Did you know that the United States has the most ladder-related deaths of any country in the world? Every year, nearly nine million people are taken to the emergency room due to injuries sustained from falling off a ladder. Many of these casualties are homeowners who fall from their ladders while trying to clean gutters or gutter guard, or working on their home.
We always recommend hiring an experienced professional to handle any maintenance or repairs that require you to climb a ladder onto your roof. Nevertheless, we know that sometimes you might find yourself in a position where you do need to do the maintenance yourself. If you must climb a ladder, we strongly recommend adhering to these safety tips from the American Ladder Institute.
- Don’t climb if you’re feeling unwell. If you feel dizzy, tired or otherwise unwell, do not climb your ladder, as this can increase your risk of falling.
- Don’t climb in bad weather. If there are high winds, rain or other bad weather in your area, put the ladder away and wait until conditions improve.
- Wear appropriate footwear. Your shoes should be clean and slip-resistant, with heavy soles. Never climb a ladder in shoes with leather soles.
- Use the right size of ladder. The Duty Rating of your ladder should be more than the total weight of the climber plus any tools or other objects placed on the ladder. It should be tall enough that you don’t have to step onto the top rung to accomplish your task.
- Place ladder on firm, level ground. The ladder should never be placed on uneven or slippery ground.
- Do not place ladder in front of a closed door. Never put your ladder in front of a closed door that could be opened out toward the ladder, as this could dislodge the ladder.
- Observe the “three points of contact” rule. When climbing or descending a ladder or performing work while standing on a ladder, you should have two feet and one hand (or two hands and one foot) on the ladder at all times.
- Always face the ladder. Never turn away from the ladder during your ascent, descent or while working from the ladder.
- Never move the ladder while standing on it. This could destabilize it and lead to a fall.
- Wear a toolbelt. This keeps your hands free so you can hold onto the ladder.
- Climb slowly and carefully. Take your time and always exercise caution when climbing or descending a ladder. Do not make any sudden movements.
Contact Us
At Gutter Helmet®, we are proud to provide the best gutter guards on the market. Gutter Helmet is a self-regulating gutter defense system built with innovative technology that prevents clogs from forming in your gutters. When you invest in Gutter Helmet, you’ll never need to endanger your safety by climbing the ladder to clean your gutters again – Gutter Helmet does all the work for you.
Call us today at (800) 824-3772 to learn more about Gutter Helmet, or to get a free quote.
