[TowerTalk] fall arresting equipment

[Michael Bruss]

So far all my antennas have been on the roof.  I have a new house with a
steeply pitched roof (most is 10/12, some is 14/12) and want to do some
work at the peak.  I know I should wear a harness, but have some questions
about the type and attachments.  There seem to be a variety of D-ring
attachments.  Most have one on the back; some have additional ones on the
sides or chest straps.  Does it make any difference which is used?

I understand that a shock-absorbing lanyard should be used, but to what do
I attach it.  I can get a 5/8" safety line over the house and can anchor
it to large porch posts on both sides.  But how do I attach the lanyard to
the rope?  I've seen ads for rope grabbers that slide freely until you
fall, then they are supposed to grab, but all the ads show the safety line
in a vertical position.  Do rope grabbers work on a rope that's at a slant
on a roof?  If rope grabber won't work here, then what is the best
solution?  [Yeah, I realize that the rope will be vertical from the edge
of the roof to the ground, but I'd like to stop before I get to the edge.]
I'd like to be protected while I ascend and descend as well as when I'm up
there.

I'm considering putting a D-ring in the middle of the safety line and
connecting the lanyard to that.  Then I would have ground helpers on each
end of the safety line.  Each helper would have several wraps of the line
around a porch post on their side of the house.  The helpers could belay
the line as I ascend and descend, and while I'm at the peak, they could
tie the ends of the line to the porch posts.  Any problems with this plan?

Thansk,  Mike, KF6IMS


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