Dayton, OH — A new video from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association stresses the importance of following manufacturer recommendations for equipment used during rope grabs and two-person pickoff rescue situations.
“When performing a rescue, the backup lifeline is critical,” Brandon Foster, director of safety and field operations at NATE member company VIKOR, says in the video. “But your system needs to be rated for both you and the person that you’re rescuing. The stakes are high, and using your gear in the appropriate manner is paramount.”
The video features footage from drop tests conducted by NATE’s Safety Equipment Manufacturers Committee. Foster notes that NATE has learned of various equipment misuse among workers performing a two-person pickoff rescue with a trailing rope grab.
Although the rope grab is designed to slide along a vertical lifeline and lock to catch the worker in the event of accelerated force, “it does have some limitations,” Foster cautions.
Those can be compounded because many industry products aren’t rated or tested to accommodate two people, SEMC Chair Jeremy Buckles says.
SEMC performed more than 40 drop tests over two days, examining fall arrest components including connectors, lanyards and shock packs while checking for possible rope deformation.
In addition to following manufacturer recommendations – “Always read the literature,” Buckles said – he calls on employers and workers to be aware that:
- Weather and moisture can affect the lanyard and rope grab.
- Compatibility is a factor within the functionality of the rope grab.
“We hope to educate the industry and prevent a tragedy,” Buckles said. “The misuse of these products could result in some very bad situations.”
Buckles added in a press release that NATE also aims to influence standards committees and training organizations toward developing “safer, smarter rescue practices.”
The video is the most recent installment in NATE’s Climber Connection series, which promotes safe work practices for communication tower workers.
