Stepping off a ladder onto the roof

[Eigenvector]

I know the basic safety of ladder use. It's easy to get to the roof, but here is where my fear of heights and mechanics get in the way.

How to step off the ladder onto the roof and then how to get back onto the ladder without knocking it off the eaves?

First time I tried it the act of pushing off the ladder to put my other foot onto the roof would have kicked the ladder down. So I'm sitting there, swaying in the wind trying to picture the motion needed to do it. It doesn't help that I'm mildly afraid of heights, and more realistically afraid of falling down and hitting the pavement.

I was thinking that it would be easier to use a step ladder rather than an extension ladder, at least with a step ladder you can step sideways off the ladder and turn and sit down on the roof. It doesn't work that way with an extension ladder.

[RicodJour]

Use a ladder stabilizer.

R

[Eigenvector]

What do you mean? It was a borrowed ladder, so that is strike one against me right there, but more to the point. A more steady ladder would help greatly obviously, but being afraid of heights I need to picture the motion in my head and I couldn't do it.

It's one of those things where you're afraid to do it but once you do it and see how to do it it's no longer a big deal. It was this way with me and climbing into my attic. Again the act of stepping off the ladder and into the attic was beyond me. It was only when I forced myself to do it once and saw that it wasn't a big deal did it become a trivial task. By the way, getting back down out of the attic was just as tough.

[Charles Schuler]

Forget step ladders, as they send more folks to hospitals and wheelchairs and early graves than do extension ladders.

With an extension ladder, the top of the extension should be well above the roof edge, so that you can comfortably swing your foot onto the roof (your hips should be well above the roof edge).

The ladder angle and the ladder footing are critical. A ladder near the vertical is asking for a fall. A ladder with an uneven or unstable footing is asking for an accident.

Ladders are dangerous. Are you sure you want to do this?

[hallerb]

I dont care for heights either. My other home had a spot where the roof came together

Kinda of a L shape, I would go up there it still bothered me.

I can stand on a ladder and do stuff pretty good........

but climbing on roof is tough

[GWB]

It's a lot easier to get on the roof than to get back on the ladder. Me, I stay off of ladders. If it's higher than I am willing to fall, I hire somebody else.

[Oren]

With the ladder being well above the roof line; it gives me a sense of security. I feel like I at least have something to hold on to for that first step onto the roof. Coming down I grab the ladder and then step down.

I really fell better when someone is holding the bottom.

-- Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

[GWB]

Not me!

"A man's got to know his limitations." Harry Callahan

[Oren]

"feel" better, sorry...

-- Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

[Eigenvector]

Nice slip of the "tongue"

[Oren]

Malfunction between the chair and the key board

-- Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

[Charles Schuler]

SNIP

Me too ... especially if it is someone I'd like to fall on ;>)

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, You wear a pair of shoes with good grip. And extend the ladder higher so you have something to steady yourself. Or there is stabilizer, something like wings to attach to either side at the top of ladder.

[Eigenvector]

You know I could do that, put the ladder in the corner of the roofline, that way I could step off sideways.

The biggest problem I had, and I mentioned this to the first poster, I was using a borrowed ladder, a ladder that was rated for 200 lbs and I am NOT

200 lbs, plus the thing is like cooked spaghetti in that it wobbles all around. So maybe just using a better ladder would be to my benefit. I gotta get those damn gutters cleaned or I won't ever fix that water problem...

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, As a life long ham radio operator, I climbed towers, ladderss, worked on

2 story high roofs kazillion times but still height is not my favourite, LOL!. Accident needs only split second to happen. If you don't feel like climbing for the moment, don't.

[Eigenvector]

No I refuse to give in. Maybe when I'm lying on my back in the hospital I'll give in but not before then. Like I say, I have to just visualize myself doing it.

[Charles Schuler]

One of my best ham friends ... WA3WJF ... fell from his tower and met his maker. This has happened too many times to too many good people.

[bobjones]

A simple triangle of 2-3 feet wide of 2x4s that rests on the roof with one point through a rung 2-3 feet above the roof works great.

[Jeff]

I nailed a large nail into the roof and fastened a loop of 12gauge solid copper wire between it and a rung of the ladder. Just left the nail in for future use. Better safe than sorry.

[hallerb]

drive some stakes in the ground and tie ladders base, then climb ladder and tie ladder at top, like using a C clamp on the gutter, tie ladder to c clamp.

DONT leave rope etc to catch your feet trip on!

its nice to know your ladder wouldnt blow down, that happened to a friend before he had a cell phone he was stuck on roof for hours