Using Ladders

I have seen many, many folks suffer injuries, ranging from minor scrapes to permanent back problems, because they did not use their head when using ladders, If I dwell on accident prevention it is because, as a practically minded individual, I know that accidents cost people a whole lot of money and aggravation. Hurting yourself is going to mean lost work, which means lost pay and it is also going to cost you time spent enjoying your life. I have hurt my back so badly that I could not even sleep without taking a substantial quantity of drugs.

First, make sure your ladders are stable. If the have loose rungs or wobble, fix them or replace them Second, make sure they are long enough. If you have to climb to the very top rung, you know, the one marked 'do not stand here,' then do not use that ladder for that job. This even applies to those little step stools we use around the house.

Whenever possible, if you are using anything more than say a ten foot ladder, have someone steady the ladder, especially if you are carrying tools or supplies. I know, at work, your boss may say no to that and if that happens, do your job, and start scouting around for another. Yes, we all need that paycheck, but in the long run, an accident is going to cost you a lot. If you are on good terms with your boss, and he is generally reasonable, you may want to gently remind him that if you are injured, his workman's  comp insurance is going through the roof.

If you are working on scaffolding,, you will be given a harness. If you do not wear it, you are an idiot. Make sure, when working on ladders or scaffolding, that you are wearing appropriate shoes. I have seen guys painting their houses on weekends, wearing flip flops. This is amazingly dangerous, not to mention hard on the feet.

If you are setting up a long extension ladder, insist on help. I saw a guy doing that alone on a windy day. A gust turned it in his hands and he spent several months recovering from his back injury.

Used carefully, ladders are perfectly safe. Well, reasonably safe, anyway; odd things happen occasionally no matter how many precautions you take. However, you must take all of those precautions. Do not hurt yourself.

Pay Attention and Save Money

This may seem like odd advice, but you can save a lot of time, energy and money by doing one simple thing, paying attemtion. Many accidents, maybe most, happen because folks are not devoting their full attention to the task at hand.

I see people working with earbuds firmly tucked in, whether listening to music or talking on the phone. Seems harmless enough and if you are just walking the neighborhood, fine. When you are working around potentially dangerous equipment, it is not. If you are doing complex office work, it is also not acceptable to be half paying attention. If you are interacting with customers, it is absolutely not acceptable.

Contrary to polular belief, neurologists have  proven that we cannot multitask. When we think we are, our brain is actually switching from one task to another, at rapid speed, yes, but not with great efficiency. Keep it up long enough and you will make mistakes.

The mistake may be small, a papercut when opening an enevlope. However, in an instant, it may be deadly, as has been the case in things like train derailments and chemical explosions.

None of us are perfect but why go out of your way to risk an accident. Accidents cause alot of mental and physical pain and, to be mercenary for a moment, they cost a lot of money. At best, when you make unnecessary mistakes, you waste time straightening them out.

So take out the earbuds and pay attention. When you finish the task, then you can enjoy anything you want, worry free.