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Ladders can be intimidating if you're not experienced with them, and while ladders do come with some risk, they're much safer than climbing on counters or wobbly furniture to get the height you want.

Stepladders come in several sizes; the three most popular sizes used by homeowners are 4, 6, and 8 feet. Regardless of the ladder size, the following safety rules apply: • First, when opening a ...