A woodpecker has pecked three bird condos into the siding of our house. We have spent the summer listening to the little darlings tweet away, because it is impossible to find someone to remove baby birds once they’re hatched.

Now that they’ve finally flown the coop, my husband pulled the ladder out to patch up the holes.

“Not so fast,” I said.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2008 there were more than 617,000 people injured during fall cleanup activities. These injuries were mostly due to raking and climbing ladders.

The ladder injuries occur when people try to clean out their gutters, wash windows and check on the roof integrity before winter settles in.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reminds consumers that ladder injuries are very common. They recommend you clean off old mud or dirt and inspect it for any loose screws, hinges or rungs before attempting to use it. Check that legs are on a firm, level surface and be aware of soft muddy spots. Open the ladder fully, lock it, and angle it to your target at about 75 degrees. On stepladders, never sit or stand on the top shelf that is meant to hold a pail or supplies, as it will not support you.

Raking leaves can be a great workout, but if not done correctly, it can leave you with an aching back, shoulders and wrists. Good body mechanics will minimize the risk of injury.

Dress in layers, as this way you can remove them as you get warmer with exercise and prevent overheating. Arm yourself with the right equipment, including an ergonomically designed rake to help prevent injuries and gloves to protect your hands from blisters. The Cooper Bone and Joint Institute recommends you position your legs in a scissor stance (right foot forward, left foot back), then reverse. Keep reversing your leg position at regular intervals throughout the process to avoid excessive strain on one part of our body.

Hold the rake handle close to your body and vary the direction in which you pull the rake (from left to right and then right to left) so that one side of your body is not doing all the work. Be careful not to twist your spine.

When bagging leaves, don’t make the bags too heavy. Lift them by bending your knees and using your leg muscles. If you’re dragging a tarp full of leaves to the curb, avoid twisting your body when pulling it. If possible have another person help by grabbing the opposite corner of the tarp.

When finished with fall projects, cool down with some more stretching.

Organize ahead to avoid injury:

• Always face a ladder when going up or down and keep both hands free to hold onto the ladder. Watch out for obstacles overhead.

• Wear nonslip shoes to avoid slips or falls.

• Wet leaves are heavier to deal with and make for a slippery work surface, so beware of falling.

Speaking of falling, remember that the leaves may be covering potential hazards such as holes in the ground, rocks, branches or objects left on the lawn.