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A customer's offhand remark about my ladder setup made me rethink everything
I was finishing a sweep on a tall colonial in Springfield last Tuesday, and the homeowner, an older guy who used to be a roofer, watched me pack up. He said, 'You know, you're putting a lot of trust in that single stabilizer bar on the uneven ground.' I'd been using my 28-foot extension ladder the same way for years, always felt fine. But he was right, I was getting lazy about checking the base level. The next day, I started using my leg levelers on every single job, no exceptions, even on what looks like flat driveways. It adds maybe two minutes to setup, but I sleep better at night. Anyone else have a simple safety habit they picked up from a client?
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daniels566mo ago
Sleep better at night" is the whole point. A painter I worked for made me double-check my harness buckle every single time, and now it's just automatic.
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brown.wesley6mo ago
That automatic habit is what saves you. It becomes part of the routine, like putting on your seatbelt. My old foreman had a rule about always having a hand on the ladder when you're on it, no matter how quick the task. It seemed fussy at first, but now I can't climb without doing it. Those small, built-in checks are the best defense against a bad day.
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