Yesterday I was trying to investigate the condition of the back porch roof. Putting up the ladder against the gutter which was unavoidably in the way, I climbed up just enough to notice the pressure of the ladder against the gutter was destroying my homemade gutter hanger which replaced the original piece of junk that broke earlier.
Okay, let's try a different approach. The porch roof being quite steep, I angled the ladder so it was flat against the slope of the roof, clearing the gutter, but with the angle-adjustable feet flat on the cement walk for maximum traction. I climbed up with no problem. Once up there, I examined the roof but could not find anything particularly amiss, so I started back down. As soon as I started back down however, so did the ladder, the rubber feet I thought had plenty of traction just sliding merrily along the wet cement walk. It had been raining quite a bit.
I think I instinctively stepped off the sliding ladder while attempting to grab the roof - fat chance considering there was nothing to grab. I'm not sure exactly what happened next but before I knew it I was on my back on the cement walk. I recall a brief moment of feeling some blunt force impacts, but there I was, wondering for a minute what the physical consequences were. I slowly realized I could actually get up and walk, albeit rather slowly, to the back door.
I was a bit light-headed for a short time. But I came to realize all I had sustained was a few minor abrasions, some extra pain in my lower back if I bend the wrong way, a little pain in one hip, some neck strain.
Ladders are very useful things, but they are like chainsaws. If you aren't careful, you can render yourself a significant physical insult. So be careful out there!
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