[TowerTalk] Tower Incidents

[Herbert Schoenbohm]

I know of an incident in St. Thomas where a fall protection system 
actually failed. My son a Comtrain certified instructor where preparing 
for a 225 foot climb and the owner of the tower, the biggest owner of 
towers across the country, required that any climber must use the fall 
protection system installed on it.  His co-worker was up first at 100 
feet and took a short rest with his weight, about 200 lbs, on the 
cable.  Than bang the cable broke at the fitting at the top and down he 
came. Fortunately a microwave dish at 40 feet broke his fall but he was 
still badly injured with many broken bones when he finally hit the 
ground.  What added insult to injury was the cable came down on top of 
him as well. My son called for help while removing the tangle mess and 
stabilizing the victim.  The co--worker survived after several months in 
the hospital.  Ironically while my son was visiting in the hospital 
there were five lawyers waiting outside to handle the case.  The 
settlement was close to a million dollars. The tower had also been 
inspected by a mainland company only a month before the incident. 
Everybody lawyer-ed up and was litigating against each other before it 
was all over.  But here is a case were the very component designed to 
save a life nearly cy caused the loss of one.

The problem was eventually traced to internal cable corrosion where the 
cable connected at the top of the tower.  Apart from replacing 
everything every 5 years the internal rot on stainless fittings is 
nearly impossible to detect. The hook and unhook with two fall arrest 
cords IMHO the best way to climb. It takes more time but it is safer.


On 6/21/2016 6:05 AM, Bill wrote:
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> On 6/21/2016 12:06 AM, Wilson wrote:
>> I asked the other day, during the fall related messages, if anyone 
>> had, or knew of anyone who had, been saved by a fall protection system.
>> I didn’t see any answers, so maybe I didn’t send as I thought.
>> SO does anyone know of actual fall incidents where the climber was 
>> caught by a harness or belt, with safety cable or conventional hookup.
>> 73,
>> Wilson
>> W4BOH
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