I have a very tall house- log, with a complicated series of steep metal roofs. Yesterday morning, I had what I thought was some simple business to do, on the highest point. One ladder up the back porch, another at a weird angle, braced against the skylight frame, then up the angle where two planes meet, then straddle the peak and work out to that nasty old tv antenna, remove it, and work my way back down. Rubber soles, fairly worn,
but seemed soft enough to serve. Then I dropped a glove, & decided I needed it. Very steep, couldn't get traction. Looked like Ninja warrior fails on the warped wall. Several times.
Finally got 2 fingers over the ridge, and something gave, in my shoulder. Wound up straddling the ridge of a dormer roof, second level up. Sun getting high, roof getting hot. Picture
a clothes iron, low setting, as a bike seat. The pedals are screw heads. One arm won't work. I've been under a big haystack when it went down, 3 horses have landed on me. I've burnt 2 power poles, in my youth. I've been stranded, stuck, electrocuted, hit from behind in a collision. Yesterday, I had my wife dial 911. Quick response, but by the time the deputy arrived, I was pretty shocky, trying not to pass out. When it was over, a fire truck, ambulance and REA bucket truck were all on scene. My arm is in a sling, I'm skinned in some places I have no idea why, and I figure a vasectomy wouldn't make any difference, ever again. They say, "with age comes wisdom". I think it comes with pain & humiliation, regardless of age.
I also think I'm in the market for so new shoes. Something really "grippy".

either that or a safety tether! Hope you heal up quick, there is STILL work to be done.

Your insurance agent hasta have BAAAAD ulcers by now!! They took you out of the "risk pool" and put you in with the "sure thing"

Insurance peddlers, like most attorneys, have ulcers coming.
Not so, first responders. Good folks, even if they wouldn't let me finish coming down on a ladder.

I don't do ladders, not where my feet are going higher than 5ft or so....

Sounds like you just went looking for trouble. ........again.

As long as I was on a ladder, things were fine. It was getting off the ladder that caused my problems. For perspective, a 24' extension ladder on the ground wouldn't get me within 12' of where I "needed" to get.

My new roof is 14:12 pitch. You won't catch me on it ropes or good shoes.

Yep, I was looking for what I got, I guess. Nice place you've got. Take that pitch, cover it with metal, that's what I tried to climb back up. Nobody ever accused me of being too smart, but at 55, it seems I'd have at least talked me out of it.

This is what I used to wear

http://www.cougarpaws.com/en/

When adjusting

Trying to save money can get you killed at times. Don't become a house adjuster please.
You need a long climbing rope, full harness.
Throw rope over offside and tie off, over the ridge.
But I'll bet you learned this time.

I don't adjust any longer, ankels and age will do that to you.
Glad you didn't die.

Did you notice metal collects a film of dust, slick as heck.

Steep roofs are necessary for snow load in some places, of course, but if it's not needed, I wouldn't have a house that steep. They're too dangerous to work on and I'm too cheap to hire someone with all the equipment to do a job that I can do myself. I roofed for quite a few years and got pretty tired of climbing roofs that were that steep just to be pretty.

You need a longer ladder and someone on the ground to help you.

You should have used a long rope. Run it over the roof on to the other side of the house from where you were working. Secure this rope to a large heavy object and to a treestand safety harness which you're wearing.

Also, wear a cup.

i dont mind bungee jumping or parachuting but i cant stand ladders and roofs,scares the crap out of me every time

pretty much my rule also. I like for my feet to be on the ground.

Some jobs are cheaper if you hire someone to do them.

It happens...

A friend used a ladder that was just tall enough for him to get on top of and climb up on his roof, for no really important reason. He ran into several problems almost immediately. The first was he couldn't see the ladder to get down. Second was he couldn't remember where the ladder was, but he did remember that he had left his cell phone on the charger. Third was he was home alone. Fourth was it was getting really hot and finnaly he couldn't get anyones attention that was driving by because it was hot outside and they all had their windows rolled up and the A/C on. After several hours someone saw him sitting up there and when the laughing stopped, they helped him down.

No good story ever originated from a situation where something went right.

Glad you're able to write about this!

Ed

Just don't let that large heavy object be the receiver hitch of the wife's car....

...unless you have her keys in YOUR pocket.

We also have a steep standing seam, metal roof. I've always wanted to build a pair of felt sole, magnet embedded shoes for roofing work. I check our chimney once a year and use a hunting stand harness that is tied off with a rope to my tractor. I built a simple 2x4 fixture to place on the ridge cap so that the rope wouldn't crease it. Steep, standing seam metal roofs are great - as long as you don't have to get on them

Recently quit adjusting also. After 40 years of climbing roofs, even flat roofs started looking dangerous.