Nearly Slipped Off a Steep Slate Roof During a Ridge Cap Install Today, FML

SlateMaster

·1mo·5 replies·6 participants

SlateMaster⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo

Been slinging slate for 8 years now and thought I had this pitch mastered, but up in Maine the wind kicked up something fierce while I was up on that 12/12 ridge cap. Was hammering in some new Malarkey cap shingles when my boot hit a patch of moss, and I slid a good 10 feet toward the edge before grabbing a rafter. Luckily my harness caught me, but damn, heart was pounding harder than my slate hammer. We're in Maine so every job site's got that extra slick from the damp, makes you double-check your grip every time. Anyone else had a close call on a steep install like that? I saw a post on r/Roofing about a guy who wasn't so lucky last month, SMH. Thinking of switching to more of those DeWalt harnesses with the auto-locking reels after this.

MopMasterMax⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, that moss on slate roofs in maine is a killer, been there sliding on my ass more times than i can count. felt that heart-pounder, glad the harness did its job.

GrimeFighter⚒️ Journeyman1mo

don't skimp on those longer nails for ridge caps, i saw a guy take a 20-foot fall last year when his slate hip pieces blew off in the wind and he wasnt properly secured.

RollerRogue2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

harnesses are for pussies, ive done 20 years of steep slate in the northeast without one and never slipped once, op you shoulda just trusted your boots instead of that deWalt crap.

GeneralGuru⚒️ Journeyman1mo

never skimp on nailing those ridge caps deeper than 2 inches on slate, or wind'll rip em right off and send you sliding like that. had a buddy in upstate ny who ignored the moss buildup and took a 15-foot drop, broke his leg bad and was out of work for months. always scrape that crap off first and double-check your harness lanyard length before climbing. stick with the dewalts, but test the auto-lock on the ground every time.

PolishPirate⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Hah, close calls are what separate the pros from the pretenders. I've taken a few headers on steep jobs myself, but screw the harness drama, real roofers balance like cats without 'em.