First, and perhaps most important safety element in residential roofing is a mental attitude. You must be careful and cautious. You must realize that you are responsible for your own safety, and if you fall or hurt yourself you, and perhaps your family as well, must suffer. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one is going to do it for you. You probably understand this when driving a car or when chopping vegetables at the kitchen counter; you must understand this when climbing on a roof.
Never rely on someone else’s judgment about whether a situation is safe or not (unless you’re an apprentice working alongside a master roofer). Use your own judgment. If you don’t feel safe in any given situation, don’t proceed. Stop and do whatever is necessary to improve the safety of the situation to your satisfaction, then continue. Never be in a hurry when working on a slate roof. It only takes one slip and you’re history. This issue about attitude cannot be overemphasized. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times when working at heights.