HSE: Industrial rope access - investigation into items of personal ...

CONTENTS
1 PRINCIPLES .........................................................................................................................1
1.1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE .............................................................................................. 2
1.3 QUESTIONNAIRE........................................................................................................................ 3
1.4 TESTING...................................................................................................................................... 3
2 ROPES ..................................................................................................................................7
2.1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 ROPE TYPES .............................................................................................................................. 7
2.3 ULTIMATE STATIC STRENGTH ................................................................................................. 9
2.4 ROPES: SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 10
3 KNOTS ................................................................................................................................11
3.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 11
3.2 METHODS ................................................................................................................................. 11
3.3 RESULTS................................................................................................................................... 12
3.4 CONTAMINATED ROPE TESTS............................................................................................... 20
4 ANCHOR FORCES .............................................................................................................23
4.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 23
4.2 ABSEILING ................................................................................................................................ 23
4.3 ASCENDING.............................................................................................................................. 24
4.4 WORK POSITIONING................................................................................................................ 25
4.5 WORKING.................................................................................................................................. 26
4.6 RIGGING.................................................................................................................................... 27
4.7 ASCENDING/DESCENDING RAPIDLY..................................................................................... 28
4.8 SUMMARY................................................................................................................................. 28
5 ROPE PROTECTORS........................................................................................................29
5.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 29
5.2 METHODS ................................................................................................................................. 29
5.3 UNPROTECTED........................................................................................................................ 29
5.4 ROLL MODULE (PETZL) ........................................................................................................... 30
5.5 CANVAS SHEATH..................................................................................................................... 30
5.6 POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) COATED FABRIC SHEATH.................................................... 30
5.7 COMPRESSED AIR FLEXIBLE HOSE PIPE............................................................................. 31
5.8 CARPET..................................................................................................................................... 31
5.9 PVC COATED FABRIC SCRAPS (SIMULATED ROPE BAG)................................................... 32
5.10 ROPE PROTECTORS - SUMMARY ........................................................................................ 32
6 ROPE ADJUSTMENT DEVICES ........................................................................................35
6.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 35
6.2 TYPE A – BACK-UP DEVICES.................................................................................................. 35
6.3 TYPE B - ASCENDER DEVICES............................................................................................... 54
6.4 TYPE C - DESCENDER DEVICES............................................................................................ 63
7 ATTACHMENT LANYARDS (COW’S TAILS)....................................................................79
7.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 79
7.2 METHODS ................................................................................................................................. 79
7.3 KNOTTED ROPE COW’S TAILS ............................................................................................... 80
7.4 PETZL “JANE” SEWN TERMINATION COW’S TAILS .............................................................. 81
7.5 KNOTTED TAPE COW’S TAILS................................................................................................ 81
7.6 COW’S TAILS - SUMMARY....................................................................................................... 81
8 LANYARDS (FALL ARREST) ............................................................................................83
8.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 83
8.2 BEAL “BEP” ENERGY ABSORBER .......................................................................................... 84
8.3 BH SALA.................................................................................................................................... 85
8.4 CHARLET MOSER .................................................................................................................... 85
8.5 PAMMENTER & PETRIE (P & P) .............................................................................................. 86
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