Before starting spring clean up and chores, be sure to inspect your ladder. Look for:
* Tight bolts.
* A wobble in the ladder.
* Missing steps or tread.
* Loose or broken steps.
A ladder with any of these problems may need to be replaced.
Be sure the ladder is right for the job and that you are using it properly. Never step on the top rung of a ladder. This makes the ladder unstable and prone to tipping.
Before you set up your ladder, make sure it isn't close to power lines, and if the ladder tips, make sure that it won't collide with power lines on the way down.
Ladder injuries account for more than 500,000 injuries and 300 deaths in the U.S. annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.