# steep hill on side of building, safety issue?



## camoner (Apr 22, 2009)

How's it going everyone,
I have a project I am on right now, a medical office, two stories, and we are doing some exterior work, right now I have a couple guys painting the side of the building, but there is a steep hill on the other side, and they have only 24 footers with them, and I feel like they aren't the safest option, the footing can easily come loose since its dirt, I was wondering if anyone had any advice on me keeping them safe. A different option to reach the second story.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

Bigger ladders.


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## StefanC (Apr 14, 2009)

Pump jacks. Bigger ladders maybe but it's hard to tell without seeing a picture, How far down does the hill go?


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## camoner (Apr 22, 2009)

What I am doing now, is digging out a flat area the length of the building, and then putting a this diamond plate we had and we are just jumping on it and compacting stuff, it seems like due to the hill this may be our only option, and the bigger ladders won't do us much good, its a sizeable hill


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Drive rebar stakes into the soil, put a 4x4 against them and use this as the footing. No need to dig up the hillside!


An anti-kick out brace.











http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc97/MalcoNewYork/CT/Ladder.jpg


*Note: The ladder goes on the ground AGAINST the 4x4. Not ON TOP of the 4x4!


*.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Drive rebar stakes into to soil, put a 4x4 against them and use this as the footing. No need to dig up the hillside!
> 
> 
> An anti-kick out brace.
> ...


I have done very little exterior for others, but that is axactly the way I thought I would do it in the same situation even with a small hill and grass. Like I said, I have done very little exterior for others, but I have ridden a ladder down a wall because of slanted ground.


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## Mr. Mike (Dec 27, 2008)

I just flip the feet and stick it deep in the ground, I have never had a problem even on my 40 ft. ladders. I do like the stake and board Idea, if I get in a bind I will use that. As for leaning ground or roofs and steps I use the ladder leveler.

If the ground is to hard to stick the ladder in we have a guy stand and foot the ladder.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Mr. Mike said:


> I just flip the feet and stick it deep in the ground.........



It has ALWAYS worked for me! It is the reason for the teeth/talons on many a ladder foot!










http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc97/MalcoNewYork/CT/LadderClaw.jpg


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

boman47k said:


> ....... but I have ridden a ladder down a wall because of slanted ground.


Oh that is always *scary* and *fun* at the same time!


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## StefanC (Apr 14, 2009)

If the hill is steep enough the feet may still slide.


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## antnepi (Aug 26, 2008)

I just drive stakes into the ground tight against the bottom. We also use "Pivot Tools" whenever we can.


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## knucklehead (Mar 2, 2009)

Snorkel


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## SWP-II (Apr 22, 2009)

If the hill is very steep I'd go with the rebar and 2X idea, except I'd drill holes in the 2X and use roofbolts or some other long bolts with large washers on them to prevent the board from riding up the rebar.

Just put the bolts through the holes and drive them down tight against the board.

Make sure there are no buried utilities where you're driving the bolts.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Be careful using stakes, they can cause very serious injury to someone descending the ladder. I prefer pump jacks.:thumbsup:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Put 'em wide and cap them with sumpin'.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Oh that is always *scary* and *fun* at the same time!


 
Heheh, not sure about the fun part, but it sure gets the ho's attention! Makes a hell of a racket.


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## Mr. Mike (Dec 27, 2008)

Bowman,

All the way down were you hoping if you held on tight you would not get hurt.:w00t: Sorry to laugh that is a heck of a lesson you learned that day and thanks for sharing that with us.:thumbsup:


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## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

Steep hill....me too. I put my speed square on the ground today and it read 40 degrees. And wet grass too.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Mr. Mike said:


> Bowman,
> 
> All the way down were you hoping if you held on tight you would not get hurt.:w00t: Sorry to laugh that is a heck of a lesson you learned that day and thanks for sharing that with us.:thumbsup:


 
I can almost laugh about it now, though it did reinjure a knee I had just torn some ligamnts or something in a few weeks prior. Nothing major that time, just remonde me I did not need to bebumping that knee. This was a few years ago. The same damn knee that starting hurting again a couple of days ago.

Reminds me, I need to get some levelers. Bricks, stacks of shingles, pieces of lumber only go so far especially on uneven downhill slopes! :whistling

Hehhe, I don't care if it is right at the end of the job and will only take a few minutes, lets all take the time to do things safely. It only takes a heartbeat to **** up something for a lifetime.


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## Mr. Mike (Dec 27, 2008)

I do a safety meeting once a week as a rule, but never enough. We cover ladder safety more than anything and almost on every meeting.:w00t:



> Steep hill....me too. I put my speed square on the ground today and it read 40 degrees. And wet grass too.


Flip the feet and dig'em in.


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