Step Ladder Capacity - Watch out!

[Bob_Skurka]

My wife suggested that I drop the hammer so I could hold on with both hands.

Who ever said women don't give good practical advice?

So was she standing under the ladder when she suggested he drop the hammer?

 

[Marlowe]

The supervisor's position is always close by, but just out of the line of fire. I missed her with the hammer.

Tom, the supervised.

 

[Dusty]

That's an interesting discussion and looks like it's much like debating which tractor brand is best.

Unfortunately, all 5 pages are saying the same thing. Buy the ladder at HD for half the price. I haven't seen the HD Ladder and know nothing about it, but I do know that the Little Giant seems to be a standard of electrician, plumbers, and maintenance people that I run across. I have seen the Little Giant demonstrated at many fairs and they always sell them at discounted prices and shipping is always included. I purchased mine while I was working a home show one winter, along with the scaffold. The scaffold arrived damaged and when I called, they sent a replacement that day. A few days later came a pick up tag for the old unit. I didn't have to pay anything and my only effort was to put the old one in the box and leave outside for UPS. Dusty

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Spend money on a good ladder, way too easy to get hurt on a cheap one that falls or collaspes.

I am spoiled at work (firefighter) we have awsome ladders, but huge $$$$, thank you tax payers. We have had over 800 pounds on the third section of our 35' ladders.

At home I bought the best ladders I could find (all rated at 300 pounds or better) and I spent the money, whenever people have come over and have used them, they compliment me on my nice solid ladders.

Get a good ladder and take care of it it should last you a good 20 years or more no problem.

steve

 

[patrick_g]

InLineDieselFan, Spend money on good ladeders???? What is wrong with you? I'll bet there are half a dozen folks here with wooden ladders with dry rot in one leg and termites in another and various treds held on with duct tape and bubble gum who have NEVER EVER had a problem and think you are way overboard on safety and not a manly man!

Two or three probably use there ladders (described above) in the bucket of their FEL while parked on a slope just short of a roll over (with the ROPS not folded but REMOVED) while chugging a sixer!

Ahhh, real men... May they rest in pieces.

I checked the specs on my F/G ladders and they are rated for 300 lbs (not the 325 I thought I remembered). I think that is the lowest rating I (at least 250 with clothes on and a tool in my hand) will ever consider buying. I have a couple alluminum units about 2 ft high that feel really secure but are probably not rated for 300 lbs.

InLineDieselFan, Do you know the brand of your ladders rated over 300 lbs? (Yours not the taxpayers)

Pat

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Patrick,

the tags have come off over the years, although none of them are over ten years old. They are fiberglass with aluminium rungs, and they get a light pressure wash and cleaning each spring, prior to the busy season of use.

I like the way you descibed things, it brings me job security, at the extreem expsense of people getting hurt. It is sad how many people do get hurt on ladders that should have been taken to the dump or burned 20 years ago, but some people just keep using them.

steve

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Its not just the weight limit but the proper work angle of extension ladders.

My BIL was on a ladder last week going on to the roof of his house. The ladder slid out from under him and he landed on the heel of his foot on a concrete patio. My sister just called me and he came out of surgery an hour ago with pins and a steel plate for a heel. He will be out of work for 9 months minimum!

 

[Dusty]

It isn't the fall that hurts, but the sudden stop. Hope that he does well going forward. Injuries happen in seconds and take months or years to recover from. Dusty

 

[keeney]

Unfortunately, all 5 pages are saying the same thing. Buy the ladder at HD for half the price. ...

The Little Giant is slightly better quality than the Gorilla (I have one of each).

Both are very sturdy and nice to use when you are standing on them.

Both are nice and heavy when you have to tote them up and down stairs or any significant distance.

The "Extension" ladder mode on my longer Little Giant is a little bouncy for my taste. If I am planning any extensive work at that height, I get out my 40' fiberglass 350' rated. Way stiffer whn not extended (but probably heavier).

As a step ladder, I really find myself using the feature of being able to climb both sides. Saves moving tha ladder quite a bit. Also, it lets you shift from one side to the other over the top or straddle the top when you need to face sideways. Also handy for a helper to climb up the other side and hand a tool up or hold somehting (the ladder is rated 300 lbs each side when in step ladder mode).

The one complaint about my shorty Gorilla is that the legs bind up on the angle braces at the bottom. The Little Ginat has more clearance down there. Not a big deal, but just annoying until you figure out how to avoid it.

- Rick

 

[Dusty]

I have to agree that the Little Giant, when fully extended as a extension ladder is kind of springy, but it has never caused me any worry. For the most part, I try to stay close to the ground and never climb any higher than I feel comfortable. Thirty feet is about my top end. When I was half my age, the hight didn't bother me and I used to walk across steel beams on a construction site 8 or 10 stories high. Now, I don't even like looking out the windows when I am that high.

 

[Egon]

In Canada I beleive all licensed contractors are required to use CSA approved ladders that meet a set of construction standards. In certain locations electricians can only use fiberglass ladders.

Which reminds me, I have a leak on a skylight three stories up [ one and a half from a balcony ] and there is a very steep pitch on the roof. It seems I can always find some excuse to delay the repair as I dislike ladders.

 

[DavidPerry]

I was in a local hardware store looking at ladders. They have a sale on "seconds". How do you guys feel about "made in Pakistan"?

 

[Dusty]

I was in a local hardware store looking at ladders. They have a sale on "seconds". How do you guys feel about "made in Pakistan"?

Better get used to it, because it is the wave of the future. Less and less is being manufactured in the USA, and more of our goods are going to be coming from other parts of the world. Problem is that there are no safeguards as to the quality of the goods raw materials. I remember back in the late 1960's & 1970's learning about gold jewelry that came from another country that was radioactive, . At this time of the year, toys coming from other parts of the world are being checked for safety and lead contamination. Watch the news, you will start hearing about the "recalls" the closer we get to Christmas. Dusty

 

[AndyM]

At this time of the year, toys coming from other parts of the world are being checked for safety and lead contamination. Watch the news, you will start hearing about the "recalls" the closer we get to Christmas. Dusty

Many products with American brand names are made in China, of course, and quality specs are set forth for the Asian suppliers to follow.

Unfortunately, as soon as you are out of their sight, they do whatever they can to add to their profit margin.

The days of being able to watch the quality of the supplier across town is gone... they are on the other side of the world and they are getting away with more than you can imagine!

 

[patrick_g]

Lets see how you would proceed to file and persue a product liability suit against a Pakistani or Chinese manufacturer! If you have no legal recourse against them what is their incentive to build safe products?

I would like to buy American but need to buy more goods than just fast food (often cooked by illegals anyuway.) Customer service for American companies is in India or the Philipines or...

Pat

 

[Turkeyman]

Spend the money ( $210) for a 10ft Werner 300lb fiberglass tripod ladder for outside work, it is much cheaper then a visit to an ED and will last 15 yrs in sun light- 25 yrs in occasional sunlight. The 3 legs are very steady on uneven ground.
I was told once by a ED doctor that falls were the number one reason people go to ED's. Of course most of those are not falls from ladders.