I fell off my roof! I was standing on 2X4s and the building paper tore so I slid right over the 2X4 and off the roof. It was a 15 foot drop I landed on my feet and rolled out. Im lucky I didn't break my leg or die. I finished papering the roof (my brother convinced me) but the next day I went out and bought roof jacks. Just thought I would share this story and the value of a 15 dollar pack of roof jacks.
Glad to hear you avoided serious injury. That's a close one.
Glad you're ok!
Careful, Bob. I did that last year cleaning patio the roof during the fire. I had some unsupported galvanized roofing on an overhang.
I cleaned off the leaves and forgot about the eaves.... [waiting]
For a few seconds there I thought I could walk on water but soon the tin gave way and I went crashing through my garden deer fence which broke my fall. Boy - I bet that looked stupid. Anyway, I didn't break anything either but it was just an 8 foot drop. d*
Bob glad you were not hurt. One thing about cleats is that you have to keep your feet in contact. Jacks are much safer.
Glen I thought maybe being from CA you were starting your own sport "Roof boarding".
Glad your OK Bob.
a little known factoid, 50% of people who fall just 13 feet die. I have a buddy that will limp for life from a fall of about that distance. Another friend's helper broke his back last year in a fall about that distance. I spent 9 months in casts from an unimpressive height. Don't mean to blow anyone's confidence, because that isn't safe either, but do be very mindful while up there. I've been meaning to try the titanium synthetic paper.
I'm glad to hear you're not hurt, Bob. I was going to use cleats but I think you've convinced me to get the roof jacks. I also have a safety harness that I used when I was putting the roof on my barn but the rope always gets in the way and slows me down. Still the 12/12 roof is a lot steeper than the barn's 5/12 so I plan to always have it on and work around the rope!
Sounds like you're moving right along. Any plans to post some pics?
I also am glad you were not hurt, we need to be extra cautious up on a roof. I also fell recently.
I was repairing the barn roof with my wife. Redoing some steel roof panels that were already in place but had to be moved. I removed all the screws but one and stood up to straighten my back when three things happened at one time 1) The panel I was standing on took off on a sudden slide down the lathing 2) I realized i could not count very well (can't fix stupid I guess d*) 3) I learned how to surf off a barn roof. We (the panel and I ) landed with a whoop in a cloud of dust 10 foot down. Somewhere along the way I got creative and decided that for style points i should have all four appendages pointed at the sky. The wife was in serious trouble, after seeing me jump up she had trouble hanging on the roof she said it was convulsions of anguish and fright, it sounded suspiciously like laughing to me. ???
Wow! Glad you're OK. I'm thinking I'd better look into getting some jacks when I get to that point (9/12 roof).
Man, I agree and am calling on roof brackets today as we are putting up rafters now and sheathing will be next... My wife does not like me even being up on staging. I am so glad you folks that have fallen are still around to talk about it. Enough have fallen that is has made me rethink my options.
Amazon has fall protection kits at a fairly reasonable price. A search there will find other kits also.
http://www.amazon.com/MAX-Kit-Complete-Fall-Protection/dp/B0011ZPBT8/ref=pd_cp_hi_2
I already have the stuff, but didn't put it on for cleaning leaves off the roof. Probably wouldn't next time either, but I do wear it when I am on customer jobs and OSHA compliance is required. d*
Glad you are OK! Falling sucks. It played mind games with me after I fell 9' at work. I landed on a concrete slab on my hip and side. I had the biggest bruise down my leg and up to my butt. The first pain I remember was in the middle of my pelvis and I thought for sure it was busted. I was lucky it wasn't. I am a pretty agile guy but since that happened three years ago I'm not near as confident about hights as I used to be.
I am wanting to build my cabin with a 12x12 pitch but was wanting to talk to you guys about safety devices before I get to that point. It will be a steel roof.
Mark
So I just got done yesterday with my roof. I defiently would have broken something if I fell. I was introduced to a new method of being safe on a roof.
On either end of the roof predrill a hole, preferbly in the ridge, but if you have trusses, a truss would work just as well. Put a real beefy eyelet into each hole. Run a piece of cable between the two eyelets. Cable clamp both ends making sure not to saddle a dead horse. Three clamps on each end. Have that cable as tight as humanly possible.
Now you need a carribeaner (the ones mountain cliimbers use) Hook that on to the cable. Hanging from the carribeaner is whatever size rope you want. This is your life rope. Put loops in the rope, knots, or tie the end around your waist.
It's like a dog run on top of your house. It allows the rope to be above you at all times. We did a metal roof with this method. We left the run up there till we were ready for ridge metal. All the panels and gable trim were put on without anyone falling.
The guys who sheathed my 12/12 roof wore rock climbing gear and harnesses. They were tied to something at all times, and not to each other. It was sobering, as I had contemplated doing it myself.
Glad you are ok! . . .
Reminds me of an uncle who dropped from the third rung of a ladder. He landed flat footed on concrete. The drop compressed and damaged both knees. He had trouble the rest of his life . . .
/
We followed the advice Glenn gave a while back and built some simple wooden scaffolding down each side of our 10'x20'. This only took a few hours and maybe $200, but saved us days of work over the life of the project, and the lumber will be reused when we pull it down. Just little things like putting in blocking become way easier when you're not up a ladder. We also got a metal scaffolding tower for $350 from craigslist which we put inside the structure, and putting in the 2"x12"x18' rafters wasn't too bad with one person on the wooden scaffolding and another on the tower at the ridge beam. Another pluss - building scaffolding is fun . It goes really quickly when you don't have to worry about it being square or pretty and it's a good job for helpers who are less skilled - they feel like they're really building something (although it still needs oversight and a fundamentally safe design - a couple of nails that miss is more scary on scaffolding!).
