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I do it. I took that sticker off.
If OSHA is present on a construction site, one can be cited for standing on the top step of even a 2-foot ladder.
Larry, you know you do it too.
I just picked up a couple 5’ aluminum step ladders from Home Depot for $19 each.
I don’t on regular step ladders, but I have done it on my LG’s.
I do it. Only time I have ever fallen was into a nasty rose bush. Still have the scars to prove it.
My life is worth the few extra minutes it would take to get a bigger ladder. You may not have fallen yet but it will only take one time. I knew a carpenter who thought it was a good idea to run along the roof edge to get things done faster. Always go go go w/ no thought to safety. He fell off a roof from 6ft up and broke his neck. He now a quadriplegic and has been for decades. I bet he wishes he took safety a little more seriously.
I’ll admit, I’ve stood on my tippie toes on step 9 of 9 on my LG many times including in 2009. I definitely can’t with a good conscience endorse it to anyone. But after reading a safety manual I received about a month ago which went a step further than what’s safe and what’s not by encouraging all to take seriously the gift of life, I’m mending my ways this year 
What safety manual was that?
One for Regional Building Committee projects.
Awesome!
They cover all the bases that’s for sure.
People have died falling off the top of a 4 foot step ladder, but we’re talking about TIME and MONEY here.
I lean a piece of my sectional ladder against the wall, because it’s quick and easy. Oh! It’s safer too!
I stand on the top step all the time. Mainly because of the whole time factor and I don’t want to carry a dozen ladders just to find the right fit for every job. I comes down to what do you feel comfortable doing. If you have good balance and feel comfortable it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
[quote=Bailey;69
110]I stand on the top step all the time. Mainly because of the whole time factor and I don’t want to carry a dozen ladders just to find the right fit for every job. I comes down to what do you feel comfortable doing. If you have good balance and feel comfortable it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.[/quote]
You’re right, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal, unless of course you fall, then it could be a very big deal.
Much harder to fall off a 6-9 ft. sectional ladder than the top of a 4 ft step ladder don’t ya think?
Are we talking about time and money or safety here?
Do you train your employees to disregard safety the way you do?
Do you market your disregard of safety and apparent laziness to your customers as well? Why not? What’s the big deal?
Not trying to be difficult, but I took a fall off a ladder years back for being stupid and lazy. I’ve learned my lesson about ladder safety and it’s importance. Especially now that I have employees and a family.
Even worse, I’ve stood on the top step of an extension ladder with a stand-off numerous times. :eek:
I have to admit, I stand on top of the 4ft almost daily. Even sadder, I’ve been on top of an 8ft step more times than I can count. Even more scary, I weigh in at about 265 lbs.
The old “Death Reach”
The problem with falling off the top of a step ladder is that, if it happens then you probably had balance/and or ladder placement issues severe enough that you are just as likely to fall off the actual top step, having your third point of contact as your shin bones likely would have given you a false sense of security more than if you know you have to be steady on the top step.
I fell off the second step of a 4 footer on thursday, the reason was unstable ladder placement on ice, the stickers are there for liability purposes, the real sticker should say check and double check all of the footing of the ladder before climbing above the first step.
And I’m not going to suggest you make a habit of falling off of ladders, but experience does count, just like Olympic skiers are more likely to walk away from crashes than the weekend warrior, the more you use the ladders the more in tune your body will be with properly balancing and correcting for any incidents that may happen. Use your safety measures, but don’t expect them to be failproof.
