I've had a few incidents with steps and ladders over the years, on one occasion I was on a set of tripple 4m ladders onto a flat cladding sheet putting up 250w sodium lights, bracket was up and securely fixed, as I reached the bracket light fitting in one hand I felt the dreaded sideways feeling. Luckily I managed to grab the window surround as I descended down the cladding, light fitting and ladder hit the deck, I hung on for dear life probably only about 3m from the floor until one of the site lads got the ladders under me!
I was so glad to get my feet back on the ground!
I did manage to fall forward on a set of aluminium 2 tread steps once, I forgot it wasn't a trestle and stepped forward, the handle hoop had me, fully over, just missed an antique dressing table luckily.
Those steps were skipped the same day!
Another one, It was raining, working on wet uneven cobbles, I was on some 2m theatre steps with metal brackets where the 3rd section slides up.
I hadn't slid the last section up as wasn't all that high just above the top of the A frame part with one foot on either side of the A.
Of course the feet slipped on the Cobbles and off balance, I fell backwards and my feet went through the rungs. As I hit the deck the bracket tore a huge gash out of my right buttock. Man did that hurt! Luckily a trip to boots and several sterri strips and it was holding back together, couldn't sit down for about 10 days the bruise was huge and very dark!
I tend to always go for the MEWP these days I feel much safer in one of those!!
Also seen some much worse incidents involving ladders and some nasty injuries.
Thankfully not mine!
Be safe out there peeps!!
Sy