Dave’s photos reminded me of another incident that almost ended in a similar fashion. I was at a home alone doing an inspection, when it came time to enter the attic, the only access was a scuttlehole in the garage (9 foot ceiling). My ladder was plenty tall enough (one of the Werner articulating ladders) and Im 6’ 3" but when I went to hoist myself through the hole, one side of the scuttlehole frame gave away, ripping out the drywall ceiling (which turned out to be the only thing holding the 2 x 4 between the two trusses. The ladder fell over but my legs got tangled in the rungs. I managed to catch myself with my other arm and hold on. It wrenched the **** out of my shoulder but I managed to kick the ladder away from me and then dropped to the floor. Had I fallen out, tangled in the ladder I would have hosed up both legs, knees and probably busted my ignoramous when I landed on the concrete. Those were the days of bag phones and I had one “in the truck”. Had I been injured I most likely would have laid there until someone got to looking for me. I went out the next day and got a cell phone that I could carry with me and I learned to always check those scuttlehole frames for nails to make sure they are real. It took about a year for my shoulder to completely heal so I could lift my arm above my shoulder. Be careful out there. BTW, another pair of skivvies ruined.
What brand do you wear I’m buying stock, the way you’re going through them! :shock:
Barry,
Ive switched to Pampers. Its just easier.
Actually, Ive gotten a whole lot smarter over the years and have become as “wary as a serpent” about things, proceed with caution and very deliberate movements. I can afford to only do one inspection a day now so I refuse to get rushed or in a hurry. I actually enjoy doing them again and have almost zero stress.
Pampers???
I didn’t know they made adult sized pampers!
These should be more comfortable.
I don’t know, the package said they were good for up 15 lbs. They do get a little snug and chaff.
Lisa Nowak can tell you all about sizing your diapers…
http://bp2.blogger.com/_VU11A61FM68/RcsdJa5w4CI/AAAAAAAAAC0/I1uSIqKlHTQ/s400/lisa+nowack+diapers.jpg
Barry, my thanks also. Good collection of info. to keep us safer.
I think walking a roof is a business decision. But you better know what your doing before you make that decision. I think Robert has a lot of good to say about ladder use and safety.
I love my Little Giant but it is fiberglass. I hope I never have to replace it, I’m not sure you can get fiberglass any longer.
I have seen energized metal siding and would never use an aluminum ladder.
Also know what the feet of your ladder is designed for, most have rubber feet and you should be careful or avoid damp or wet concrete. This from experience.
Bill
Wet grass can suck also 
I do a bit of stucco and EIFS along with general inspections and have retrofitted all aluminum ladders with these or similar heavy foam or rubber caps to avoid damage to walls and electrical occurance.
A 2x4 stop block with predrilled holes for gutter spikes is great for decks and sloped yards…if you feel lucky
Walking roofs is one of the better times that I listen to those voices in my head, when the message is “No” I don’t walk the roof regardless of the pitch or height.
The one & only time I almost fell was on a low pitch roof that looked good, but when I stepped on it the aggregate gave way and I began to slip immediately, my hands went down to help stop the slide and were torn up quite a bit. That reminds me, I don’t climb any longer without wearing leather gloves either. All in all I would say that is still about 60-40 on which roofs I’ll climb.
I was on a deck about eight foot high, climbed up about 4’ on a 8’ stepladder, the gutter was even with ny chest, just had lifted up the shingles to check for Felt paper and Flashing, when the Deck board right under the left feet of the ladder broke through. It pitched me right over the railing, and I landed on my left shoulder. Well the adrenalin was flowing fast and it did not even hurt, I was so mad. I ran around to the door and back out onto the deck, picked up the ladder and through it as far as I could, cussing the whole time. Finished the job, went home as usual, about 2:00 A.M. the pain hit me like a truck. I had a broken shoulder, put me out of work for about 7 months. I don’t know if this counts, as a “Walking the Roof” accident or not. But there it is.
