How to keep from falling off metal roof?

[babzog]

Looking for suggestions for staying put on the roof while I trim the tin after installation. Roof pitch is roughly 4/12. If this were a shingled roof, I would go up there with few issues - I do go up on my shop roof which is about the same pitch - but being metal, I'm worried about smooth, slippery metal and the resulting lack of traction leading to me taking a header off the backside.

I've got a 5pt harness I use in my tree stands (why I hunt from tree stands when I'm utterly useless with heights is beyond me...) that I was thinking of attaching to a length of rope that's been tied off to the front beam and thrown over the top edge of the roof. Attach the rope to the harness once I step on the roof so that the rope keeps me from going over the edge. Or, have a buddy reel in the rope as I climb and tie it off to a post once I'm in position.

Or maybe I'm overthinking all this... I just don't want to slide off and kill myself so I'm looking to work safe and smart.

 

[rsanter]

good shoes that will grab or grip the material. something with a 'rubbery sole'

throw a rope over the roof and tie off at one end and tie yourself to the other so you cant fall off

bob

 

[toolchaser]

If your roof is metal panels with protruding screws you can just hook your soft soled shoes on the screws, thats what I did on a 4/12 pitch if its standing seam however....

 

[cwstevens92]

Simple.....Don't get up there

Sorry, im afriad of hights so i gotta poke fun at those who have the nuts to deal with them. Good luck, be safe

 

[Torque1st]

Your basic idea of a rope over the top to belay with is good. Get one of these Petzl Basic Rope Clamps available for between $40-$60 for your rope:
http://www.travelcountry.com/shop/climbing-gear/ascenders/petzl-basic-rope-clamp.html

 

[babzog]

Hmmm .. my neighbour is a tower climber. He took a video while up a 300' tower... "There's the village over there where the signal comes from, over here is home..." Crazy stuff. He might have one of those clamps though.

I'd really prefer not to go up there, but, with few exceptions, I'm hesitant to ask a friend to do a job I'd not do myself (abilities notwithstanding). I want to at least make an attempt at it.

 

[sungrove]

Looking for suggestions for staying put on the roof

Ok, I have your solution. I happen to be a self employed window cleaner and I deal with having to walk on metal roofs all the time.

You will be amazed at how well these things work. They are called Korkers. They work even if the roof is wet.

There are a few different kinds of them. Some have cleats kind of like golf shoes that are used for cedar roofs.

The ones you want for a metal roof have foam that velcros to the bottom. These are basically rubber sandels that you strap onto the bottom of your shoes. They cost around $75 for a pair. Here is a link to a site I just found that supplies them at a good price: http://www.cwcsupplyusa.com/korkersconvertible3in1.aspx
Or just do a search on KORKERS

Two words of caution:

They work fine as long as the foam is clean but need to be washed off once in a while so they don't start slipping again.

It's still not a bad idea to tie off to something if you can as others have said here. As a window cleaner I seldom do for time savings.

Lastly, I am planning to build a building starting 2010. I plan the lowest pitch I can because even with these korkers a metal roof is intimidating to say the least.

But give these a shot. They are well worth the cash.

Neil

 

[nonhog]

I too hate heights! However I have walked on my metal roof w/o any slipping
with just tennis shoes. I am very cautious when on any roof.
Never will I go up there when wet.

 

[gahrajmahal]

You already own the harness, definitely tie yourself off! Sliding down a few times will really try your nerves and make you useless while trying to finish your task. Grippy shoes, dry roof all help.
Or you can use the new self magenetizing clothing they have on that new TV show where they are traveling to Mars.

 

[eborcim]

Make sure your tie-off is not the bumper of a moveable vehicle.

 

[phy6]

Make sure your tie-off is not the bumper of a moveable vehicle.

Tying off to something on the other side worked well when i went up on my roof. You may want something on the roof ridge to keep you from denting it/scraping the granules off the asphalt. I dented my ridge vent doing it. A good carbiner will allow you to take up the slack as needed for a more reassuring feel.

