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Footing The Ladder, Right Way Or Wrong Way?
I have a 'continuing' discussion with a few people (all of whom have only ever worked with/on ladders since joining the department) about the right way to foot (or heel) a ladder. Granted I was "taught" the fire service way -to stand beneath the ladder holding the rails- but when I'm footing the ladder I stand facingit (and when climbing I'd prefer the footer do the same).
I've done carpentry/construction for years and have never seen anyone stand beneath a ladder. The risk of being hit by dropped tools/materials is too great. Yet the fire service still teaches this method.
In my opinion, footing the ladder while facing it allows the footer to watch the FF climbing, be aware of any hazards (including dropped tools) and, under conditions or situations where the ladder might slip, allow the footer to actually stand on the bottom rung for additional ballast.
I'm not looking for a poll as to which way you do it but rather, sound arguments for one way or the other.
I've done carpentry/construction for years and have never seen anyone stand beneath a ladder. The risk of being hit by dropped tools/materials is too great. Yet the fire service still teaches this method.
In my opinion, footing the ladder while facing it allows the footer to watch the FF climbing, be aware of any hazards (including dropped tools) and, under conditions or situations where the ladder might slip, allow the footer to actually stand on the bottom rung for additional ballast.
I'm not looking for a poll as to which way you do it but rather, sound arguments for one way or the other.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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Actually Ben, I think it does rely on arm strength, unless the FF beneath the ladder actually puts his feet on the bottom rung and then "hangs" there - his weight holding down the ladder. Otherwise, just standing beneath the ladder it's being held by arm strength.
Now in all my years of construction (and I continue to do it) I have never seen a ladder collapse and only once did I see one slide along the building and fall: The footer had walked away and subsequently was out of work. While we in the fire service are 'trained' in the correct use of ladders, minimum 3-point contact, tools slung over shoulders rather than carry them in hand, on the construction site it's much more cavalier. You do what you have to do. And you do what works best. In my 35 years I've never seen a ladder heeled from beneath, I have seen ladders that wanted to slide out and my foot (feet) easily held the ladder in place.
I'm betting that both methods work equally well under one or another circumstance and that being the case, use the one that suits the occasion but...I still believe it's safe and smarter to foot facing.
And for those who say "never look up" I'd suggest you reassess that maxim, NOT seeing/knowing what's going on above you can be a very bad mistake.
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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I believe I can put this ladder matter to bed. Phoot the phriggin thing phrom the phront! Anyone who doesn't agree with me is wrong. (Problem solved.)
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Agreement with you or agreement with me (which in this case is actually one and the same...whodda thunk?)
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Don't seem right to you neither, does it?
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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I agree with your method! I work with ladders everyday on the fireground and or doing my job as a electrican. You have more controll and awareness footing the ladder from the front.
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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
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Jack,
I have worked on ladder company's for 12 of my 35 years. I now and have always taught my guys to foot the ladder by facing the ladder/building and placing a foot on the bottom rung or the spur. I believe that to be the safest. That is a great bit of video, the FF footing should have finished his job.
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No, I'm waiting for there to be a rip in the fabric of time. Kind of like matter/anti-matter.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Jack, I curious about your logic on one of your points:
"1. If the ground surface is slippery the force of the ladder moving away from the building will slide you along with it You have no traction to resist, either). By facing the ladder, one can either put their feet against the ladder pads -which will help resist the slipping action- or one could stand on the bottom rung -putting more downward force on the ladder."
If the ground is that slippery, footing it from the front just means that your boots will slide along with the ladder.
If you can provide downforce by stepping on the ladder, you are no longer heeling it. If you're on a hard, slippery surface (concrete or asphalt that is wet, icy, or oily) then as soon as you step on the bottom rung, you're not heeling it - you're now adding more weight that will help kick it out.
Also, you can provide downforce on the ladder from the rear by just hanging onto a rung and using your body weight that way. That acts in much the same way as the ratchet strap does on an extrication strut - it pulls the ladder toward the structure, as Reg said.
One other point - most ladder slips are not kickouts - most are sideways tilts. If you are heeling the ladder from below, you make the ladder more resistant to sliding, because you're creating more friction between the beams or beam tips and the surface on which they are supported at the top.
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Reg,
Exactly. If you're taking a window, the ladder should be placed to one side, not below the window. It should also be on the upwind side whenever possible.
"If the person heeling the ladder is directly under the window, then the person taking OUT the window is directly under the window...not the proper precedure for removing a window!"
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Jack, it's easy to hang on a ladder when heeling it from behind. Just reach one rung higher than normal, then bend your knees.
I don't look up when heeling a ladder. Looking up doesn't give enough reaction time to actually get out of the way. When something gets dropped, I'd rather that it hit me on the crown of my helmet than in the face. Then again, I heel them from behind, so my chances of getting hit with a tool that gets dropped is much less than if it rattles down the front of the ladder and hits me anywhere from my exposed head to my exposed toes.
I assess what's above me prior to placing the ladder and then again as I place it, not while I'm heeling it.
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Permalink Reply by Tarisa on
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I showed this to my husband who is also a ff and we both agree that faceing the ladder is much safer for everybody involved you are able to watch your partner and keep an eye on whats going on above.
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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I agree with you guys. I've felt more comfortable and safer standing at the base of the ladder facing the structure. My visibility is better and like Paul says I'm not in danger of having anything fall on my noggin.
We've been taught both ways.
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