It's good that safety concerns have been brought up. The thought of a 9 foot tall guy falling on his face sure doesn't appeal to me. So, before I get up, I definitely police the area. Extension cords are something to watch out for, though they are sometimes unavoidable, especially if on the job with other trades. Piles of materials, tools, etc. should be relocated out of the area. Particularly when obstacles must remain, watching where you put your feet can save your neck.
If using stilts for the first time, start out with the shortest possible stilt setting (if using adjustable stilts, of course); the closer you are to the floor, the more stable the stilts are. My first stilts (Goldblatts) were just a plate on the floor with an aluminum pole stuck in the middle of it. A foot plate with a couple of setscrews was adjustable up and down the pole. There was no flex in the pole, so you wound up walking kinda stiff-legged like Frankenstein or something. But they worked! I got to where I could go up and down stairs on them (I don't think OSHA would approve, and I wouldn't recommend it).:no: A couple of years ago, when I had a job with 9' ceilings, they were too short and I bought a new pair. What a difference! All hi-tech (relatively) and full of springs and hinges so that a much more normal walking motion is possible. Took them out of the box, got up on them, and you'd think I had never walked on stilts a day in my life. Boy was I disappointed and surprised! Then I figured out that there were adjustments to move your foot in relation to the floor plate which greatly affects balance. I guess sometimes it pays to read the directions before. Now I love the new stilts and the old ones are akward. Bottom line: practice and get very comfortable before picking up a paint pail to cut in the ceiling; it could get messy and/or painful otherwise.