 

[jonny o]

Wear your harness and loop your tie off so you can adjust the slack (kind of like a pulley) and wear a pair of chuck taylors on a warm day.

 

[Great white]

You already have your solution:

Harness and tie it off on the other side. Be careful to use low stretch rope or tie it off a couple feet short of the edge.

That's literally a lifesaver....

 

[chaingang]

I have been on my 8/12 pitch metal roof with just very good tennis shoes. The screw heads do a good job of holding you. I wasn't trying to stay in one place though. I just needed to get to the ridge to install the ridge vent. Once up there I could straddle it and sit down. 4/12 really isn't that much pitch if the roof is clean and dry. If you are uncomfortable use the rope.

P.S. The hint about not tying off to a car is real. My old boss had this happen to his cousin. Wife came out, jumped in his truck and headed to town. Fortunately he wasn't hurt very badly. Broken arm I think. He forgot she had a set of keys, his were in his pocket. If you decide to tie off to a car, disable it.

 

[Boyd Who]

I don't have any good advice for you, but it's nice to know I'm not the only chickenshit on the forum when it comes to heights!

 

[metal1313]

beucase of my stupid trough gutters and trees im on my slate roof all the time. after one close call,(those stupid gutters are about 3ft wide and i was hanging over the side of the house 30' up, but i wasnt on the ground) i got a tie out mount. its essiantally a heavy hinge with a loop attached to it.

i dont mind heights though, i rock climb and rappel as well so i have the right kind of equipment once i got a torso harness.

what you want is a good mount to tie off to, a good harness, good static robe(does not stretch much) and an ascender like - http://www.rei.com/product/782459 . as you move higher up the roof you pull the rope through the ascender and when you go to get down you press the trigger and pull the rope out, but if you fall it will hold to rope.

just tying off is bad. if you do fall, and no one is around how are you gonna get down? hmmm?

 

[Torque1st]

That ascender is better than the one I pointed out before.

Let's see, to get down...

 

[Coach James]

Wear golf shoes. Problem solved.

Coach

 

[Bigrhamr]

I was amazed at how far I could actually dig my fingernails into the metal when sliding towards the edge.

The crew that put my roof on climbed up the ladder with work boots on then changed to
their roofing shoes at the edge and back again before they would climb down. I never did get a close look at them.

 

[NUTTSGT]

4/12 as long as it's dry, tennis shoes will do just fine.

 

[sungrove]

Wear golf shoes. Problem solved.

Coach

Ok, you are joking right? This is a metal roof. Go back a few to my post about foam bottomed korkers. They do work.

I have a few more thoughts about this since my post.

I think it's a great idea to, when building a new building or even as a second thought, install heavy duty steel eye-hooks at intervals at the apex of your roof. Actually I would install as many as one every 5 feet. These are really going to give you something simple to connect safety lines to. And have a strategy about it. Decide where on the roof you are going to climb onto the roof and put your first safety eye-hook right near there. So, if the apex isn't too high, I would climb to the apex from the side and then connect to the first hook.

Second, there is commonly available safety rope and gear ,again, at window cleaning supply houses online.

So, here is how to stay safe: put on your korkers while on the ground, climb the ladder with them on to the apex of the roof, attach your safety rope to the first eye- hook, then while still on the ladder, attach your safety lanyard to the rope, ( these have mechanisms you can easily move up and down the rope, then attach the lanyard to either your safety belt or harness, then climb onto the roof and do your work. Just make sure the lanyard is adjusted at all times so that if you do slip, you will not be able to slip off the roof at all. The combination of the rope and the korkers will give you plenty of confidence and safety. And you can always hold onto the rope while walking.

I realize this is a fair amount of expense in safety gear and time installing the eye-hooks, but they will last a long time. I have had my gear for years and it's still fine. And if you choose to hire someone else in the future to do roof maintenance like gutter or skylight cleaning, those steel hooks will still be worthwhile because it will be easier to find someone willing to work for you.

