn't the question I would be contemplating if my ladder were falling.


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## Wildbill7145

I'd have to imagine that by the time the base of that 16' ladder is 10' away from the house moving at 6'/sec., there's really not much to think about if you're on the ladder.

It's all pretty much over with except for doing a math quiz while recovering.

I will admit I used to love figuring out stuff like this when I was younger. Wouldn't the top of the ladder be moving downwards at the same rate as the base was moving laterally? It's been a long time.

Or would we have to apply the Pythagorean theory in this situation and ratio them out?

edit: They called it a "16 feet ladder"? Which college is this from?


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## slinger58

If I'm the one on the ladder, the answer is "too damn fast".


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## lilpaintchic

epretot said:


> I found this "College Prep" practice quiz on the countertop of my customer's house. Thought I would share it.
> 
> This certainly isn't the question I would be contemplating if my ladder were falling.


I'd throw that college prep test away!! The context and spelling errors spell "fail"....just sayin.


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## Wildbill7145

lilpaintchic said:


> I'd throw that college prep test away!! The context and spelling errors spell "fail"....just sayin.


"slid away", nice catch. Didn't see that earlier.

"Yer not goin' to college son. Yer gettin' a job like me and yer brothers" Dad tried saying that to me 30 years ago. Spent 4 years in university on my own dime and yet here I am. Either way, Dad was prouder to see me becoming a painter.


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## epretot

lilpaintchic said:


> I'd throw that college prep test away!! The context and spelling errors spell "fail"....just sayin.


Yeah, I pointed that out to my emoloyee. We got a good laugh.


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## Stretch67

Had a 40er slide sideways on me. I was on third rung from top. I just remembered time slowing down. All solid 12"-36" rip rap below me, steep bank. I took my time eyeballing a landing spot. Jumped off about halfway. Landed on one foot on the flattest rock I could find. Went down in a heap, cuttin pot still in my hand. Didn't spill a drop. Ladder snapped in two when it hit. Didn't even hesitate went to truck and grabbed another ladder and headed right back up. It wasn't till I got back up to the top that the adrenaline kicked in. Had the shakes so bad for a couple minutes that my help was wondering if I was having a seizure.

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## PRC

bryceraisanen said:


> Had a 40er slide sideways on me. I was on third rung from top. I just remembered time slowing down. All solid 12"-36" rip rap below me, steep bank. I took my time eyeballing a landing spot. Jumped off about halfway. Landed on one foot on the flattest rock I could find. Went down in a heap, cuttin pot still in my hand. Didn't spill a drop. Ladder snapped in two when it hit. Didn't even hesitate went to truck and grabbed another ladder and headed right back up. It wasn't till I got back up to the top that the adrenaline kicked in. Had the shakes so bad for a couple minutes that my help was wondering if I was having a seizure.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


I'm sure you were calculating the rate of slide as this was happening, right? Especially since time slowed down.


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## ParamountPaint

I had an incident probably 15-20 years ago...it didn't even become an incident, but I think about it often. I was working for a cash-on-friday painter who was popular for being cheap for landlords.

We put a 40' in the truck bed and I went up...I think for about $9 an hour.

There is no excuse for putting anyone in those sorts of situations. I was a willing participant, but I would never do that to anyone. I cast blame at myself for being stupid. There should never be a life and death situation involved in painting slumlord apartments, or anything for that matter.

Live and learn, I guess. I would never put an employee into that scenario, because I was there, at my own choosing. One of my buddies, in an unrelated incident, damn near slid off a 3-story slate roof. The paint is still on the slate to mark the occasion. We were all young and dumb.


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## 007 Dave

epretot said:


> I found this "College Prep" practice quiz on the countertop of my customer's house. Thought I would share it.
> 
> This certainly isn't the question I would be contemplating if my ladder were falling.


Did anyone else try to figure out the answer? 4.8 feet a second is the answer..


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## lilpaintchic

Thanks dave....I was getting more curious but hadn't yet mustered enough curiosity to give it a go..


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## chrisn

ParamountPaint said:


> I had an incident probably 15-20 years ago...it didn't even become an incident, but I think about it often. I was working for a cash-on-friday painter who was popular for being cheap for landlords.
> 
> We put a 40' in the truck bed and I went up...I think for about $9 an hour.
> 
> There is no excuse for putting anyone in those sorts of situations. I was a willing participant, but I would never do that to anyone. I cast blame at myself for being stupid. There should never be a life and death situation involved in painting slumlord apartments, or anything for that matter.
> 
> Live and learn, I guess. I would never put an employee into that scenario, because I was there, at my own choosing. One of my buddies, in an unrelated incident, damn near slid off a 3-story slate roof. The paint is still on the slate to mark the occasion. We were all young and dumb.[/QUOTE]
> 
> 
> Very true


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## epretot

007 Dave said:


> Did anyone else try to figure out the answer? 4.8 feet a second is the answer..


I didn't. But I believe you.


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## 007 Dave

lilpaintchic said:


> Thanks dave....I was getting more curious but hadn't yet mustered enough curiosity to give it a go..


Ok, I have to confess. I'm really not that smart.:glasses: I asked my son if he knew the answer. He told me the answer..


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## lilpaintchic

That's why you're a business owner, Dave! Lol...it's all about effective delegation....


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## slinger58

chrisn said:


> ParamountPaint said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had an incident probably 15-20 years ago...it didn't even become an incident, but I think about it often. I was working for a cash-on-friday painter who was popular for being cheap for landlords.
> 
> We put a 40' in the truck bed and I went up...I think for about $9 an hour.
> 
> There is no excuse for putting anyone in those sorts of situations. I was a willing participant, but I would never do that to anyone. I cast blame at myself for being stupid. There should never be a life and death situation involved in painting slumlord apartments, or anything for that matter.
> 
> Live and learn, I guess. I would never put an employee into that scenario, because I was there, at my own choosing. One of my buddies, in an unrelated incident, damn near slid off a 3-story slate roof. The paint is still on the slate to mark the occasion. We were all young and dumb.[/QUOTE]
> 
> 
> Very true
> 
> 
> 
> We were ten feet tall and bullet proof in those days. Or so we thought.:vs_laugh:
Click to expand...


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## CApainter

If we consider the ladder is already at the recommended 4:1 ratio (16 ft. ladder extension at 4 ft. from wall at its base) and the ladder base has now moved from 4ft. to 10 ft. away from the wall in 6 seconds, the vertical drop would be 3 ft./sec.


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## thepm4

Is it me or is the whole thing is about being able to work the next


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## thepm4

Dang it...wanted "day" to be after next..


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## CApainter

thepm4 said:


> Is it me or is the whole thing is about being able to work the next


At this point it's you.


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## thepm4

CApainter said:


> At this point it's you.


 Stop..I half read the OP...lol...


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## Charlejack

It's funny when it's mentioned in a quiz, but my coworker actually fell from a ladder, broke his arm, and finally learned how to stabilize the ladder for it not to slide down the wall. Our boss made us all take online safety construction training on this site because of that, even those who have already completed similar courses. It was an interesting experience, and I learned a few things. Can't say that everything applied to me in that course, but I think it was definitely useful for a couple of my coworkers.


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## NACE

you’re fired for not properly securing the base of the ladder


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