Can anyone give me some safety tips for stepping on and off a sloped roof from/to a ladder. It is the most nerve racking thing I do on a ladder.
Thanks
Agreed. It can be unsettling.
Make sure you’ve got at least 3 rungs above the roof line so you have something to grab.
Tie the ladder onto the gutter or something (or just use a cargo strap) to keep it from shifting.
Step on to a rung that is BELOW the roof line. If you step on a rung above the roof line, you could potentially be creating a pivot point where the ladder rests against the roof, which could be a pretty unfortunate thing.
Here is another option. I have tried to use this at times, but I am so used to using a laddermax standoff that going backwards to get back on to the ladder is even scarier to me. 
It adds 12 lbs to the ladder. This is the same weight of a ladder max. I have tried using both as well, but that’s an additional 24 lbs.
Move slowly
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We make sure that a standoff is on the shingles and our ladders are equipped with the xtenda-leg levelers with the spike option. Still scary at 20+ft off the ground, but at least the worry of lateral slippage is less. 
We usually use the Irwin quick grip c clamp to the gutter to keep it from sliding
The problem that I gave is very few houses in the Phoenix area have gutters.
This is a good idea. Never thought of that.
as i step back onto a ladder when leaving the roof i Slightly lean outwards so that the ladder feet dig in a tad more than normal,with a leverage effect . this is just for the first step or 2 of the descent . im holding on the ladder with both hands and feet at this point .
Yeah I think that they best thing you can do is use a standoff that is positioned so that both arms ar touching the roof AS WELL AS having the ladder touching the edge of the roof (which usually puts 2 rungs above the roof line). Step onto the third rung directly in the middle of the ladder. This is what I have found to be the safest manuever.
Extendable leg-levers and a standoff. I don’t even consider a store-bought ladder useable until I have it outfitted with both. I use the Werner Quick-click standoff and still feel unsafe on that. I saw a window cleaner using the laddermax in portland while I was on vacation there earlier this year and I plan on getting one to try out because it looks a lot safer the the Werner version.
This might sound weird but work on inproving and knowing your body. There have been a few times in my life and once in my window cleaning career where I have shifted weight by 50 lbs. Going from 165 lbs of muscle with great flexibility really does help your confidence / ability to do things safely. I’m 235 lbs right now and I do not do things the way I used to. Time to hit the gym now that the season / stress is over… maybe time to figure out how to not get so stressed too??? another topic all together…
I agree with this 110%. When I started cleaning windows almost three years ago I was about 290. I’m at 232 right now and continuing to drop. EVERYTHING is so much easier and feels safer!
