33 Construction Fails That'll Make Your Contractor Cringe (July 28, 2024)

On the job site, one thing is for certain: Your ladders will always be too short.

Somehow, someway, your ladder stock will always fall short of the height that you need to get the job done. Even though you requested 12' ladders, somehow you're here with the 8-footers wondering how you'll reach the crown molding at 15ft. Sure, it's only 5 AM and the Monster energy drink you had for breakfast hasn't kicked in yet, but construction workers will always find a clever workaround for when the ladders fall short. Would OSHA approve? Certainly not. Stack those ladder legs on a wobbly upside-down Home Depot bucket and you've got yourself a solid 18"+ inches of extra height! I'd say if you survive the shift, that's innovation at its finest!

But in the construction world, we're used to seeing a ton of mega failures and sketchy shortcuts–it's a part of the trade. Although tradies and specialists like plumbers, electricians, and contractors may adhere to their own health and safety rules, the regular guys and day laborers have a whole new definition of what it means to stay safe on the job. Keep scrolling to see some majorly sketchy corners getting cut in both design and safety, marking a remarkably common occurrence that only your most loyal labor guy will understand.