I saw this step ladder in use by one of my neighbors and asked him if I could take a picture. The fiberglass frame was split and pulling away from the riveted bracing. The damaged framing was being loosely held together with bailing wire that was wrapped around the bracing. I advised my neighbor that continued use of the ladder is unsafe and catastrophic failure during use is imminent.
Research Article: Baghouse Inspection
I chose this article because I had no idea what a bag house was. It is like a large air filter assembly that separates out solid particles from the air before exhausting it to outside air. Mainly used for pollution control, worker, and plant safety. The filtering media is an array of bags made of filtering material. Systems are in place to clean the “dust cake” or caked on dust from the filter surface to restore performance.
This is a picture of an articulating ladder in use. The garage door should be closed and locked for safety. Also the person on the ladder should not over reach while working.
The article I chose was:
Ladder Safety
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
Many people get hurt on ladders due to not following simple common sense. If the ladder looks unsafe it very well is unsafe. Don’t climb a wet or icy ladder, don’t overload the ladder, don’t set up the ladder too steep or too flat, also make sure the ladder is clear of electrical lines, are just some of the common sense safety practices.
The image above is a 16’ extension ladder with slip resistant feet. It has a safe standing height of 9’ with a max reach of 15’. This ladder has a load capacity of 200 lbs and is considered type III household light duty. Safe operating procedures dictate at least 3’ above the roof line so this ladder will not reach roofs above 9’ given the maximum safe standing point. The ladder is clean, in good shape and operates well.
Research Essay on Ladder Safety
Ladder safety is commonly ignored. Beyond the ridiculous stuff you see on television shows it is frightening how often this stuff really happens. I’ve seen the “walking ladder”, “hopping ladder” and the “outlook chair” performed in real life. I’ve personally experienced a ladder slipping out from under me on a mossy deck. Why do we have to get too old to heal fast to pay attention to the risks? There’s the wonderful world of television and practiced stunts and then there’s the reality of panic with no where to go 15’ in the air painting a second story as wasps protest your presence. Not quite as slick as that “fireman’s slide” you see on TV.
Now that I’m older and wear no cape or S on my chest I’ve learned to take my time and protect what takes so long to heal. Broken bodies don’t pay bills, they make bills. I’ve learned to bucket my tools and haul them up with a rope. What doesn’t fit in my pocket goes in the bucket. Not to mention, the rope can make a handy tie off.
Play it cool, take your time, plan carefully and test your ladder. Life is too short to spend it healing.
Proper placement of your ladder is important for safety and to ensure that it does not cause damage to the exterior materials. The below photo shows damage on aluminum siding and gutter from the improper placement of a ladder. Both will now need to be replaced.
Research essay
Doing Damage During an Inspection: It’s Your Job by Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko
I liked this article. It puts a good spin on causing damage during an inspection. I often worry what it would cost if I were to damage something, but that article does a good job pointing out that it’s my job to find things that are defective in a home.
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this is a metal extension ladder. it is 3 feet over the top of the building and has a good distance between the wall and the bottom of the ladder.
indications of a bat infestation
milky white ruin stains on windows
stains around entry holes
mouse like droppings
stains and odors caused by urine and guano
noises such as squeaks scratching and crawling in walls
Bat removal
find the entry point and seal it can be the size of your thumb or larger
build a bat house
Here’s a photo of an unsafe and broken ladder that is being used.one of the supports on the back side is completely snapped off,also the side hinge support is bent.the ladder was over worked miss treated.this is why there are so many accidents with ladders in the United States. some people just don’t use common sense when it comes to safety vs paying money out of pocket for a safe ladder to use.
This is a picture of a 6ft wooden step ladder with a workable height of 3 ft. This is a type III ladder with a load capacity of 200 lbs. Although this ladder is wooden you should not depend on it to protect you from electrocution when working around electricity.
Ladder Safety Summary
A ladder is an important tool for a home inspector but they can also be very dangerous with most ladder deaths resulting from falls of 10 ft. There are up to 7 different types of ladders so you should chose the one that makes the most sense for your use. You should always check the condition of your ladder and the surroundings before use.
This is a step ladder with a duty rating of 1A, which indicates a maximum load capacity of 300 lbs. According to my body weight, this ladder will accommodate me (unfortunately, a duty rating of 1 will not). And, although this particular ladder has a 14’ height, the highest standing level is only 9’. You will also notice that the ladder, in the setting it is in, is not safe to climb due to one of the braces not being fully extended.
When inspecting the construction of a brick veneer wall, one of the most common aspects of the wall construction overlooked by builders is the installation of weep holes. When water penetrates the ground the around the fill side of the wall, weep holes give the water an opportunity to drain safely and prevent a possible build-up of pressure resulting in potential damage to the wall structure.
Why can’t I post a picture?
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The component in this image is a single level single family home.It is 11 years old with a new drive way and a roof that was updated 2 years ago.The problem with the house is has no rain gutters to push the water away from the home,which can cause water to become trapped and damage the roof if not corrected.
The article that i read was about easy tips to save energy in your home.I found it help to learn just by selecting the fan in replacement of the ac unit that can save a lot of money,also by buying a tank less water heater or the change of your standard lightbulbs will all impact your over all monthly bill
When I was shopping for my inspection tool, I chose this articulating ladder for ease of transport. Although I found a few different types, this seems to be the strongest and most stable. It has large locking pins and is easy to adjust. The only issue I have is that, it to short for some of the roofs. I have had to put roof racks on my SUV so I could carry an extension ladder to some of my inspections .
Through all the classes I have taken I have tried to pick an article that corresponds with that class. The only one I found for this one is "Ladder Safety ". Although this article didn’t really give me much more info than the class. I was able to learn about the “Spectoscope”. This is a very good tool for for an inspector to have in his arsenal.