That power stretcher kick plate in Bakersfield nearly put me in the ER

Last week I was doing a master bedroom in Bakersfield and my power stretcher kick plate slipped on some leftover pad glue. I went down hard and caught my shin on the tack strip, tore a 4 inch gash through my jeans. Three years ago I skipped replacing that worn kick plate on another job and it cost me a week off with a bruised knee. Check your rubber pads before every stretch, especially on glued down old carpet. Anyone else had a stretcher kick out on them and what did you do differently after?

2 comments

2 Comments

luna2612d ago

Used to be one of those guys who thought kick plate maintenance was for the office safety crowd, not for us who do this all day. Then my pad split on a damp concrete slab and the plate shot out sideways, my whole weight came down on my wrist. That was a long two weeks of one handed work and a lot of ice packs. Now I keep a spare rubber pad in my truck and swap them out every couple of months without even thinking about it. Check mine before every single stretch now, even on carpet that looks clean and dry. Cheaper to replace a five dollar part than to eat a medical bill, thats what I learned the hard way.

rowanw912d ago

Damn, that sounds rough man. Glad you walked away with just a gash, but that tack strip to the shin is no joke, I've got a matching scar from a similar slip on a laminate transition. @luna261 is spot on about the spare pad in the truck, too, I started doing the same thing after my plate skidded on a damp subfloor and I hyperextended my elbow trying to catch myself. Now I give the rubber a quick thumb press before I even unroll the carpet, that 30 seconds beats a week of limping around.