Then for the sheathing we bought 8 roof jacks and put 2x6's on them as we worked up the roof (using SDS screws to attach them, making them easy to move). I'm reasonably scared of heights, but with a flat 2x6 to walk on and only a max 10' drop to the scaffolding it felt reasonably comfortable and secure. I've run out of time to do the roofing myself, but the guy I hired to do the job gave me a $500 discount if I left the scaffolding up for him, so it's pretty much paid for itself!
That is great, David and that is my favorite way to do it too. That is what I did on my RV Garage in the inaccessible spots and it makes you feel a whole lot better knowing it is there below if you are on the slope of the roof.
Glad you're OK! I had a co-worker who DIED from a fall off of a single story roof. He was relatively young and fit, but landed on his head. Be careful up there, guys!
These help alot also...Called Cougar Paws...
http://www.cougarpaws.com/index.shtml
Quote from: off_grid_brian on December 26, 2009, 10:17:47 PM
These help alot also...Called Cougar Paws...
http://www.cougarpaws.com/index.shtml
w* Brian. Looks like a worthwhile product. Any idea of the cost?
http://www.cougarpaws.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PLST&Store_Code=CP
I found pricing in the catalogue.
And I too have freind who fell and is parralyed. The worst part for him is he got up and fell again into a hole in the ground. The second fall was what parralyzed him the doctor said. If you fall wait for help and don't put solar panels on roofs!
Well, unless the roof is like Glen's!
Sassy won't let me put them in the garden on the roof.... Bummer - it ruins her view..... she is now banned from using the "V" word... [waiting]
Glenn,
What about sewing the tiger paws show replacement pad on to the butt of a pair of jeans? When you slip you just sit down? I sit often on jobs she says........
hmm Dave, as I was falling off of my garage patio roof, my butt was in the air. I wonder if those Tiger Paws would make me roll over like a cat and land on my feet... [waiting]
The boots are $135 on that website.
I'm trying to resolve in my mind just how spammy this post is? ???
On the one hand it appears to be a useful product.
On the other hand, for a first post, shortly after joining, it smells a little spammy. ???
So we'll wait and see what else Brian has to say. Please excuse my suspicious mind. d*
Quote from: MountainDon on December 30, 2009, 11:41:10 PM
The boots are $135 on that website.
I'm trying to resolve in my mind just how spammy this post is? ???
On the one hand it appears to be a useful product.
On the other hand, for a first post, shortly after joining, it smells a little spammy. ???
So we'll wait and see what else Brian has to say. Please excuse my suspicious mind. d*
MD,
I usually fight spam tooth and nail. One difference is the store locater on their website. It gives me a chance to go see these for myself and make up my own mind if they are worth it. It is not a strictly web thing.
The second was that they are keeping in the spirit of the original post...roof safety.
But as you say...time will tell.
MountainDon I agree with fishing_guy on this. I think you most likely do as well. Seems very little in the personal gain category to be won on this. Unless there is a super bot out there monitoring forums, finds a topic, applies for membership, generates a message and then insert it. Then bills the company it plugs. If this occurs get ready of posts for every thing from Brand X Portland Cement to Brand Y self leveling hard wood floor sealer.
I would hope that Brian would come back with a Hey Guys I am a roof installer and we wear these all the time and just how the heck do I go about lining up the piers for a 20X30 one and a half story cabin for the least amount flex in my floor.
Hello again, I didn't put this on here for gain...just to maybe save some pain.... [cool]
I had been checking this forum out for awhile...and thought I should post that...after I saw that post...
I don't sell anything...but I buy alot..I guess I will keep my mouth shut....I'am sorry my 1st post wasn't some BS....but I was trying to HELP....SORRY....
Sorry thats me also....couldn't remember password...and didn't have access to email account to get new one...
Thanks, Brian. I didn't take it as BS. We have so many spammers who attempt to put crap on here that we sometimes are a bit oversensitive to it.
Hang around and you can rat the spammers out to us too. I know of forums that have had to completely shut down because of spammers. We do pretty good here but sometimes get the wrong impression.
Sorry some mistook your intent. Many useful products are a bit on the expensive side, due to codes and liability insurance. :)
Great, I'm happy that Brian responded and expanded a little. Brian, please feel free to add a comment here or there. As I stated in my original email to you it simply looked suspicious but also appeared to be a useful product.
Just for general FYI, anyone can buy software on the 'net and be set to spam as many forums as possible all day long in a matter of minutes; it's simply a matter of spending several hundred dollars. It'll search out forums, sign up, even handle the captcha's and post a message. Just like John has revenue earning Google Ads place topic relative ads on our pages, the 'bots can do similar things. As well there are real people who seem to make a living from manually signing up on forums of all kinds and posting ads or links to a wild assortment of other web sites. Some are reported to anti spamming sites.
There is one who over the past 45 days or so, has made 51 attempts to register and spam here. One of the anti spam sites has 199 reports of spam activity from this same person since mid November, using about 2 dozen different emails and user ID's. That's only the reported number. Another anti spam site has them reported 72 times, with 29 user ID's, within the past 6 weeks. So yes, forum spamming is a large concern on the internet.
Once again, thank you for responding Brian; enjoy your time here and if you know of something interesting, something that could help anyone here please do tell us.
w* Brian. Glad to see you come on board. Thanks for the post on the roofing shoes, very well might save some one a huge mistake or misstep. Believe me at almost 60 the last thing I need is another injury. (My insurance file is very long and impressive. ;))
Rick