Working at heights--fall arresters?

[dave11]

At times I need to work on a ladder around the gables of my house, once of which is thirty feet above asphalt. Not really keen on the possibility of falling.

I was looking at safety gear, but it seems the only option would be using one of the fall arresters. Have never used one before. They seem like they'd work, but is it possible to use one when working alone? Meaning that if you fell and it stopped you, wouldn't you be hanging there and unable to free yourself, without someone to help you?

Anyone know of other options?

Thanks.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Yes you would definitely be stuck. If possible could you use a small scissor lift or genie lift?

 

[festerw]

If you do get a harness make sure you get some foot straps also, suspension trauma is a very real danger from a fall in a harness.

 

[heat seeker]

I may be wrong, but I think some fall arresters don't stop you, but slow you down a lot so when you reach the ground, it's a gentle bump.

 

[mustash29]

The body harnesses and fall arrestors we use at work (power plant) will limit free fall to 6 feet. The anchor point that it is attached to is supposed to be rated to withstand 5000 lbs of force.

Working on a ladder leaning against a 30 foot roof peak? What are you going to tie off to?

 

[dave11]

Yes you would definitely be stuck. If possible could you use a small scissor lift or genie lift?

I guess I could rent something like that if it were for one big project, but there are going to be lots of little things to do here and there going forward. I was hoping to find something that could be brought out and put away, without renting and hauling something back and forth.

 

[dave11]

The body harnesses and fall arrestors we use at work (power plant) will limit free fall to 6 feet. The anchor point that it is attached to is supposed to be rated to withstand 5000 lbs of force.

Working on a ladder leaning against a 30 foot roof peak? What are you going to tie off to?

Well, I haven't needed to go all the way up there yet, but the time is coming. I can secure the ladder, it's the risk of a fall 20-25 feet to the asphalt I was hoping to lessen.

 

[semipro]

I used to use my rock climbing harness and rope. I'd tie off one end of the rope to something on my roof and let the other end go to the ground. Once I reached my working height I'd connect my harness to the rope with a locking carabiner and lineman's knot. Of course, you're still at risk of falling while climbing or descending this way.

Once you fall you're unlikely to get down without help, a knife, or some climbing skills (a small piece of cord can be used with a Prusik knot for ascending) but I figure just about anything is better then hitting the ground (falling itself is not that bad). I just keep my phone on me regardless because I'm bound to need help sooner or later.

I recently bought some better fall protection equipment that allows me to move around more.

BTW, you can make a pretty decent seat and shoulder harness with just some nylon webbing and one good (water) knot. It won't be comfortable to hang in but better than a wheelchair or grave.
You can also tie the rope off to a tree or vehicle on the other side of the house if there's nothing to tie off to on the roof.

 

[greg13]

Harness with the fall arrestor will run you around $300. This is one of those cases where OSHA requirements simply do not fit the DYI people. Not saying you do not need some type of protection, but this may not work. There are roofer's harness that you tie off to a ground anchor on the opposite side that you are working on for roof work.

 

[heat seeker]

If you tie off to a vehicle, make darn sure it's disabled so someone doesn't hop in and drive off. Just sayin'. It's happened.

 

[jebatty]

Fearless youth! In my late teens I had a job spray painting barns, used up to 45' extension ladders. Best of all, when that wouldn't reach the peak of a barn, we lifted the ladder to the ladder racking on the truck bed and tied the legs to the racking -- added about another 6' feet of height. Needless to say, never tied the ladder off to anything. Using a safety harness, now that's a joke. Glad I lived to tell the story.

 

[flyingcow]

If you tie off to a vehicle, make darn sure it's disabled so someone doesn't hop in and drive off. Just sayin'. It's happened.

Yes, it has happened.The widow was cleared of all charges, even though she used the spare keys. And she had to use the 4 wheel drive to get off the lawn.....

 

[peakbagger]

The fall arrest harnesses I have for work and few spares from past jobs all have the loop in the back of the harness which I think distributes the shock load better. Therefore if you are hanging, its very difficult to get loose without help. I have the standard load absorber on my 6 foot lanyard. its one time device, if I fall, stitches break and the shock is absorbed. I have used the retractable reel type lanyards, they are spring loaded and always have a slight bit of tension but like a seat belt if there is sudden load they lock. They are the best of the worst options, but its real easy to get tangled up in that strap generally at the worst time. It just requires time to get used to it but a typical home owner is not going to have that time. I usually compromise for my second story roof, I use a harness to get the roof brackets in place and when I am rigging up solar panels up on my roof but once I am working off the staging I keep the harness on but don't have the lanyard hooked up unless I start working off the roof brackets. On steeper pitches I will keep the lanyard on.

Many contractors require positive anchoring when moving around on scaffolds. That means two lanyards, before you detach one you have to the have the other one attached.

 

[RustyShackleford]

BTW, you can make a pretty decent seat and shoulder harness with just some nylon webbing and one good (water) knot.

Sure, but a very basic climbing harness can be had pretty cheaply:

(broken link removed)

... and way more comfortable (and safer, if you don't know how to tie a water knot properly, plus they are known to loosen up).

 

[Highbeam]

I figure just about anything is better then hitting the ground (falling itself is not that bad).

Somebody had to say it!

I am a bit afraid of heights. I can roof all day on single story houses but when you are expected to lay that first row of shingles at the gutter edge of a two story house from the roof, it makes me pucker up. On ladders I'm fine but getting onto the ladder from the roof when the ladder is leaning against the gutter, I pucker up big time.

I've never even heard of anybody tying off a ladder.

Any fall protection is better than none. I would rather be stuck hanging than stuck dead. You'll probably slide slowly and then fall so you will know the fall is coming.

 

[xman23]

As a tie off, I throw a 1/2 nylon rope over the peak of the roof and tie it off to a tree, I have a harness and a sliding clamp (don't know the real name) on the 1/2 rope. I tie off everything and I'm very well balanced. There is no reason I would fall, but if something happened I'm confident my fall arrestor will work. I like the phone idea to call for help.

 

[flyingcow]

As a tie off, I throw a 1/2 nylon rope over the peak of the roof and tie it off to a tree, I have a harness and a sliding clamp (don't know the real name) on the 1/2 rope. I tie off everything and I'm very well balanced. There is no reason I would fall, but if something happened I'm confident my fall arrestor will work. I like the phone idea to call for help.

The phone idea?? I should've had mine with me....Made me remember the time i got up on my roof to readjust the tv antenna. Wind blew the ladder down. I crouched behind the chimney(it was cold) for about an hour. Got lucky, routine delivery of oil. The oil man put the ladder back up

 

[greg13]

Somebody had to say it!

I am a bit afraid of heights. I can roof all day on single story houses but when you are expected to lay that first row of shingles at the gutter edge of a two story house from the roof, it makes me pucker up. On ladders I'm fine but getting onto the ladder from the roof when the ladder is leaning against the gutter, I pucker up big time.

I've never even heard of anybody tying off a ladder.

Any fall protection is better than none. I would rather be stuck hanging than stuck dead. You'll probably slide slowly and then fall so you will know the fall is coming.

"I,ll climb as high as you want me to...As long as I can have one foot on the ground!"