[TowerTalk] Tower Incidents

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2016 23:53:54 -0400
From: "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net>
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Incidents

To me, the cable breaking incident points out a failure in procedure as 
well as the cable.

How many of us would use our fall arrest gear as a temporary rest 
support? I'd hazard a guess and say, none!
"Again, to me" using that cable (a fall arrest gear) equates to using 
our fall arrest gear for a temporary rest support. Yes the cable is for 
fall arrest, not normal support where I'd use the Y support  for a rest 
support.  True, had someone fallen the safety cable would have failed, 
most likely leading to a fatality.
Still the point is someone using safety equipment for regular support, 
where the Y cable is for climbing.

73

Roger (K8RI)

##  The safety cable is used for climbing up /down, thats it.  But you could
easily use it as a TEMP rest support during both climbing up /down. 

Lets forget aruba for a second, where the local wx  eats everything in sight, including the
guy wires holding up your tower, and the myriad of pre-forms used on a guyed tower.

Most folks  trust their  pre-forms  used in their guyed towers, so why not the pre-form
used at the top of the tower, used for the safety cable, esp since the cable is .375 inch,
which means the mating pre-form is also huge.   Or use 3-4  cable clamps.  

Hook on the safety slider, climb part way up the tower, use ur lanyard if  you want to rest a bit,
then un hook lanyard, climb to top, then re-hook the lanyard.   In the mean time, you will not falloff 
for any reason.   One could be in good shape...and still feel  faint all of a sudden, up a tower for a 
while in the blazing hot sun. Or stung by wasps / hornets, or having to use one hand to swat wasps
away, or say a leg / foot /ankle cramp.  Or somehow hurting a hand  /arm / fingerS while working up
there.  I have had some of those items happen to myself.... and just had to wait a while... b4 climbing back down.
No fun trying to  climb down a tower, with blood pouring out of one hand. 

Jim   VE7RF