Close call Discussion

I was doing my regular reading at Treebuzz and they are discussing a recent and very interesting close call/accident situation while using 9 mm line for climbing with prusik knots and how the knot do not grab that skinny line properly. Check it out.

Here is the link ( Copy and past if you need to)
http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=48465&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1

Good find no that ETCC mishap thread!

I understand that there is a lot more to climbing than just doing municipal tree work off ½” Arbormaster. I know that there is super light line, alloy gear, and saddles that are designed for things other than toteing around a 12 pound, top-handle chainsaw all day, but that ANSI standard we go by here is a life saver indeed.

Geez, 9mm “anything” (other than utility cord) is bad news in my book.

Interesting thread, thanks for the lead on that.
Ej

and yet cavers, canyoneers, long drop rappellers, fireman, big wall rappellers and Tactical users all use 9 mm ropes daily, with not one recorded incident of injury or fatality. some even use the newer rope fibers, or hybrids, in the 7 - 8 mm range. Again, not one recorded fatality...

The incident mentioned smacks of operator error ) , in not checking the prussick for slippage before weighting it. Hardly the ropes fault (see first paragraph)

just saying. the 1/2" rule is not law, thger eis many options out there for us rope users. TRAINING is key.

SRT- Tech,

Need clarrification:

Are you stating that cavers, etc use only prussiks for life support on a 9mm rope or that they use 9mm rope with ascenders or other mechnical gear(such as racks, etc.).

Please note: I think I can savelly say that we both know that cavors etc use mechanical gear. And in some cases they just use prussiks or knots. What I am asking is are you stating that you have seen them use only prussiks or other friction knots on a 9mm rope?

The reason I ask this is becuase it was stated in the discussion on Tree Buzz that the rope in question is intended to be used only with ascenders.

And that goes back to training and knowing your gear.

Just wanting clarrification that is all.

The incident was caused by using a prusik cord diameter that was too large for the 9mm access line. Any new friction cord/climbing line combination (if you're using a separate split tail or prusik) should be tested low to make sure it grabs properly before committing to a climb. I think that's the general lesson of the incident.

The specific lesson is that somone installed a skinnier diameter access line than the climbers were expecting. Their prusik cords were all matched to an expected thicker diameter access line.

It does start to get challenging to find a prusik cord less than 9mm that is rated strong enough, is abrasion resistant and grabs well.
-moss

Originally posted by Wildrice
The reason I ask this is becuase it was stated in the discussion on Tree Buzz that the rope in question is intended to be used only with ascenders.

And since those climbers were arborist climbers they would not be meeting minimal professional arborist saftey standards if they used cord that would grab the 9mm (it would be very thin cord). The mistake was made by whoever hung the 9mm line for this group of climbers. And compounded by the climber who didn't test his prusik grab before ascending.

Always test thoroughly before ascending when someone else rigs your climbing system.
-moss