The Ford Barn

Marcus · 03-19-2022, 03:27 PM

All: installing an outside drain on one of my outbuildings, trusty aluminum ladder with no apparent issues. Standing on the fourth rung of an 8-rung ladder, the unit suddenly “scissored” and I fell straight onto my back. L3 vertebra has a compression fracture; doctor says very limited activity plus physical therapy for next 6 weeks and all shall be well. I am very, very blessed. However, the point of this: close inspection of said ladder revealed the rivets on the top rung (which attach the sides) are worn nearly through, with one that sheared and resultant twisting of the others. Please inspect ALL of your equipment ~ I need your expertise readily at hand!!

Kube · 03-19-2022, 03:34 PM

Marcus, I am sincerely sorry for your suffering. I am glad that the doc believes you will heal well.

Craig CT · 03-19-2022, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus

All: installing an outside drain on one of my outbuildings, trusty aluminum ladder with no apparent issues. Standing on the fourth rung of an 8-rung ladder, the unit suddenly “scissored” and I fell straight onto my back. L3 vertebra has a compression fracture; doctor says very limited activity plus physical therapy for next 6 weeks and all shall be well. I am very, very blessed. However, the point of this: close inspection of said ladder revealed the rivets on the top rung (which attach the sides) are worn nearly through, with one that sheared and resultant twisting of the others. Please inspect ALL of your equipment ~ I need your expertise readily at hand!!

Hi Marcus; I know you've been in way more difficult situations and you'll be OK but this still sucks. May you heal quickly, and God bless,Craig.

19Fordy · 03-19-2022, 05:23 PM

WOW! Glad you will be OK. Thanks for the safety check. It's something we rarely do.

sugarmaker · 03-19-2022, 06:41 PM

Marcus,
Wishing you a speedy recovery. Yikes that sounds really scary to fall like that! Take your time and rest!
Regards,
Chris

Lawson Cox · 03-19-2022, 07:03 PM

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Sorry to hear about your fall my friend. Rest and do what the doctors say. God Bless.

A bones · 03-19-2022, 08:29 PM

Been there, but worse.
Plan to exercise as much as possible, when you get stability. That TV is a slow killer.

Think about building bone density. Best Wishes

34Phae · 03-19-2022, 08:41 PM

Sorry to hear about you fall , When I worked in construction aluminum ladders were outlawed . The are only good for scrap. use only wood or fiberglass

cmbrucew · 03-19-2022, 09:57 PM

I also remember aluminum being outlawed. Wood will creak and flex a little. Aluminum justs breaks. Also aluminum pipe wrenches.

Bruce

mfirth · 03-20-2022, 06:55 AM

Sorry to hear this Marcus. Thank GOD you weren't hurt worse. Keeping you in prayer & inspecting my ladders.

40cpe · 03-20-2022, 07:50 AM

I'm sorry to hear of your accident. It is a reminder of how quickly health and life can change. I'm praying for your fast and uneventful recovery.

1952henry · 03-20-2022, 08:56 AM

The Lord's blessings on a speedy recovery.

Darrell S · 03-20-2022, 10:05 AM

I had a wooden ladder break, when stepping on the 3rd rung it broke. With a bundle of composition shingles on my shoulder I went down through the first 2 rungs. I was fortunate, no injuries.
Marcus, I know about compression fractures. They have severely limited my ability to do much. Be very careful and don't further injure yourself.

JM 35 Sedan · 03-20-2022, 11:21 AM

Marcus, sorry to hear about your injury. Ladders always seem to be dangerous. Take care and give yourself time to heal. I get up on ladders more than I should at my age. Mostly doing gutter repair and cleaning, and roof work on my two story home. My wife always yells at me for doing this, but I can't find anyone local to me who is willing to do this work.

Zeke3 · 03-20-2022, 03:08 PM

Marcus, prayers and best wishes on a speedy and complete recovery.

JM, I still get up on ladders to work on my old house. We both should listen to our wives on this one.

I would not use a wood ladder anymore, they fail suddenly.

Also, check the load rating on your ladder and look at the reading on your bathroom scale.

