Doug: When it comes to ladder safety, of course, always following the manufacturer's instructions
is paramount to make sure that we're using it in the right manner.
But, there are a lot of ladder accessories that help make current ladders safer, or make
it more advantageous to use in certain environments.
Now, what we're going to do, is we're going to take this little three-foot extension ladder
and show you a few options that are available.
Anybody that's worked on a ladder, an extension ladder, for any period of time, say a painter,
or a framer, or anyone, those rungs, even though they're flatter now than they used
to be, those can be very tiring on the feet.
So, giving ourselves the ability to have a better platform can make it safer, and then
makes us less tired, and makes the work a little more enjoyable.
So, one option, as there are a couple devices out there, but in this particular one, where
you can carry this up in your pouch, or your work pouch, and easily as you climb up, easily
one-handed, install it.
And, all it does is uses a pressure connection, like that.
If we have the ladder at the correct degree, now, it becomes a flat platform.
So, instead of that two-inch or one and a half inch rung, now we have almost a full
footprint of a rung.
So, as you can see here, instead of standing on that little side, now when a person is
standing on that at the proper degree, it almost takes up a good fifty to sixty percent
of the foot.
It will help alleviate some of the stress to the foot and the amount of time that you
can work up there comfortably.
So, remember, if we climbed up the ladder we're going to have to have the legs to climb
down the ladder.
One of the other devices that can be used in the ladder safety, is when we have to climb
ladders, to use for access egress, to get on to an upper walking-working surface, is
the requirement is that the ladder extension shall extend no less than three feet above.
The premise behind that is so that we have a handhold to get over so we can climb off
onto the walking surface.
But, in that aspect, as you climb up, now we have to cross the ladder, and cross over
like this, and getting on to the ladder, and we have to walk towards the surface, and then
we have to come and throw our body around to find where that footprint is.
Now, I'm not saying this is going to create an injury, but most injuries and incidents
that occur on ladders, is during that transition, because we're climbing away and swinging around.
Make sure that you always secure the ladder at the top so it doesn't slide, and level
it on the bottom.
But, one option that is available, that I'm a fan of, is a ladder extension.
Once this gets installed, we're going to make this little three footer; I'm going to make
it a little taller, and of course always consult the manufacturer's instructions, but it can
be as simple as sliding it on like that, and then twisting the dial like this.
Now it's fully secured to the ladder.
Now, this extension is three foot over, now instead of walking around the ladder, even
with the tool bags, the human being walks through the ladder, nice handhold, and there's
a way to actually be safer as we extend.
So, that little 3-foot ladder has now become 6-foot.
Jeff: What accessories are available for ladders?
It�s infinitive.
Okay, you got everything from leg levelers, to pole holders.
So, we got these V's, and guys on extension ladders that are going up a pole, can put
it on the pole so the ladder won't tip.
So, you're going up on a roof.
You have to tie your ladder off.
You know what the rat tails are?
The rafter tails that come out?
You just put it on there, clamp it down, hook it around your ladder, and your ladder is
tied off.
Wall mounts, are big for painters especially, the U�s that to come out, and they go on
your extension ladder so you can lean it right against the wall and work off of it.
Pump jack's, ladder planks, I mean you name it, they got it now.
So, there's no reason that you can never say we couldn't secure that ladder.