[TowerTalk] climbing safety (was climbers Christmas gifts)

RICHARD BOYD ke3q at msn.com
Wed Nov 26 08:47:49 EST 2003


In 40 years of climbing, I have almost always climbed alone.  When I was a teenager I not only climbed alone but had no safety equipment, no climbing belt, no hardhat, always worked on the tower, and did some major stuff, with one arm crooked through a tower leg.  I am sure I am lucky to be here today.  Basically, I "didn't know any better," though even someone who doesn't know any better has a basic idea that, "I don't think this is very safe."  Even if you're a kid with no money, you're better off working at McDonald's long enough to buy a climbing belt.  Your work on the tower will go faster and safer and you will quickly have made up the time you "lost" by working to put together some bucks first.  Wow, the "freedom" when I finally had both hands and arms free while working up on the tower.  And, it took some getting used to.  And, I'm going to start heeding the advice to have a helper on site when working up the tower too, and other "improvements" to my "act," such as climbing hooks -- whatever they're called -- and fall arrest device, those sorts of things that I've never used up until now.

I agree, helpers should stay away from the "drop zone" unless they have to quickly go in to pick up something.  And then the guy up the tower should hold still to limit the chance of dropping something, and the helpers should be wearing hard hats.  Still, the hard hat doesn't protect your shoulder bones, the pointy ones that stick up, or kneecaps, etc.  Get one of those hit with a wrench and you'll know it.  I've suggested before hard plastic padded football shoulder pads.  They would help.  They would afford protection to the shoulders much like the hard hat gives to the head.

We should all remember N8SM, which is in our recent memory, and others we know who have fallen but survived, though some with serious injuries, but they recovered, etc.  "There but for the grace of God go I."

73 - Rich, KE3Q
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tony King - W4ZT 
  To: (Reflector) TowerTalk 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 12:23 PM
  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] tower climbers xmas gift


  At 11:08 AM 11/25/2003, Jerry Keller wrote:
  >Many of the posts for this subject indicate there's a lot of "solo" tower 
  >climbing going on. I don't climb, but if I did I would never do so without 
  >a helper on the ground to watch my back and send up stuff. Let's see.... 
  >where did I get that good safety idea? I believe it was here on 
  >TowerTalk... :-)  73,  Jerry K3BZ
  <snip>

  This is a very good point. Climbing alone is a very risky thing to do yet 
  folks are doing it every day. Even if you climb with a buddy on the ground, 
  if you don't haul the end of a string or 1/4 inch line with you, he can't 
  help you retrieve something you drop or something you forgot to take with you.

  Recently we had a friend sustain a very deep gash in the top of his head 
  which required ten staples (that's more than 20 stitches) as a result of a 
  falling tower part. Since that accident, me and the other few climbers in 
  our group have agreed that we will NEVER climb with folks below that are 
  NOT wearing hard hats. They're cheap, available at Home Depot, Lowes and 
  many other places (another GREAT tower climber's gift! Give one to each of 
  your ground crew).

  Fortunately we didn't lose our friend but we could have very easily and 
  that lesson will not be forgotten.

  Climb safe.  Have a wonderful holiday season!

  73,
  Tony W4ZT

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