Aging Joints and Ladder upgrade

middle.road

Granite Stoopid...
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Tuesday night - late, I got a burr under my saddle and decided to re-organize one on my 4x8 pegboards that had become a rats-nest.
Of course there's a workbench in front of it, so I grab my ol' trusty two step fold-up step stool/ladder and got to it.
Honey had already gone to bed, and there is a rule in place that I shouldn't attempt anything 'risky' just in case something were to happen.
Going for something up towards the top at about 8' I placed my right foot on the top of the workbench, and accomplished what I wanted to.

Well went I went to re-position my foot from the bench to the top step of the ladder my knee did not appreciate the 90° re-orientation and jammed up a tad on me. Lost my balance, but luckily I have a sturdy wire shelf setup across from the workbench and was able to steady myself.
Of course in hind sight I do realize that I had the ladder positioned incorrectly for the task at hand. It was parallel to the wall and bench.

It was in that fleeting instance of panic that I realized that the design of ol' two step was no longer adequate. (probably wasn't to begin with...)
Twenty years ago an acquaintance of mine had a bad accident hanging some window treatments. He fell off a two foot step ladder and landed 'just so' that his
neck and spine were severely messed up and he's been in rough shape ever since.
Since then I've always tried to be aware of my movements on ladders. I guess that it is also time to really start paying extra attention to anything I do involving ladders.

So with that in mind, yesterday I went to the big box store and grabbed this:
The steps and the sturdiness of it are super fine.
1542905977608.png
 
Dan I am glad that you acted after a close call and learned from it. This is not always the case with some folks.

David
 
We Senior citizens sometimes need to be reminded to "act your age" voice of experience, glad you're alright.
 
My ex-boss did this exact thing years back . Lost his balance while working with his pegboard on a ladder . One difference was he caught his wedding ring on one of the pegs while falling . I never saw a bluer finger or hand .
 
My ex-boss did this exact thing years back . Lost his balance while working with his pegboard on a ladder . One difference was he caught his wedding ring on one of the pegs while falling . I never saw a bluer finger or hand .
*Cringe* *Ouch*
I myself quit wearing rings eons ago for that reason, after seeing the aftermath of a lathe chuck accident with one.
 
I was doing a lot of overhead electrical work recently using a stepladder suspiciously like the one on the right, only about twenty years older and with only one support strut working. Made me really miss my Werner 3-step (a lot like the replacement, on the left).
 
Glad your adventure ended before an ambulance became involved.

I also just bought the newer model for this older user. At 6'6" and on the doorstep of 300lbs (yes, true: well worth a collective cringe!), its type 1AA rating fit the bill. Given the wide stance and gentle rise, the new model feels more like a portable set of stairs than a step stool!
 
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