My First Ladder Safety Moment For Years!!

[Messy]

For the last few months I have been renovating a flat my son has bought so he can move away from renting in the private sector (There are so many shocking/greedy/selfish landlords out there). His budget wasn't great and prices for homes in SE England are a bit silly, so it was always the plan to buy a grubby flat and do it up.

I have had a number of minor safety moments during the project - especially with the razor sharp inset kitchen sink from B&Q which took chunks out of me even though I was being careful - but they've been overshadowed by an event over the weekend.

Mrs Messy joined us to put up some curtains. She seemed to be rather stressed by the continual "dust everywhere" and "why have you done it like that" comments she was making - and she wasnt the usual calm person I know. Frankly, neither was I after hours of being a victim of her grumbling. Then when I was up a step ladder, she suggested I move the ladder sideways. I snapped in a husband type way and was about to say after over three decades in the fire service, I know about ladders. To deliver my criticism of her remark, I turned angrily to face her........ and then it happened ..........

Gravity took over and off I fell from the ladder and down on the radiator and concrete floor below - ripping the radiator off the wall with my knee and elbow on the way. I decided to test the flat's sound insulation for a while with a string of rather loud Anglo-Saxon words before resting for a while with a couple of cold packs on my knee.

The result wasnt serious, but we've had to hastily arrange a removal company as I cant do that much heavy lifting of many stairs at the moment. I will take a management/supervisor role during his move today!!! Sadly I have also given up any hope of my post retirement work as a stuntman

The safety moment causes;
1.Too many people on the ladder!!!
2. Allowing my wife to 'help'

[WillPool]

Hope you are OK, Messy

Even professionals sometimes switch off at home, where, in my opinion, there are probably more incidents than there ever are at work

Hopefully that’s all the DIY done for a while and you can rest and fix all your broken bits

Will

[Alexis]

Ermmmmmm.....As much as I feel sorry for you "master of the ladders", and have had a good laugh at your description of your antics, (not your fall of course) I must stick up for Mrs M here.

The safety moment RA and result of said being inadequate.

1 So why did you not remove yourself from said ladder!!
2 Why did you make your Assistant feel inadequate, thereafter causing her to be so stressed that she reacted aggressively and completely out of character, (as you have admitted to doing), but failed to listen to her grievances and adjust the RA accordingly!!

I find in favour of the said Apprentice!!

Conclusion and retribution required.

a) Place yourself in a Kneeling position, on your injured knee, in front of said Mrs M.
b) Have in hand whatever your lady requests as "part" retribution.
c) Apologise profusely until your forehead touches the floor before raising your right arm and handing over the first "part" for forgiveness.
d) Accept your improvement notice with grace and dignity to ensure the said Plaintiff Mrs M receives one item of redress (of her own wish) from you for the following 12 months.

I do, however, wish you no ill, as you are merely a "man of ladders" and perhaps do not fully understand, that when a lady becomes an "Assistant", all others should leave the room immediately until she formally "requests" further assistance.

She will request this extra assistance by means of extremely loud screeching noises with added howls relating to shreaks filled with tears and undeciphered language. Perhaps even a few loud bangs, so be very attuned to them specifically, as this may result in further injury!!

[Messy]

That's hilarious .

I have well and truly learned my lesson Alexis.........

That is, always expect women to take charge of any situation- and then gather together in feral tribes when a mam says no


I do agree with your assessment..... in that I was in the wrong. Mrs Messy had already made that crystal clear