Petzel (www.petzel.com) manufactures a couple of models of "swallow-tail"
shock absorbing fall arrest lanyards. I have one with gorilla hooks. The
lanyard arms are relatively short, and are really designed to attach to the
front D-ring (that's what all of Petzel's drawings show.) I don't consider
the front-D ring as safe for fall arrest as the back D-ring (more danger of
back injury), so I attach the common portion of the lanyard to the back
D-ring. The short arm length and attachment to the back D-ring make
positioning of the arms a bit trickier as you climb, but I don't think this
detracts from safety. With some practice, you'll get the hang of it.
Even if you buy a lanyard with longer arms, you must be careful how you use
them. For example, you want to bring them over your shoulder, not under you
armpit. Even more important, you should not attach one hook above your head
and the other to your belt as you climb. If you do that and fall, the "Y"
portion of the lanyard will reach its limit of travel before the common
portion of the lanyard comes into play. This will defeat the shock absorber
on the common portion of the lanyard and you will be hanging from the side
ring of your belt (perhaps with a broken pelvis.) I've found the best
procedure is to keep the hooks attached to the tower until you move them. I
start out by putting both hooks on the highest rung above my head that I can
reach. Then I climb until the hooks are between waist and knee level. Then I
move one hook to the highest rung above my head that I can reach, then move
the other hook to that same rung. Thus, one hook is always attached to the
tower, and most of the time both hooks are attached to the same rung.
I've also been using a quick positioning system on the front D-ring. This
consists of a short (6") climbing strap (22 kilonewtons strength), with
man-load safety carabiners at each end. One carabiner is attached to the
front D-ring and the other can be attached to a tower rung. The whole thing
is about 12" long. When I get tired, I can quickly snap the free carbiner
onto a tower rung and lean back to rest. This takes far less time and is far
less difficult than stringing the positioning belt through or around the
tower when I need a rest. (Hanging on to the tower with one hand and
stringing the belt with the other, plus all the extra snapping and
unsnapping can cause a lot of hand and arm fatigue.) In fact, the short
positioning system makes it much easier to string the positioning belt when
I get to the work site -- both hands are free to work with the belt and I
don't need to use a hand or arm to hang on to the tower. Of course, both of
the fall arrest hooks are attached whenever I am using either of the
positioning systems.
All that said, my next tower will have a safety cable system. Although this
will add some cost, I think it is a far better system for safe climbing. The
constant repositioning of a Y-lanyard while climbing adds to fatigue and
time spent on the tower. No extra effort is required to lean back and rest
while climbing. Although attachment is at the chest, a cable system provides
adequate fall protection while climbing -- if there is a fall it will be
very short and good systems include a shock absorber. I would still carry a
single or Y-style fall arrest lanyard for use when at the work site, plus
the positioning belt.
73, Dick WC1M
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gene Smar [mailto:ersmar@comcast.net]
> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:39 PM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com; Pete Smith
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] "Swallow-tail" fall arrest lanyards
>
>
> Pete:
>
> Try Buckingham: http://www.buckinghammfg.com/ . They make
> industrial-quality equipment for linemen and arborists. N3RR
> and I have bought equipment from them. You might also try
> Klein Tools at http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/kln50.html .
> They have twin-tail fall arrest lanyards, but not the gorilla
> hooks (ladder hooks) that I think you're looking for. It's a
> start anyway.
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar AD3F
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pete Smith" <n4zr@contesting.com>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 1:02 PM
> Subject: [TowerTalk] "Swallow-tail" fall arrest lanyards
>
>
> > Does anyone know of a reasonably-priced source for the type of
> > fall-arrest lanyards that have two "tails" off a common hook that
> > attaches in the center of your back, such that you can
> always have one
> > attached while climbing. I do this now using my
> positioning lanyard,
> > attached at one
> hip,
> > for the second "tail," but too many people fear for my
> well-being in
> > case
> I
> > ever do fall with this arrangement.
> >
> > 73, Pete N4ZR
> > Happy Holidays
> > Check out the World HF Contest Station Database at
> > www.pvrc.org/wcsd/wcsdsearch.htm
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers",
> > "Wireless
> Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free,
> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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