Had a ladder slide out from under me on a steep roof in Portland last Wednesday

I was cleaning a 3-story flue on a rainy morning, and my extension ladder just kicked out sideways. Lucky for me I was only 8 feet up and landed on a wet tarp instead of concrete. The homeowner came running out asking if I was okay, and I just sat there covered in soot and mud. Took me 20 minutes to get the ladder re-set on some plywood pads I keep in the truck now. Anyone else ever have a ladder fail on a tricky pitch like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam_thomas20d ago

Glad you're okay man. That wet tarp probably saved you a broken bone or worse. I've had a ladder kick out on a low pitch before and it still rattled me pretty good. Rain and soggy ground make everything sketchy, especially with a long extension ladder on a steep roof. A lot of people don't realize how fast the feet can slide sideways on wet grass or mud. Smart move with the plywood pads. I keep a set of stabilizer feet on mine now after a close call in Seattle.

skylerrobinson20d ago

I started using wide base standoffs after that and it made a huge difference.