Tinker · 03-21-2022, 12:35 AM

That really sucks. I hope you recover well.

ladders and accidents always remind me of my grandma taking down a air conditioner shroud. The step ladder braces buckled. Took off the skin of 3 fingers trying to grab the angle arm support of the ac was on. She was a librarian. They were amputated, but she said she could move them when they were just bone. Holy smokes!

My uncle said to sue. Grandma wasn't into that. Come to find out yrs later they were selling under designed ladders.

A good ladder is a good thing.

Steves46 · 03-21-2022, 09:00 AM

Marcus, so sorry to hear this and hope for a speedy recovery.

RKS.PA · 03-22-2022, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

Marcus, sorry to hear about your injury. Ladders always seem to be dangerous. Take care and give yourself time to heal. I get up on ladders more than I should at my age. Mostly doing gutter repair and cleaning, and roof work on my two story home. My wife always yells at me for doing this, but I can't find anyone local to me who is willing to do this work.

Could not agree more!! And Marcus, my hopes for your complete recovery.

And addition to Marcus' issue with the ladder condition, make sure the base is on firm footing. Mine wasn't during a cutter cleaning job and broke my elbow when I hit the concrete. In a cast for 6 weeks and PT after that. Lucky I didn't hit my head!!

And John, my dear wife doesn't yell, but she's not happy when I'm up on a ladder!!

26 lakes · 03-22-2022, 10:06 AM

Marcus, sorry to hear the report. Rest the body and let it heal. I have been a painter for over 40 years. Don't buy cheap ladders. They are heavier for a reason. Here are good tips for setting up your ladder. If you are not on concrete, feet are always up. Never put a brick, rock or 2x4 under a foot to level it up. Go get your shovel and dig a plug out of the ground. You can put it back when you are done. I am 65 and still moving them around safely. But anything can happen. BE SAFE

D. Jones · 03-24-2022, 09:19 AM

Marcus; Hope you heal quickly without complications.

My Doctor absolutely forbids me getting on the roof or even on a step ladder and my wife enforces that mandate. Probably good advice but it makes me feel OLD. I suspect most of the members here are about my vintage. I'm 76, or as I like to tell my grand kids 25 with 51 years experience. When I was a kid that was old but not now.

03-19-2022, 03:27 PM	#1
Marcus Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Walnut Grove, Mississippi Posts: 607	A Plea for Safety All: installing an outside drain on one of my outbuildings, trusty aluminum ladder with no apparent issues. Standing on the fourth rung of an 8-rung ladder, the unit suddenly “scissored” and I fell straight onto my back. L3 vertebra has a compression fracture; doctor says very limited activity plus physical therapy for next 6 weeks and all shall be well. I am very, very blessed. However, the point of this: close inspection of said ladder revealed the rivets on the top rung (which attach the sides) are worn nearly through, with one that sheared and resultant twisting of the others. Please inspect ALL of your equipment ~ I need your expertise readily at hand!! __________________ WARM REGARDS, MARCUS

03-19-2022, 03:34 PM	#2
Kube Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 9,007	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus, I am sincerely sorry for your suffering. I am glad that the doc believes you will heal well. __________________ "I can explain it for you. However, I can't understand it for you".

03-19-2022, 05:23 PM	#4
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,950	Re: A Plea for Safety WOW! Glad you will be OK. Thanks for the safety check. It's something we rarely do.

03-19-2022, 06:41 PM	#5
sugarmaker Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Albion PA Posts: 1,677	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus, Wishing you a speedy recovery. Yikes that sounds really scary to fall like that! Take your time and rest! Regards, Chris __________________ 1932 AAB Truck 1953 Ford Jubilee 2015 Ford F250 SuperCrew Lots of Allis tractors Some Cub Cadets

03-19-2022, 07:03 PM	#6
Lawson Cox Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Above the gnat line in Georgia Posts: 7,009	Re: A Plea for Safety Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Sorry to hear about your fall my friend. Rest and do what the doctors say. God Bless. __________________ Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end, the faster it goes. It is better to be seen, than viewed. "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm".

03-19-2022, 08:29 PM	#7
A bones Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: CLAYTON DE Posts: 1,283	Re: A Plea for Safety Been there, but worse. Plan to exercise as much as possible, when you get stability. That TV is a slow killer. Think about building bone density. Best Wishes __________________ Enjoy yer day. Tom Hate can't fix what it started.

