The spike in summer ladder accidents peaking from June through August is largely driven by warm-weather home improvement tasks like gutter cleaning, painting and roof repairs. To avoid becoming a statistic, plan outdoor tasks early in the day to avoid the heat and fatigue that lead to rushing and carelessness.

Ladders are Americans’ most dangerous tool causing over 500,000 injuries and 300 deaths yearly. Nearly 97% of ladder injuries occur in non-occupational settings. For adults over the age of 60, falls are the primary cause of injury and death. The risk of death from a ladder fall is up to 10 times higher for older patients than for teenagers. 

The above sounds like a real downer, but it’s so important to make sure you have not overheated nor have you climbed on a rickety or damaged ladder. Over the years I’ve heard of three different people who have passed by a ladder fall. One was while I was still working as a paralegal doing title work. One of the members of the family had disappeared from the deeds.

I checked in with the tax assessor at the time asking about the one missing. She responded, “Oh honey, he fell off a ladder and died.” A friend I worked with in another capacity shared her father fell off a ladder and did not survive. A family member knew another he was in his early 60s and died when he fell through a roof. It’s a heartbreak.

Last week we spent time around the house picking up limbs and sticks from earlier rains and wind. Some of that debris along with earlier dust landed on the roof covering the porch. Out came the rickety ladder, an extension ladder. The extension ladder is designed to be leaned against a stable structure like a wall or a roof-it makes them ideal for high-reaching jobs like cleaning gutters, painting, or accessing roofs.

The next day the power washer was added to remove all the “gunk” that appeared on the metal roof over the years. Fortunately, we have a family nearby with several hardworking teenagers. Sam enlisted one of the boys who showed up ready to go the next day. Sam agreed to manage the power washer and remained on the porch while the young man used the wand spraying water and crossing back and forth over the metal roof.

Naturally I was nervous for the two, however it was a job well done with no accidents, take care, Amen.

Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].