In a message dated 9/28/2011 4:53:11 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
towertalk-request@contesting.com writes:
> I just bought a Klein harness, which has an eye in the back, behind the
shoulders. This looks like a very bad idea to me, since a fall will
surely
drive ones face into the tower. With a little bad luck, it will hook ones
chin on a brach and break ones neck.
What am I missing here??
Umm, the whole purpose of the Fall Arrest Harness? That is, the
D-ring between the shoulder blades is the primary point of suspension when
behind held by your Fall Arrest Lanyard that's attached to the tower above you
and is the central life-saving device of the whole system.
In the old days, in the event of a fall with a safety belt, it would
ride up under your rib cage, immobilize your diaphragm and suffocate you.
The D-ring in the back catches you in a more natural position that prevents
further damage.
> Steve's harness has no chest hook, so if using a runner one will wind
up
hanging more or less horizontal, with severe stress on the spine when
fetching up on the lanyard.
What am I missing here?
Your hands and feet are pointing towards the ground. You're caught by
the FAL and, if using a shock absorbing lanyard, you're more or less
semi-gently decelerated in a body natural position.
D-rings on the chest are for specialized use and most hams don't have
a safety climb system that would utilize it.
> Re hooks: I saw some guys climbing a while back with large OPEN hooks,
which were great for easy moving while climbing. They were like giant
fish
hooks, maybe four inches across the opening...no snap gates to deal with.
What are they called? I didn't see them at any of the dealers.
Because they're ILLEGAL! Good grief. Would you trust your life to an
open hook? I hope not. OSHA compliant fasteners have to be double action.
> Obviously I haven't started climbiing yet, but hope to soon.
Do yourself a favor and please get ahold of a copy of my tower book
and read the section on safety equipment. And while you're at it, read about
ALL the other things that pertain to installing a safe, reliable tower and
antenna system. Available from _www.championradio.com_
(http://www.championradio.com) .
And congratulations for buying a Klein harness. They're expensive but
worth it if you don't mind the tariff.
Cheers,
Steve K7LXC
TOWER TECH -
Professional tower services for hams
and
Champion Radio Products
Cell: 206-890-4188
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