Using ladders can be risky. If you climb ladders long enough you will eventually get hurt. I’ve fallen twice. Once because of uneven ground and once because of an unstable base; decorative rocks. The first fall I was in my early twenties and bounced right back but the second I was in my fifties and still feel it.

It is important to choose the right ladder for the job. By doing so you will lessen your chances for injury. Whatever height ladder you use, subtract a couple feet from the height. That is your maximum working level. Don’t stand on the top rung of the ladder or even the second to the top rung. The more ladder you have against your body from your feet up, the more comfortable you will feel.

When using a ladder outside you will eventually run into uneven ground. The two biggest causes of injury when using ladders is:  1. Using the wrong ladder for the task and 2. Using the ladder on unstable or uneven ground. There are a lot of things you can lump together with #2. Wet grass, stairs, muddy ground, sloping ground, gravel, etc.

One tool we use that is a game changer is leg levelers. You will see these on the ladders on painters trucks around town from time to time. They bolt onto the sides of the ladders and allow the user to adjust for uneven ground/stairs. There are a few brands out there. They have there pluses and minuses. I prefer these .

They work great and are easy to install. They do sell a claw type foot for these but I have never used them. They look like they would work well outside. I can’t imagine switching the feet back and forth from inside work to exterior work so perhaps they may be better used on ladders set aside for exterior work only.