Gutter Cleaning Tools: Avoid the 5 Worst Gutter Cleaning Accidents
When people hurt themselves on TV, it's hilarious. We see people fall off of ladders, roofs, and other high places all the time, and it's treated for comedy. Unfortunately, in real life? Not quite so funny. Here are five accidents, caught on video, that demonstrate what can go wrong when cleaning your gutters, or you don't use gutter cleaning tools.
5. Putting Convenience Ahead of Safety
This contractor, identified only as Mike, was dealing with a difficult type of roof. Getting at that second level can be extremely difficult, and generally requires a longer ladder, or use of safety harnesses and other gutter cleaning tools to get to the top.
Unfortunately, Mike made a common mistake: assuming that because it was only a stepladder, he could safely foot his ladder and that it wouldn't slide. Luckily, Mike apparently didn't suffer any serious injuries other than to his pride, but he could have gone right off the first level and broken some bones or worse.
The Lesson: When dealing with a difficult roof, plan for safety, not convenience.
4. Stepladders Are Not Your Friend
Stepladders can be dangerous because they grant a false sense of security. They're braced against the ground, so users feel they don't need a spotter. But they do, and sometimes the lack of one ends very badly.
Granted, this video is called "stupid ladder accident" for a reason: the subject violates just about every rule of ladder safety in the book. No spotter, heavy equipment with him, and removing an object that will likely fall (in this case, his steel gutter) without any support to lower it instead of it just landing wherever it wants.
The Lesson: Always have a spotter, stepladder or not.
3. Don't Reach
While this may not be on a roof, it demonstrates an extremely important reason to be careful and to also be aware of your weight and strength. Ladders are, by necessity, very light, and easily shifted. This is especially commonplace thanks to the physics at work, where a large weight is exerting force on the part of the ladder most susceptible to gravity.
The Lesson: Don't reach beyond a foot or two away from the ladder, and if something is stuck...don't pull it towards you.
2. Keep Your Shoes Clean
Unlike most of the other examples here, this man had reason to trust his ladder. It was firmly anchored to the building and the ground, it was well-maintained, and it was designed to be sturdy.
His shoes were not.
The Lesson: Keep your shoes and gloves clean of all debris or slippery substances that may cause you to fall.
1. Don't Trust the Terrain
Even if your ladder is sturdy, your shoes are clean, and you're using gutter cleaning tools...nothing can protect you from a soft spot on the roof until it's too late.
The Lesson: Be careful about climbing onto the roof, even a well-maintained one, and always check the way ahead before shifting your weight.
Good luck and safe climbing.