Stay safe. OK? I want to keep reading your fun garage stories!
Here is a link to a page that has all kinds of safety gear. www.cwcsupplyusa.com/highriseandsafetyequipment.aspx


Neil

 

[diggertodd]

All hail the chicken shits

I paid to have a contractor re-roof my metal 2 story shop, I convinced my wife that the risk of me getting injured for the sake of our business was to great for the savings... she bought it...

I was talking to the contractor who did the work when I saw him tie 3 tether lines to the back of his duallie truck. He said he ALWAYS puts the truck keys in his pocket when he is tied to the truck. He said one day he told an employees to go back to his shop and get a tool. When he realized he was tied at the waist to the only vehicle on the property, he frantically started untying his waist holster, he said the second the loose line hit the roof, it zipped away as the truck drove off.

He did say the funny part was when his employee got to his shop and realized the line was dragging behind the truck, he thought he had drug his boss across town... he claimed he puked and said he was afraid to come back to the worksite.

 

[eborcim]

Our house has 2 large-separate roof sections with ~50 degree angle...I'm calling the Amish come roofing time.

 

[sungrove]

Our house has 2 large-separate roof sections with ~50 degree angle...I'm calling the Amish come roofing time.

Don't get me started. As a window cleaner, I've had plenty of challenges. And as the cost of maintenance goes up, hopefully building designers will put more consideration into the exponential cost increase associated with difficult buildings. My thought is: keep the roof pitch low if you can, add safety tie offs, and even consider alternatives to gutters ( possibly no gutters)( BTW- don't be fooled by those Gutter Helmet ads, those gutters just fill up with stuff anyway) if you can. Eventually though, even metal roofs need cleaning, especially if near trees.

Neil

 

[metal1313]

if i were to want to set up a permenant safety tie off system i would install a few good stainless anchors at the ridge line, have a taunt cable running between them with a pulley mounted on it. then to the pully a good length of cable to that. the cable would be held on with a carabiner so after i got up and on the roof i would climb to the ridge and tie off with a rope and pulley, and disconnect from the cable. you'd still want an ascender/decender to allow more movement around the roof, and possibly a shock cord if you do fall

 

[sungrove]

if i were to want to set up a permenant safety tie off system i would install a few good stainless anchors at the ridge line, have a taunt cable running between them with a pulley mounted on it. then to the pully a good length of cable to that. the cable would be held on with a carabiner so after i got up and on the roof i would climb to the ridge and tie off with a rope and pulley, and disconnect from the cable. you'd still want an ascender/decender to allow more movement around the roof, and possibly a shock cord if you do fall

Ya, I see what you are getting at. So, if you had a system like that you don't have to deal with moving your rope from one hook to another. And I'm sure your idea could be implimented. I just think heavy duty steel eye-hooks are more idiot proof ( no idiots here, I'm sure ) And you can still attach heavy duty poly rope between eye-hooks. Another way to do it would be to install several eye-hooks and then install carabiners to each eye. Then when you get on the roof as I outlined in my post above, you attach to the first eye, and then , as needed you simply clip your safety rope onto the needed eye using it's carabiner.

I'll add here that most of this complicated stuff can be avoided IMO just by keeping the roof pitch low. One or two hooks and you are good- easy to walk around to switch tie-offs etc.

But most buildings have nothing at all, so anything is better than what most buildings have.

As far as ascenders go, I can kind of see it, but I'm thinking it's just simpler to manage your safety rope and lanyard so you can't end up over the side

On the other hand, if you are talking about a huge angle that's more like siding, maybe you do want an ascender, but for most guys, maybe that's the time to hire a pro?

Neil

 

[snorky18]

This is probably not the OSHA approved method, and might even get me into one of those "work safety" emails if I had pics, but in my younger teenage years, we just used a tractor loader with a big bucket on it, one of us drove, and the other sat in the bucket and got raised to the roof, got out, did work, and stayed directly above the bucket the whole time. The bucket would not allow us to slide over the edge of the roof. Need to move sideways? Get back in bucket, move tractor, get back on roof.

Now days, I used static line anchored to a tree on the other side of the building, and some tough nylon material to keep the rope from rubbing on the ridge of the roof. If I'm moving around a lot, my wife belays me, but if not I can work alone and tie loops in the line wherever I need to clip in.