03-19-2022, 08:41 PM	#8
34Phae Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 94	Re: A Plea for Safety Sorry to hear about you fall , When I worked in construction aluminum ladders were outlawed . The are only good for scrap. use only wood or fiberglass

03-19-2022, 09:57 PM	#9
cmbrucew Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: North of sandy ago, CA. Posts: 2,064	Re: A Plea for Safety I also remember aluminum being outlawed. Wood will creak and flex a little. Aluminum justs breaks. Also aluminum pipe wrenches. Bruce __________________ Works good Lasts long time

03-20-2022, 06:55 AM	#10
mfirth Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: ohio Posts: 986	Re: A Plea for Safety Sorry to hear this Marcus. Thank GOD you weren't hurt worse. Keeping you in prayer & inspecting my ladders.

03-20-2022, 07:50 AM	#11
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,024	Re: A Plea for Safety I'm sorry to hear of your accident. It is a reminder of how quickly health and life can change. I'm praying for your fast and uneventful recovery.

03-20-2022, 08:56 AM	#12
1952henry Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 1,621	Re: A Plea for Safety The Lord's blessings on a speedy recovery. __________________ I dig coal, which provides motivation for EVs.

03-20-2022, 10:05 AM	#13
Darrell S Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Everett WA Posts: 346	Re: A Plea for Safety I had a wooden ladder break, when stepping on the 3rd rung it broke. With a bundle of composition shingles on my shoulder I went down through the first 2 rungs. I was fortunate, no injuries. Marcus, I know about compression fractures. They have severely limited my ability to do much. Be very careful and don't further injure yourself.

03-20-2022, 11:21 AM	#14
JM 35 Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland Posts: 10,858	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus, sorry to hear about your injury. Ladders always seem to be dangerous. Take care and give yourself time to heal. I get up on ladders more than I should at my age. Mostly doing gutter repair and cleaning, and roof work on my two story home. My wife always yells at me for doing this, but I can't find anyone local to me who is willing to do this work. __________________ *John* *"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts". Albert Einstein*

03-20-2022, 03:08 PM	#15
Zeke3 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Columbus, IN Posts: 1,407	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus, prayers and best wishes on a speedy and complete recovery. JM, I still get up on ladders to work on my old house. We both should listen to our wives on this one. I would not use a wood ladder anymore, they fail suddenly. Also, check the load rating on your ladder and look at the reading on your bathroom scale.

03-21-2022, 12:35 AM	#16
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: A Plea for Safety That really sucks. I hope you recover well. ladders and accidents always remind me of my grandma taking down a air conditioner shroud. The step ladder braces buckled. Took off the skin of 3 fingers trying to grab the angle arm support of the ac was on. She was a librarian. They were amputated, but she said she could move them when they were just bone. Holy smokes! My uncle said to sue. Grandma wasn't into that. Come to find out yrs later they were selling under designed ladders. A good ladder is a good thing.

03-21-2022, 09:00 AM	#17
Steves46 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lithia, FL Posts: 1,050	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus, so sorry to hear this and hope for a speedy recovery. __________________ If it aint broke, don't fix it!

03-22-2022, 10:06 AM	#19
26 lakes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lee's Summit, Mo Posts: 338	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus, sorry to hear the report. Rest the body and let it heal. I have been a painter for over 40 years. Don't buy cheap ladders. They are heavier for a reason. Here are good tips for setting up your ladder. If you are not on concrete, feet are always up. Never put a brick, rock or 2x4 under a foot to level it up. Go get your shovel and dig a plug out of the ground. You can put it back when you are done. I am 65 and still moving them around safely. But anything can happen. BE SAFE

03-24-2022, 09:19 AM	#20
D. Jones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 514	Re: A Plea for Safety Marcus; Hope you heal quickly without complications. My Doctor absolutely forbids me getting on the roof or even on a step ladder and my wife enforces that mandate. Probably good advice but it makes me feel OLD. I suspect most of the members here are about my vintage. I'm 76, or as I like to tell my grand kids 25 with 51 years experience. When I was a kid that was old but not now.