Just had a ceiling panel drop on me in a house in Bakersfield

I was working on a 12-foot cathedral ceiling, and the drywall lift slipped on a small patch of spilled joint compound. The whole 4x8 sheet came down, just missing my head but taking out a brand new light fixture. I had to cut a new piece and redo the whole section, which set the job back about 3 hours. Has anyone else had a lift fail like that, and what's your trick to keep them steady on slick floors?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim.xena10d ago

But what if the sand just makes a bigger mess to clean up later? I've seen it grind into the floor and leave scratches on finished surfaces. Wouldn't it be better to just take two minutes to fully clean any spilled compound off the floor before you even set up the lift? That seems like the real fix instead of adding more grit.

terry_thomas11d ago

My old lift did that exact thing in Fresno! I started keeping a bag of play sand in the truck to sprinkle under the wheels for traction.

hernandez.emma11d ago

Oh man, @terry_thomas, that sand trick is a lifesaver. My old work van would just spin on wet grass or loose gravel every single time. I got so tired of it I started keeping a bucket of cheap kitty litter right behind the driver's seat. That gritty clay stuff gave just enough bite to get moving, especially on those slick morning job sites. Felt like a genius the first time it worked.

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