Climb on the roof with your wife and do this while wearing overalls and operating a chainsaw in suburbanite Charlotte, and you'll get a lot of weird looks from all the neighbors.

 

[metal1313]

the ascender allows you to make your leads shorter or longer. say your working in the middle of the roof, the ascender lets you be tied off from the time you get on the ladder really, til you get down. you can move around and meter out all the rope you need or want.

then again im sorta biased towards this becuase i hate tying loops into my ropes, and having to fight to get them undone sometimes. and hey my method gets you some new toys too.

 

[sungrove]

and hey my method gets you some new toys too.

Well, I love new toys of course. I'm not arguing with your method. I think it's just not sinking into my thick head. Anyway, some sort of well thought out safety process is definitely warranted with metal roofs.

The thing is, it may be dry when you get up there, but often it ends up being wet as a result of the work you are doing.

And too, what if it starts raining while you are up there and you don't have any type of safety gear ready?

Ya, I live in the Northwest.

Neil

 

[Coach James]

Ok, you are joking right? This is a metal roof. Go back a few to my post about foam bottomed korkers. They do work.

I have a few more thoughts about this since my post.

Stay safe. OK? I want to keep reading your fun garage stories!
Here is a link to a page that has all kinds of safety gear. http://www.cwcsupplyusa.com/highriseandsafetyequipment.aspx

Neil

Umm, yes. I am joking.

Coach

 

[Coach James]

All hail the chicken shits

I paid to have a contractor re-roof my metal 2 story shop, I convinced my wife that the risk of me getting injured for the sake of our business was to great for the savings... she bought it...

I was talking to the contractor who did the work when I saw him tie 3 tether lines to the back of his duallie truck. He said he ALWAYS puts the truck keys in his pocket when he is tied to the truck. He said one day he told an employees to go back to his shop and get a tool. When he realized he was tied at the waist to the only vehicle on the property, he frantically started untying his waist holster, he said the second the loose line hit the roof, it zipped away as the truck drove off.

He did say the funny part was when his employee got to his shop and realized the line was dragging behind the truck, he thought he had drug his boss across town... he claimed he puked and said he was afraid to come back to the worksite.

Him frantically trying to untie that harness gives me images of Wile E Coyote trying to untie the rope around his waist as the other end tied to a rock falls off a cliff.

Coach

 

[sungrove]

Umm, yes. I am joking.

Coach

Glad to hear you were joking coach. So how are those Husky alum events going these days...

 

[Coach James]

Glad to hear you were joking coach. So how are those Husky alum events going these days...

Washington Husky alumni?

 

[von zipper]

I work for a company that makes these roofs. I deliver them! but don't install em! However a friend of mine that is the same age as me 50 was on a 13ft high roof pulling off shingles and fell off! landed on a concrete patio! shatterd wrist, broken pelvis,cracked vertabre!!! He was doing a side job because he was just laid off! So with that; PLEASE CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK!! SAFETY FIRST!!!!!!! USE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!!!!!!! trust me!! he is in bad shape! and has a long painfull road ahead!!

 

[tdkkart]

14 or 15 years old, up on the corrugated barn roof with dad. Ladder system consisted of a ladder from the ground up to the edge of the roof, and then another ladder laying on the roof supported by a ledger board that was, supposedly, securely nailed to the roof.
This was the same setup untold numbers of people have used for climbing on barn roofs, works fine as long as nothing goes wrong.

We had been up and down that roof ladder probably 50 times. I started down and was about 3 rungs from the bottom when I felt something move. Looked down between my knees and realized that the ledger board was just starting to roll under the weight of the ladder. (At this point, while my head was down, I shoulda kissed my *** goodbye one last time.)

Gingerly stepped down to the ledger board and stood on it to(supposedly) hold it down, and maybe push the nails back in. Everything seemed fine at this point, as I stood there making plans for the descent to the ground.

