My extension ladder gave out halfway through a job in Burlington

I was cleaning a tall chimney for a two story house last Tuesday, about 25 feet up. The ladder just buckled under me, the bottom section slid right out. I mean, I was holding on to the roof edge, but it was a real scare. I had to shimmy down the gutter to get back on the porch roof. The ladder was a brand I've had for years, but I guess the locking mechanism just wore out without me noticing. I ended up having to call my buddy to bring his ladder so I could finish the job, which was super embarrassing. Has anyone else had a ladder fail like that? What do you look for to check if they're still safe?

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3 Comments

the_jake5mo ago

Sounds like you got lucky though.

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nancyd853mo ago

Wait, are you saying you think the whole thing was just luck and nothing else? Because from where I'm sitting, it sounds like jason73 put in a ton of groundwork long before that door even cracked open. I've seen people get lucky breaks and not have a clue what to do with them, and that's not the same as having skills and timing ready to go. Your mileage may vary, but I've definitely watched folks work their tails off for years only to have one shot that seemed random to everyone else. So I get why you'd see it that way, but maybe give a little credit for all the invisible work that made that moment matter.

6

jason735mo ago

I see it differently, @the_jake. It was more about being ready for the chance when it showed up. Calling it luck just misses the work that went into it.

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