09.03.2018

Land of the long ladder

Spotted a couple of weeks ago on a new residential development on an ex golf course in the Vestavia area of Birmingham, Alabama, building workers using very long ladders as their main access equipment for working at height, but finding them still too short, or less than ideal they found ways to extend them or other ways to get the job done.
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The two men are using what looks like a 10m, three stage ladder which is still too short, so they have set it up on their van

In example one the two men are using what looks like a 10 metre, three stage ladder but it is simply too short, so they have set it up on top of their van -
which is hardly level. A co worker is attempting to ‘foot’ the ladder but if it starts to go sideways there is nothing he will be able to do.
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Look closer and it appears as the the man climbing the ladder is also carrying a box of some sort

On another house in the subdivision, a man is working on the fascia of an elevated deck but rather than use the ladder he has, he has chosen to stand on the guardrail to reach his work.
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On another building in the development a man is working on the facia of an elevated deck, but rather than use his ladder he has chosen to stand on the rail to reach his work

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A closer look - perhaps he thinks his hi-viz vest will save him?

No question or doubt about it this is definitely a contractor and his team with a Death Wish. If all the homes are completed without a fall which results in serious injury or death, it will be more down to luck and a minor miracle than judgement.

These are definitely destined for our Death Wish series.

If you run an access rental business in this area, you might just want to track them down and show how they might be both more efficient and safer at the same time.

Have a safe weekend.
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