Stepped sideways a couple steps to get to the ground ladder, figured on just stepping over to it and heading down. Picked up one foot to place it on the ladder and the next thing I knew I was landing in a pile of large rocks on the ground.

Injuries: Big kink in my right forearm, broken radius. Big knot on my forehead from the barn foundation. What looked like a rope burn under my left arm from the armpit to my wrist, from dragging that arm off the edge of the roof. Seriously bruised *** from landing in the rock pile. Took 2 different hospitals and finally a nerve block to get the arm set before casting it.

30 years later that wrist still hurts on a daily basis, not enough to be a problem, but it's always there.

 

[tenorplayer23]

Sounds like the movie - "Vacation" w/Chevy Chase, circa - 1983!!

See ya.

All hail the chicken shits

I paid to have a contractor re-roof my metal 2 story shop, I convinced my wife that the risk of me getting injured for the sake of our business was to great for the savings... she bought it...

I was talking to the contractor who did the work when I saw him tie 3 tether lines to the back of his duallie truck. He said he ALWAYS puts the truck keys in his pocket when he is tied to the truck. He said one day he told an employees to go back to his shop and get a tool. When he realized he was tied at the waist to the only vehicle on the property, he frantically started untying his waist holster, he said the second the loose line hit the roof, it zipped away as the truck drove off.

He did say the funny part was when his employee got to his shop and realized the line was dragging behind the truck, he thought he had drug his boss across town... he claimed he puked and said he was afraid to come back to the worksite.

 

[tenorplayer23]

Yes, lots of good safety information..............above all, don't risk life and limb. If you're apprehensive about going up......hire it out to someone who isn't and has the proper apparati to do it. I won't go up on the roof for gutter cleaning.....just two floors but the pitch is a little steep and it's ~3 floors to the ground from one side. I don't even have the 28ft. class 1A ladder anymore (and that was THE BEST ladder I had ever seen.....from Sears, with a full set of steps instead of rungs). Let the professional do it.....even if it costs a few bucks.

See ya. :hellobye

I work for a company that makes these roofs. I deliver them! but don't install em! However a friend of mine that is the same age as me 50 was on a 13ft high roof pulling off shingles and fell off! landed on a concrete patio! shatterd wrist, broken pelvis,cracked vertabre!!! He was doing a side job because he was just laid off! So with that; PLEASE CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK!! SAFETY FIRST!!!!!!! USE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!!!!!!! trust me!! he is in bad shape! and has a long painfull road ahead!!

 

[sungrove]

Washington Husky alumni?

Oh, I was joking pretending you where actually Coach Don James -former football coach of the Washington Huskies. I live in Seattle and I'm a casual Husky fan-listen to the games on the radio anyway. A college football stadium with a great view of Lake Washington. But you've been there many times right coach?

Neil

PS--love the coyote image. good old road runner cartoons!

 

[rikmeister]

send your wife up and drink some beers while you tell her what to do. problem solved.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I have beenknown to screw a 2 x 4 at the bottom edge of the roof with the right size screw. If you position the screws right, you can back them out later and replace them with roofing screws. I like the sneakers with the soft lug soles. I also like a piece of foam about three by three, at least a couple of inches thick, to kneel or sit on. It won't slide like your pants, and it is very secure feeling.

Obviously the 2 x 4 isn't going to keep you from falling off the edge. But if you slide or slip, it is there. Ropes are OK but get in the way if you aren't used to them.

I have been on roofs for many years, and I only offer 2 pieces of advice. If you are not 100% comfortable, don't get up there. I have run many crews, and a scared guy on the roof is a danger to himself and others. Also, I recomend the buddy system. If anything happens, often times a second person can prevent a bad situation from turning into a worse one. Also, a handy guy will often take the lead, and the less handy guy becomes the runner who goes up and down the ladder with tools etc... Much easier and quicker.

And a question. How much money are you really going to save if you do this yourself ? I have a standing seam metal roof on my house, and a few years ago I paid a guy 600.00 to recoat it. That is cheaper than my time, and I have gotten paid to do this same job for others. FWIW, they used a rope and sneakers, one guy and a young assistant.