# Did you get caught?!?!



## Driftweed (Nov 7, 2012)

So i got a window repair tomorrow 30 feet in the air for a church and I've been waiting on a lift rental for 3 months now (sharing with a lighting contractor who is replacing bulbs outside) 

I realized I only had on harness/lanyard so I went to purchase a set for my new employee at home depot and no less than five people saw me carrying it and kept asking if I got caught...to the point it was starting to irk me.

Each time I replied "No, I actually care for my guys safety and will gladly spend the $100 for his safety". It was revealed that 90% of the time home depot only sells safety gear after a contractor has been fined...

Has safety really become that much of an afterthought these days?

I tell my employee all the time, if he gets hurt that means I would have to actually do physical labor so it's easier to just keep him alive:laughing:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Good to see you posting again!:thumbsup:

Big commercial outfits are pretty careful to follow OSHA, small ones that don't fall under OSHA do whatever, and some of those become large enough for OSHA to take effect.

It's true, some people don't care too much about employee safety.

I will say there are people like me that learned roofing with no ropes or harness, and I'm more dangerous in some ways wearing the harness and rope. I have never adjusted to moving differently, so I can get a little tangled. For someone who is started out right, that shouldn't be a problem.


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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

My guys gripe about wearing them when we go on boom lifts and when i catch them i tell them they will pay the fine if caught....i sound like a broken record 

Most of the time when we go up we are 60 ft up and personally i like having it on 

Its like a cat and mouse game


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Have never worn a harness in my life. ( knocking on my wooden table ). 


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

I not ashamed to say I will wear one when up high on a roof. When I am up there I don't want to be coming off unless I want to.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I put one on for the first time in my 50s. I walk 12 /12s mostly, and not as agile as when I was 10, 20, 30, 40,...


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

hdavis said:


> , small ones that don't fall under OSHA do whatever


I have no idea where you get this idea?? If you have an employee you fall under OSHA and if they get a call on you they must act or,,,, well there is a OSHA 30 class that everyone should take.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Many of the job site I work on you either buckle up or get your butt kicked off the site. As far as I'm concerned the retractable life line is the best thing since sliced bread.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

hdavis said:


> I put one on for the first time in my 50s. I walk 12 /12s mostly, and not as agile as when I was 10, 20, 30, 40,...




Walk a 12/12? . I thought my worker was spider man but geeez 


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Are you saying you didn't get caught? :laughing:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

NYgutterguy said:


> Walk a 12/12? . I thought my worker was spider man but geeez


I always try new shoes / boots on a low section of the barn here first, if they're wrong, you'll surf. Lug soles seem to be the best for shingles.

Don't get me wrong, I'll use a rope if I'm going to be doing a lot of work on a steep roof, but I never used to.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> I have no idea where you get this idea?? If you have an employee you fall under OSHA and if they get a call on you they must act or,,,, well there is a OSHA 30 class that everyone should take.



If they get a call, yes, but no programmed inspections.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

hdavis said:


> If they get a call, yes, but no programmed inspections.


It is always a shock when they do show up:laughing: I've had then pull up on a residential home with 3 guys on it.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> It is always a shock when they do show up:laughing: I've had then pull up on a residential home with 3 guys on it.




Only show up to investigate a serious accident here. Thank god. I'd be out of business years ago due to the fines 


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

My company is moving into another building in a few weeks. I went to visit the new site while the GC's guys were in there cutting out a load-bearing masonry wall with no masks, no eye protection, and a leaf blower. 

I waited for them to finish to get their attention. When the lead guy saw me I thought he was going to crap his pants and then I realized I was wearing a dress shirt, carpenter's pants and a tape measure with a notepad in my hand. Guess I look like what they think an OSHA inspector looks like.


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## SectorSecurity (Nov 26, 2013)

Inner10 said:


> Many of the job site I work on you either buckle up or get your butt kicked off the site. As far as I'm concerned the retractable life line is the best thing since sliced bread.


Nothing pisses me off more then going to reach for a cable and hitting the end of the slack in my lanyard.

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## Driftweed (Nov 7, 2012)

Leo G said:


> Are you saying you didn't get caught? :laughing:


Back in 1995 I was young and dumb helping a friend do their roof. Of course, they had the cheapest aluminum ladder money could buy...went up with a bundle on my shoulders and came down with a bundle on my chest:laughing: Damned ladder snapped in half on me when i was a few rungs from the roof line. After that, it's been a struggle getting past the 3rd rung on a ladder for me since then.

I still push myself from time to time to face that fear, but i definitely don't play around with safety on heights anymore:whistling

Today, I had another contractor ask me about ladder hooks to store her ladders. I said if I cant get it with a step ladder, i rent a lift:laughing:and if they wont pay for a lift, I wont do it:laughing:

She snarked back "Must be nice!"


