1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to ladders and more particularly to a ladder stand-off device for supporting and stabilizing a ladder in a leaning attitude against a vertical wall with the device also including a safety harness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ladders have been used for many years for performing work related tasks at heights otherwise not reachable.
Despite the wide use of ladders, however, a significant number accidents occur each year which are related to ladder use. Of course, some of these accidents result from the negligence of the individual using the ladder, and other accidents can perhaps be traced to faulty ladder design or construction. However, there are several situations in which the use of a ladder remains awkward and/or dangerous in spite of the fact that the ladder is well-designed and constructed and that the user is reasonably careful during its use.
One such situation arises when it is necessary to work at or near the top of a ladder which is leaning against a vertical support. For example, when working on the outside of a house, the edges of the roof generally hang over the outside vertical walls, thereby making it awkward to work near the top of a ladder which lies directly below the roof. Working under the other types of overhangs may similarly make ladder work difficult. Unfortunately, in such a situation the user often finds himself standing very close to the top of the ladder with nothing to hang onto. He may also be required to attempt some awkward and dangerous reaching in order to accomplish his desired objective. These factors, of course, may contribute significantly to the danger of ladder use.
Another common situation in which proper ladder use may be awkward arises when a ladder must be used adjacent windows and shrubs. As a general rule, the base of a ladder should be positioned one foot away from the ladder's vertical supporting surface for every four feet of ladder length. However, when working adjacent windows and shrubs, it is frequently difficult to maintain this proper slope. Often, for example, if the ladder were to be positioned properly, the top of the ladder would rest against a window; consequently, in order to avoid damaging the window, the ladder user either positions the top of the ladder just below or above the window. Thus, the user may find that the ladder is improperly positioned to support him. Similar problems may arise when a ladder must be used adjacent shrubs, since the proper positioning of the base of the ladder may be impossible.
A further situation which may make ladder use awkward or dangerous occurs when a ladder must be used adjacent an uneven vertical surface. Occasionally, an individual will simply place a ladder against an uneven surface and then attempt to climb the ladder, even though only one of the ladder's side rails is actually in contact with the vertical supporting surface. It will be readily appreciated that this situation creates a substantial danger, and a ladder so positioned will frequently twist away from the supporting surface and fall.
In order to minimize the awkwardness and danger involved in the above-mentioned situations, those skilled in the art have commonly used a device called a wall stand-off. A typical prior art stand-off comprises two support arms which are connected to the side rails so that the top of the ladder is spaced outwardly from the vertical surface. By using this sort of device, one may easily work adjacent the top of the ladder while still having sufficient room to hang onto the top of the ladder's side rails. Additionally, since the ladder is supported a predetermined distance from the supporting wall, awkward and dangerous reaching can be minimized. It will further be appreciated that prior art stand-off devices of this sort can be positioned such that the proper ladder slope is maintained when the ladder is used adjacent windows or shrubs.
However, in spite of the advantages of the prior art type of wall stand-off devices, there are several disadvantages associated with its use. First, it will be appreciated that since the stand-off attached to the side rails of the ladder, the stand-off is somewhat inconvenient to remove. Significantly, a worker often finds himself without the correct tools to remove the stand-off device. Consequently, when using a ladder to which a stand-off has been attached, a worker may try to use the ladder without removing the stand-off. There are numerous situations in which the use of a stand-off would not be appropriate and would tend to increase the danger of ladder usage.
Although the above discussed prior art stand-off devices provide a significant work and safety advantages over conventional ladders, they can still be dangerous. Due to the stand-off capability, there is an increased tendency for a user to place the ladder in a severely upright position, and this results in an increase in the chances for a user to lose his balance and fall backward.
Therefore a need exists for a new and improved ladder stand-off device with a safety harness which overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.