I fell off a ladder a little over a year ago, not the roof. About 20 ft. Broke vertebrae, nerve damage, busted face and so on. My fault I guess little ice/water on brick porch, ladder kicked out.
I grew up around builders (dad and grandfather), walked roofs/ up and down ladders 1000’s of times. It’s a risk and numbers game, I guess like most things in life.
I still walk roofs and climb ladders. I am definitely more choosy on what I am willing to climb or walk 
To answer the question that started this thread - does our sop or industry entice me to do this? No, it’s just the way I tick.
RT
That’s funny as hell.
Marcel 
Hi to all,
Over the last 6-7 years I have heard of so many accidents involving Home Inspectors it’s not funny I believe that on average 1 inspector per year dies on the job (nearly always falls) and I get to hear of at least 2-3 per year who have broken bones in falls. Personaly I have not fallen (YET) but had my own “brown trouser” moment on the last inspection I did in New England on a 10:12 pitch 3 decker roof (35 feet up) I got up a valley just fine, but was wrong handed to get back onto the ladder, very, very scarey.
I suggest that we all think about these issues before we climb those ladders:
- Do I need to walk the roof?
- Is the roof covering stable enough to walk on?
- What is the roof pitch?
- Is my ladder at the correct angle?
- Is the ladder top away from the service drop?
- What is the ladder stood on, and can it move?
- Can you tie of the top of the ladder?
Remember “it’s not the fall that kills you it’s the sudden stop at the bottom”
Be safe out there!
Gerry
Please, please, please take the NACHI On-line Safety Course.
This discussion is PRECISELY why I wrote it.
There is a section on ladders and ladder safety.
You should always have a clause in your contract that states that you reserve the right to NOT do something, climb somewhere, or whatever if in your SOLE OPINION, it may result in injury to you, someone else, or damage the property in any way.
Gerry’s post is eye opening and supports what I have been saying for quite a while.
There is no such thing as a client’s right, when it may comprimise the inspector’s safety. Period. End of report.
We put ourselves in danger because we think we have to. Next time, ask yourself if your life is worth more to your family than the value of the home inspection.
Ask yourself how, if you survive the incident but get injured, your family will survive the medical expenses and loss of income.
For WHAT? $300, $400, $500?
We need to really WAKE UP!
Joe is right, not only is that course a membership requirement, the refesher just might save your ***!!
Remember, if we were doing what we do for a larger company we would be required to do ongoing safety classes, why would we not do them as individual business owners?
Regards
Gerry
OK, by the numbers:
-
About 4-5 years ago in KC - one of our inspectors stepped off a ladder onto the 1 story low pitch roof. Shingles came loose and dropped him about 7-8 feet. He tied his leg up in the ladder and broke it in 3-4 places. Several operations later he was still on a cane and his inspection business was gone.
-
Friend / inspector in Arizona getting off low roof had ladder leg shift. Threw him back onto the ground. The home owners had lined their flower beds with bricks AT a 45 degree angle pointed up into the air. He broke his back. Almost a year in a body cast. HE was a divorced guy with his family on the other side of the country.
-
Friend / ASHI inspector was in Indy in an attic. Getting out of attic onto ladder, the attic hatch framing collapsed under him. He fell out of attic and broke neck. One year later I heard his business was gone.
Do I walk all roofs - 100% yes. If I can access it from the top of a 3’ step ladder and its under a 2/12 pitch roof I’ve never seen a roof I won’t climb.
I do roofs…
I’ve heard stories of inspectors falling off ladders getting into attics, and falling through attics, getting bit in crawl spaces, getting shocked at electric panels, and many other things.
The bottom line is that you do what you are comfortable doing while still performing a thorough inspection. I walk every roof I can access safely which fortunately here is almost every roof. I don’t walk tile roofs, simply because I don’t like replacing the broken ones that my 240 lbs. does the damage too!!