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## A&E Exteriors (Aug 14, 2009)

Driftweed said:


> :laughing:
> 
> She snarked back "Must be nice!"


Did you tell her that it is very nice? I would've


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## Driftweed (Nov 7, 2012)

I did say "That's the best part of being self employed, I can say no to crap I dont want to do!" haha

She walked away after that remark


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I have yet to have a ladder break on me, although some seemed to try pretty hard. I think the heaviest load I carried was 90lb roll roofing (90 actual lbs).

On a side note - I hate that architectural shingles weigh so much more than 3 tab. 3 tab feels heavier than I remember it being, and architectural seems to be getting into the roll roofing weight class, except with roll roofing, it doesn't flop around when you carry it.

Give me a few more years, and picking up the cat is going to feel like picking up a dog.:whistling


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I should post a picture of my wooden extension ladder.:blink:


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

I am a small operation, primarily residential. We do a fair bit of lift work, we avoid ladders as much as possible but not completely of course. I insist harness's are worn. 
My guys now will say it doesn't feel right not to have it on. 
My customers notice too and appreciate the attention to safety. 
In my view either you give a [email protected] about your guys or you don't.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

SectorSecurity said:


> Nothing pisses me off more then going to reach for a cable and hitting the end of the slack in my lanyard.
> 
> Sent from my XP7700 using Tapatalk


The retractable is a game changer. Not to mention if you fall a retractable grabs you right away.


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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

Ohio painter said:


> I
> In my view either you give a [email protected] about your guys or you don't.




Even if someone doesn't give a crap about about their guys they should care about them getting hurt for the simple reason that a couple of workers comp claims will cost them dearly financially. 

Years ago there was another mason contractor that was notorious for not caring about safety and putting his guys at risk. Well he had a couple serious injuries, one guy lost an arm another guy fell and got crippled up pretty bad. His workers comp rates were so high that it put him out of business. Not that it really matters though because most people close their business and just start another one under a different name


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

NYgutterguy said:


> Walk a 12/12? . I thought my worker was spider man but geeez
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Big Johnson said:


> https://youtu.be/Ldrd0ed21yo


loco :blink::blink:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I don't think he'd get away with that on bare decking or old shingles, but it's still quite a trick to stay on no matter what.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Of course he can walk that. He has a safety vest on.

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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

VinylHanger said:


> Of course he can walk that. He has a safety vest on.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk




The vest doesn't do any good without a hard hat......lol


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## Unger.const (Jun 3, 2012)

VinylHanger said:


> Of course he can walk that. He has a safety vest on.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


It will also help them spot him in the yard when he slips.....


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

hdavis said:


> I have yet to have a ladder break on me, although some seemed to try pretty hard. I think the heaviest load I carried was 90lb roll roofing (90 actual lbs).
> 
> On a side note - I hate that architectural shingles weigh so much more than 3 tab. 3 tab feels heavier than I remember it being, and architectural seems to be getting into the roll roofing weight class, except with roll roofing, it doesn't flop around when you carry it.
> 
> Give me a few more years, and picking up the cat is going to feel like picking up a dog.:whistling


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Big Johnson said:


> https://youtu.be/GJqTaoHhKD0


That dude is going to be breaking a bundle in half in his 40s


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

Jaws said:


> That dude is going to be breaking a bundle in half in his 40s



I wonder how many he damaged when he threw them down.


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## SectorSecurity (Nov 26, 2013)

Was I the only person who was expecting the ladder to snap in the center as he went up

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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

SectorSecurity said:


> Was I the only person who was expecting the ladder to snap in the center as he went up
> 
> Sent from my XP7700 using Tapatalk


Nope. Not only was I expecting it. I was rooting for it.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

He sees a guy in his underwear carrying four bundles.

I see a dumbass in coveralls who's too cheap to pay 65 bucks to have it loaded.

That being said, I could carry them. Not up a ladder. But it would hurt. Pretty impressive, in a here, hold my beer way.

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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

All the roofing suppliers do roof top delivery here, That just looked stupid to me.. Why risk dropping a nut:blink:


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> All the roofing suppliers do roof top delivery here, That just looked stupid to me.. Why risk dropping a nut:blink:


We have a few that deliver and spread around. No additional cost.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

VinylHanger said:


> He sees a guy in his underwear carrying four bundles.
> 
> I see a dumbass in coveralls who's too cheap to pay 65 bucks to have it loaded.
> 
> ...


I wonder if that's all underweenie does? His salary has to be more than $65 per job and in a short while when he files a WC claim, he's going to be a really expensive employee.

I'm guessing he usually carries one at a time. I bet it took him longer to do the 4 between getting the drink, staging them on his shoulder, climbing the ladder 1 step at a time and busting up a bunch of corners.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Maybe we should be asking what's in his drink.

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