An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.
As spring and summer arrive, a lot of men are digging the ladder out of the garage and doing work on the gutters, windows, roof — you name it. It’s a handy tool, but also one of the most dangerous. According to the CDC, every year, more than half a million ladder-related injuries occur, and about 300 people die from them. Ladder-related injuries have significantly increased over time, perhaps because homeowners do fewer DIY jobs themselves, so that when they do mount a ladder, they have less experience working on one. The good news is that OSHA believes that 100% of injuries can be prevented with proper attention to safety. Even if it seems onerous, always use an abundance of caution when working on ladders to prevent a critical accident.
