This Louisville step ladder is great for painting and changing light bulbs around the house as well as putting Christmas ornaments on the tree. However, it will not work as a ladder for professional home inspection. It is only rated for 225 pounds. It is not an industrial-rated ladder. One note about all ladders based on experience: wear hand protection. Pinching is a common. On step ladders, pinch points are at the hinges. On articulating ladders, the pinch points are on the pins and upon extending the ladder and on collapsing at the hinge. On extension ladders, pinch points are on extending the ladder and also there is a hazard possible when collapsing the ladder to get fingers stuck in the holes of the rungs on the outside of the ladder. Keep your hands on the rungs and you will be fine. Wear gloves and shoes with good traction.
In the Illustration Gallery, I found a good photo of an inspector on a ladder, inspecting the roof. He was extending to the side, but kept his waist within the center of the ladder. He was looking at the roof plys. He was wearing gloves. The ladder was extended 4 rungs above the roof surface. He was using an articulating ladder.
AFCI’s is a special type of receptacle and/or circuit breaker designed to detect and respond to dangerous electrical arcs in home wiring. AFCI’s or better known as arc-fault circuit interrupters work by monitoring electrical flow opening immediately the circuit if it detects changes in current flow of potential dangerous arc. They also are designed to distinguish between normal arcs, such as from a switch that is turned on or maybe a plug that is pulled out from a outlet. An arc is a potentially dangerous condition that can produce a high level of heat which can ignite and start structure fires.
A-frame ladders can be a useful tool for inspecting. They generally come in smaller sizes than extension ladders making them useful for interior aspects of an inspection. I find this type of ladder handy for inspecting tall unfinished basements or rooms that have drop ceilings to be able to see above the ceiling tiles.
Ladder safety is extremely important for home inspectors. It’s one of the more dangerous aspects of our jobs as most of us use ladders. In the US each year there are more than 164,000 emergency room treated injuries and over 300 deaths. Most deaths occur from a height less than 10 feet. Some important things to remember when using a ladder is maintain 3 points of contact. Never use a ladder in windy conditions. Never exceed it’s maximum load rating and always inspect a ladder before use and never use a damaged ladder.
The ladder that i took a picture of is a small 4 rung step ladder. this ladder is in use by our company. my concern with this ladder is that none of the stickers are on it anymore so you do not know what type it is. you can make an assumption because it is orange. i would take it out of service until it can be repaired or replaced
The topic that i chose was ladder safety. It actually goes right along with the class that i took as it goes through the way to identify the types of ladders. proper way to use them. what not to do. the statistics that show death can happen from a fall from a ladder. i remember when i was in high school about a contractor that i knew that fell 3 feet of a ladder and died. could not believe it.
The telescope ladder is improperly located over a door which accesses the backyard. If someone were to open the door the ladder may be knocked down by someone exiting the door, leading to bodily harm. It is also not extended at least 3 ft. pass the roof edge.
This step ladder is easy to store, but also easy to move. The aluminum frame is light and perfect for getting to places that aren’t really too high. Step ladders are self supporting once opened and the hinges are locked, making them great for changing a light bulb or getting into garage storage. This should not be used to get onto a roof of even a single story home. With no extension, getting on or off a roof with this will not be stable, and being light aluminum it wouldn’t take much of a gust to blow it over.
Being aware of your surroundings is extremely important. You may be setting up your ladder or carrying it, either way we need to use common sense. If you set up a ladder without looking up, you’re asking for a few bad scenarios including but not limited to electrocution! Also check where you’re walking and announce around corners. The last thing you want is a bad review because you forked a client in the head. Eyes up and use your senses and you can’t go wrong!
Ladder Safety Article and the Illustration in it. this article has a lot of good info and pictures. It tills you what todo and what not todo. It shows/tells you of other options to use with ladders or things to use instead of ladders.
Pic of the bottom step of a step ladder: on this step there is a crack in the middle of the step and there is a bent lowliest support between the legs on the other side of step ladder. There was a crack on the very top support to.
The attached image consists of an articulated ladder. This specific ladder can be used in multiple positions with a maximum extension height of 22ft and maximum safe working height of 18ft 10in. The type is 1AA and load rating of (375lb). Excellent choice due to versatility and load capacity but is on the heavy side for bigger projects.
In the article “Roofing (consumer-targeted)” the topics of discussion include the reasonings and procedures of proper roof maintenance that can minimize the potential of future costly damages, the basic construction of the roof underlayment and coverings system including the material or composition utilized, average roof life span, and ideas to consider when you need to hire a roofing contractor. The article not only identifies commonly used roofing materials such as asphalt, wood, metal, concrete, and tile, but examines them independently providing information related to intended applications, benefits, and pit falls. This article offers valuable information that’s clear and concise for the average homeowner to consider whether it’s their first house or their last.
I read the article “Ladder safety” by by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard. I learned that 300 deaths occur annually from ladder-related injuries. Most ladder deaths occur less than 10ft from the ground. Step Ladders should never be used in the folded position for roof access. An inspector should know how to properly carry a Ladder without causing injury or putting themselves at risk. A ladder should never be overloaded or left unattended while not in use.
This is a Telescoping Ladder. The length of the ladder is 15 1/2 ft and maximum working height is 12 ft six inches. It is rated Type I supporting 250 pounds of weight at maximum. Condition is good. Steps are ridged with adequate traction and free of grease and dirt. It extends with a series of locks. The Ladder extends and locks properly. It can be used for roof access
I think common sense has plays a big role in Ladder Safety. If it doesn’t feel right or look right, it probably isn’t right. This section was very informative, I have been using ladders for years in very different jobs and still found some good info here.
I read the article on Ladder Safety and also researched the best ladders for home inspectors. I was initially going to buy a telescoping ladder but, was later convinced by other inspectors that it was not a very good ladder for inside. Using that ladder to access the attic could damage the entry trim, so I am going with a multi use ladder that will be safer.
While I always use a more secure, multi-function ladder with self levelers to use outside, getting on a roof, etc., I have been using the expandable type ladders indoors to access attic hatches and other areas for many years with no major incidents and find them indispensable. I always double check every rung to make sure they are all engaged or locked before climbing on mine, and I wear gloves to prevent any accidental pinching of ladder rungs closing. Given that I am so comfortable and familiar with them over thousands of uses, I feel confident in using them in the right situation or application. This is critical for any ladder use, because certain ladders are made for certain purpases and better suited for specific tasks. I find they are most useful in tight spaces where a “Little Giant” simply wont cut it due to space limitations, such as accessing an attic hatch in a closet ceiling. If you are safe and deliberate and realize extending ladders don’t offer the same structural rigidity and limited its use accordingly, I’m convinced these can be safe, reliable tools.
I chose this article because it tied specific ladder safety into the inspection of the home and all of the safety equipment that should be employed for safe outcomes. This is a very helpful article, because of its depth and the amount of areas it covers. I learned something new, in the area summarizing roof safety and footwear. I’ve always felt that most workboots don’t have a very safe grip on roofs and see the information regarding rubber soled sneakers as roof shoes. The section about tying off the ladder at the top would prevent a situation just encountered by an assocciate, who got trapped on a roof alone when his ladder blew over and left him stranded for two hours before someone showed up next door and was able to provide assistance. I’m not sure how practical it is however since most configurations encountered in the field do not allow optimal tying points and dimensions.
