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Last Post 11/14/2014 10:59 AM by  jhooker
I fell off the roof for the first time in my life
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olderthendirt
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Posts:160


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04/26/2011 2:54 PM

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.

Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put in it
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ChuckDeaton
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04/26/2011 5:13 PM
All professionals use their own equipment.
"Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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CatAdjusterX
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08/29/2011 8:50 PM
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!!  

"A good leader leads..... ..... but a great leader is followed !!" CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
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nanderson
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01/25/2012 4:50 PM

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.   

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Tim_Johnson
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Posts:243


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03/20/2012 7:21 PM

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.  

Tim Johnson
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Roy Estes
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06/03/2012 3:28 PM

I fell off of 2 roofs so far in 26  years in the business. BOTH times I was in a hurry. One single story in Gary Indiana I fell stepping onto the roof, onto concrete shattered my wrist and had a large "goosegg" on my forehead. And the second time, on a wore out 2 story in Lakelend Florida.

Like I said both times trying to haul ass, and still maintain an accurate scope. The fact is I dont think I have learned my lesson yet, I still Haul ass.

"Each of us as human beings has a responsibility to reach out to help our brothers and sisters affected by disasters. One day it may be us or our loved ones needing someone to reach out and help." RC ESTES
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okclarryd
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06/10/2012 9:30 AM
And, as a few of us have noticed, you have a lot of ass to haul

Happy Trails
Larry D Hardin
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shughes75
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07/17/2012 10:43 AM
Posted By on 22 Jan 2010 06:40 PM

I went on this 10/12 garage to mark the hail squares. I was with the contractor. Northern slope was all covered with algae. I was talking to the contractor and said, "I am not going on that slope". As these words  were coming out of my mouth, I started sliding. Slid all the way down, gaining speed and fell to the ground. The contractor ran like crazy to see if I was hurt, but I was really lucky that day.Slightly sprained ankle and scratches all over my hands from trying to stop that was it. What really saved me was the soft ground and my training as a skydiver, where I am used to falling and rolling :)  I was so scared, damn! when I was going down my only thought was, please let there be nothing on the ground that can hurt me. Now, no more algae slopes that's for sure. Luckily, it was my last claim for the day.

 

Have you or your buddies ever fallen? How bad? Under what circumstances? 

Where you wearing Cougar Paws???

What a day!

 

Thanks



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claims_ray
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Posts:293


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07/22/2012 9:28 AM
I was on a roof in East Texas completing an inspection when the homeowner showed up. I turned my head to speak to the insured (mistake) while still walking the ridge and stepped into a valley covered in pine needles. I slid all the way down the valley and hit the ground. You would have thought that I was a stuntman the way I hit, rolled and came back up on my feet. I had not strained, sprained or broken anything. I don’t know who showed the most surprise, me or the insured when he came around the corner to see I was uninjured.
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GINIA
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08/11/2012 8:15 PM
Hi, I am very new to the industry. However, when I took my All-Lines Adjuster class and we got to the roof portion of our training along with Xactimate of course -- I knew there was no way I was going on top of a roof.  Thank you for re-affirming my decision. I was stick w/the autos. :) Glad to hear it ended well for you...:) 
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edward@eddiereal-gcs.com
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11/14/2012 5:18 PM

I sure am glad your ok. Hey I was wondering if anybody could help me break in to some Sandy work. I have no cat experience but I have written over 3000 claims for insurance companies through the pdrp program. I recently completed the Texas All Lines Course and should be receiving my Texas All Lines License in the next 30 days. Hell I would even be willing to deploy and help complete claims for a percentage of the fee. Anything to break in.

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DogAdjuster
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12/04/2012 12:26 PM
I've climbed mountains in the rain, but never felt as endangered as I had during Sandy as I was climbing on top of a 10/12 row homes with my ladder fully extended.

Did I mention in the cold?

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit
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claims_ray
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12/11/2012 6:00 PM
How did the dogs get on the roof? Was it wind or surge?
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ADS
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12/31/2012 5:06 PM
Not fallen off but darn close. I am a remodeling contractor in business for 30 + yrs and just starting adjusting as a career change. I was inspecting a roof for a project years ago i was bidding on, very low slope rubber membrane about 8' off the ground.. a little water was frozen along the eaves and some small spots.I hit one spot and went right on my a-- in a split second. i found myself sitting on a patch of ice sliding very slowly to the edge of the roof. Even at a low pitch, i couldn't stop the slide. Lucky for me, it was slow and when i got to the edge i stuck my feet in the gutter to stop.I inched my butt sideways out of the ice and got down. As i see in the other posts and my own experience, it's not only the high ones that can mess you up.
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TXAD
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01/05/2013 11:03 PM

Mine occurred in Chattanooga, TN in 2011,  after the tornadoes.  A single story home with only about a 7/12,  but the granules were loose, and as I stepped out to get a measurement,  I hit the deck and started sliding.   In TN,  most of the homes are built on the side of a hill,  so it was 1 story in the front,  but 2 story, with a valley below, on the left elevation side.  I slid all the way to the edge on that valley side,  until my feet hit the gutter and stopped me.

It's my belief that the good Lord put that gutter there for me.  Why in the WORLD would someone install a gutter over a stupid valley below?

Scared the hell out of me, and I tried to pretend that I was cool,  but inside, I was throwing up!

I pray that this is the worst of my stories.  :)

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jhooker
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11/14/2014 10:59 AM
I'm Having my Coffee this morning , Works Slow so Thought I would chime in. I been climbing roofs for 22 years , I"m 52 now , Quite frankly I"ve really got pretty picky on where I step. I have 3 very close calls over the years. 1st time it was a 8/12 - 2 story , I was about 32 then and it was a lot easier getting around, Got on the back , there was no valleys are any safe zones to access just straight up. I went up the roof straight to the ridge. At that point I realized hey this roof is 25 years old , OC fiberglass shingle. The granular's was like BB's. At that moment I realized it was going to be easy going back down to the ladder. There was no cell hones back in those days. I Sat on that roof for about 45 minutes before I faced the fear on going back down to the ladder. After a few prayers I was on the ground safe.

2nd time , I was down in Freeport , TX working some beach homes. I got up on the 2nd floor deck , I looked over and seen a buddy on a house a couple doors down. I thought Id get up and give hime a shout out. It was early , didn't pay attention that deck was wet and moldy that ladder was sitting on. Just as I went to step up on the roof , there went the ladder. Needless to say , My life flashed in front of me it was about 28' to the ground. Surprisingly enough when I fell back my leg got caught in the ladder and the ladder got hung in the balcony rail. I was hanging over the balcony rail, about 20' ft to the ground. Luckily back then I was in a litter better condition and was able to pull myself up and back over the balcony. Busted my head open and my leg was sore for about week, but I survived. If that was happen to today , i would just have to hang there , I would have never gotten back over that rail.

3rd and final time a few more years later, little worse shape. I attempted a double pull. This was down in Padre Island , TX area , another beach home. I tried t position the ladder over the Hip, really bad idea. it was 6' from the bottom roof to the next roof line and just thought Id be ok. Just as I went to step up on the 2nd story , that ladder slipped out from under me, down I went. To this day I still don't know how this happened , I went backwards , However when I landed I landed on the first story roof straight up.

In Conclusion , I do not under no circumstances get on a roof over 7/12 , I will not double pull not unless I got assistance. 2 story roofs they better be new with plenty of safe access zone and will not exceed a 6/12 , this job is not worth me getting disabled or death.
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