Do-it-yourself home improver injuries have jumped in recent years. Injuries result from consumer repair work when homeowners fail to understand the proper use of common tools. Ladders in particular need to be anchored securely and replaced when they appear damaged. There were 198,000 ladder injuries that resulted in emergency-room visits last year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Old-fashioned wooden ladders eventually weather and may need to be replaced with a newer-generation aluminum or fiberglass one.