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Posted By: sierra electrician Electricians & their ladders - 12/10/05 12:36 AM
I was driving down the freeway when the ladder on the truck in front of me came off. I was doing appx 70mph and ran over it. It was a ten footer and was immediatley pulverized by me and the 6-8 vehicles behind me. Fiberglass and aluminum were flying everywhere, cars and semi's were dodging the debri. Luckily no one was hurt.
I thought to myself that has to be an electrician...it was!
He had one bungee tied at the mid point of his ladders which were stacked two high ie. one on top of the other.
How do have your guys tie ladders down. This is a huge liability. Rubber bungee's just don't do the job.

JMHO
Rob

[This message has been edited by sierra electrician (edited 12-09-2005).]
Posted By: renosteinke Re: Electricians & their ladders - 12/10/05 01:43 AM
I can relate to your story...shortly after I came to Reno, a ladder fell of, onto the freeway. A good Samaritan, who was trying to remove this hazard from the roadway, was struck and killed. Point taken- I've always made sure my ladders were well attached.

It's a real riddle, just how do you attach a ladder in a manner that is fast, easy, as well as secure. Not all of us have the $$$$ to get some sort of fancy ladder rack.

In my earliest days in the trade, my "safety" was a hasp, to which I attached a steel cable and a padlock. There were, I admit, a few times where an unexpected bump in the road led to the ladder breaking free- but it stayed attached to the turck, and followed me over to the shoulder. Nothing hurt but my pride!

My current truck also doesn't lend itslf to your usual ladder rack. So, this time around, I have place strut across the top, and attach ladders with modified strut clamps. This arrangement also works for other large loads.
Posted By: Celtic Re: Electricians & their ladders - 12/10/05 02:07 AM
Quote

Not all of us have the $$$$ to get some sort of fancy ladder rack.

Can you afford an inappropiate ladder rack, is a more pressing question.

What's next..I couldn't afford some gloves/PPE now I can't work (because I'm in the hospital).

Securing your tools properly is equally as important as selecting your tools. What good is a ladder that has been smashed into a million pieces? You can't work off toothpicks [Linked Image]

My ladders are secured using "aircraft cable" with loops crimped (hi-dented) on to them, and locks. It ain't pretty, but it is cheap - and extremely secure (even in high crime areas).

sierra's story reminds me of an encounter I had with a box spring....some yahoo had several mattresses and box springs tied to the roof of his van...and flew past me (on an interstate)...I watched him go over one hill...as I crested the next hill - bedding EVERYWHERE. I avoided a few items, but rather than hit a car in another lane I plowed through one box spring. At least he had some wood for a fire that night as he slept on a cold hard floor [Linked Image] .
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Electricians & their ladders - 12/10/05 10:15 PM
Having a ladder come adrift from a vehicle has always been a pet fear of mine.
A former workmate of mine when I was an EC, had the step-ladder fly off of the top of his van one day and it flew through the windscreen of a car that was following behind him.
Luckily no-one was seriously injured.
When I first got the faults truck that I now drive at work it had some old leather belts to hold the ladders into the gantry, I checked these one day and two out of the 4 belts were about ready to break.
I removed them and replaced them with sets of Nylon Tie-downs:

[Linked Image]

Similar to this arrangement, but I have the tie up the other way and the "buckle" part of the tie-down is held to the gantry frames with 3 heavy nylon cable ties.
It makes for a rather solid fastening for the ladders.
I changed it originally because the ladders used to rattle in the gantry.
Things that rattle really annoy me. [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-10-2005).]
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