Had to choose between an 8-foot ladder and a scaffold for a warehouse lighting swap. I picked the ladder. Big mistake.

Warehouse in Charlotte, 30 foot ceilings. I needed to change out 12 ballasts. My gut said rent a scaffold but the boss said just use the ladder. I spent 4 hours moving that thing around, almost fell twice. The scaffold wouldve saved me 2 hours easy and my back wouldnt hate me today. How do you guys usually decide which one to use for high ceiling work?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordan_henderson131d agoTop Commenter

Couldn't @stellat46 be right about scaffolds being way safer for anything over 20 feet?

fiona_carr261d ago

Stellat46 is right on the money. I had a similar situation last year painting a church gym with 25 foot ceilings. My boss handed me a 12 foot extension ladder and a prayer. After three hours of climbing up and down, I nearly took a header when the ladder shifted on the polished floor. The scaffold I finally talked him into renting only took two hours total and I could actually reach the ceiling without almost dying. The worst part is we could have finished early and had lunch like normal people. Your boss owes you a chiropractor visit for pushing that ladder nonsense.

stellat461d ago

30 foot ceilings with just an 8 foot ladder? That's insane, I can't believe your boss okayed that. I mean, a scaffold is a no brainer for anything over 20 feet in my opinion. Idk how you didn't end up in the hospital honestly.

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