Learned my lesson years ago the easy way. In rural Missouri this man had a 1 piece wood ladder and he was bragging about how great it was and how well made even though it was old. Stepped on the second rung and went right through it. And I'm not that big. The look on his face was priceless and I used my ladder ever since. I was very lucky.

Posted By ChuckDeaton on 26 Apr 2011 05:13 PM
All professionals use their own equipment.

Amen Chuck !!!

If I and Brian Jones had both "used our own equipment" we would never have gotten hurt to begin with . Between us we have 3 broken legs a broken pelvis broken jaw, broken ribs , skull fracture, both feet and 2 ankles.

To all of the rookies out there, NEVER use a ladder you did NOT set up yourself, PERIOD !!! Don't ever climb a roof you are not comfortable with either!!  

My near fall experience happened in Knoxville, Tn last year.  I had been selling roofs for a year prior to being deployed to this storm, and had been climbing roofs every day up to that point.  I was cocky and didn't pitch gauge the slope I was going to try to climb up to notice it was a true 10/12.  I had my cougar paws (worn out pads) and thought it would be no problem to just power my way up to the ridge and handle the inspection.  I committed to the climb and as soon as my feet hit the roof my cougar paws pretty much disintegrated under my weight (near 250 lbs.)  I had to fight to keep my self from going over the edge, and managed to tuck in behind the ladder and put my feet in the gutter to keep from going anywhere.  I was obviously in a panicked state and the homeowner was there to support the ladder to prevent the ladder from pushing away from the roof.  Luckily a neighbor from across the street (electrician) came running to help support the ladder also, giving me the confidence to maneuver back around to the correct side of the ladder.  It had taken me a good amount of time to get past my nervousness of climbing steep/tall roofs, and this situation completely reset that and it took me several weeks to re-evaluate my roof climbing techniques, and build up the confidence to stay in this industry.  

1.  Don't put all your faith in cougar paws, they work well - but can give you a false sense of security.

2.  If your nervous, slow down...take your time and calculate your movements.  There is a reason you feel nervous - its your gut instinct telling you something isn't right.  

3.  Take the extra 5-10 minutes to set up your ladder the way you want regardless of the contractor or homeowner trying to save you the effort.  I have no issue telling them I have learned how my ladder reacts, and feel most confident using my own equipment.

4.  Have a game plan (usually done with a short walk around the risk) on getting on and off the roof. Best/safest ladder location, finding a good valley to walk up/down...and any other random challenges that roofs present.  As stated earlier it is easy to get on roofs, the hard part for me is safely getting back on the ladder.  

5.  Know your limits, If I had spent the minute to put a pitch gauge on the roof I would have never even considered trying to climb that slope.  I now know anything over 8/12 I am exploring my alternative methods of roof inspection.  Even if it means moving the ladder 12 times to get all the photos that are needed from the perimeter.  Usually a simple statement like the roof was unsafe to access in your final report will prevent any unneeded flack for not having photos from the ridge.  

This situation was very embarrassing for me, but I was thankful for the homeowner and the neighbor that where there to help me off the roof.  I was so shaken up that I had to reschedule to inspection for another date...the homeowner understood.   

8 stinkin feet, it CAN happen.........................

in last Friday's paper

NEAR FOUKE, Ark.—A Texarkana, Ark., man fell off a roof and to his death Friday afternoon southeast of Fouke. 

    Bobby Eugene Harley, 49, and his two brothers were working on the roof of a onestory residence on Miller County Road 82 when he fell, said Chief Deputy Duke Schofield of Miller County Sheriff’s Office. 

    “He took a tumble off the roof, landed on his head,” Schofield said. 

    Harley fell about 8 feet, the chief deputy said. 

    Reports showed Harley suffered severe head trauma. He died at the scene. 

    Schofield did not know what caused Harley to fall from the roof. He said Harley’s brothers were working on the other side of the roof and didn’t realize he had fallen. It was only when one brother went to the other side of the roof that he realized Harley was missing, Schofield said. 

    “He looked down and around, and that’s when he saw him,” Schofield said. 

    Authorities were called to the scene at approximately 4 p.m. 

    Schofield said Harley’s death is considered accidental and that his body will not be taken to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock for an autopsy. 

    Harley and his brothers operated a roofing business, Schofield said.