Carrying heavy materials up a ladder is asking for trouble. Each year about 500,000 people fall off of one, and OSHA statistics show that workers die every week from ladder-related injuries. And "the estimated annual cost of ladder injuries in the U.S. is $24 billion," the CDC reports.

So the Safety Hoist is looking like a pretty darned helpful invention. Essentially a sturdy ladder and series of extensions rigged up with a motorized lift, it can safely transport goods up to dizzying heights without risking anyone's body:

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The Pennsylvania-based company's latest addition to their product line-up is a convenient electric-powered model, the EH-500, that simply plugs into a 110-volt outlet--and can haul some 500 pounds. (And yes, if the power cuts out, the hoist remains safely in place.)