Page 152 - Rappelling

1. Pull up some rope and tie a figure eight loop high-rise buildings, bridges, dams, towers, rigs, and
on the rope about 5 feet below the knot joining iconic structures (like the Washington Monument
the two ropes, then clip it into your harness or Mount Rushmore).
belay loop with a locking carabiner. This is your Vertical rope access involves rappelling and
backup knot. rope ascending techniques. To comply with indus-
2. Clamp both ascenders on the rope above your try standards (and be OSHA compliant), the basic
rappel device. Each ascender should be attached vertical rope access system requires a full body har-
to your harness with a sling, and if it is steep ness for the worker and a two-rope system, with
terrain, each ascender should have an etrier each rope independently anchored. One rope is the
(pronounced a-tree-a) rigged on it. working rope, which is the line the worker rappels
and ascends on. The other rope is the safety rope,
3. Release the tension on the rappel device until which is not under tension like the rappel rope.
all your weight is on the ascenders, then take
your rappel device off the rope. This is an important safeguard, since a rope under
tension is more easily cut, and if both ropes are
4. Clip the rope to your rappel device just below under tension by the weight of the worker, both
the knot joining the two ropes. ropes can be more easily cut over a sharp edge or
5. Down jumar, alternating your weight back and by a falling object. The worker attaches a shock-
forth on the ascenders (with your feet in the absorbing lanyard to her harness and clips into the
etriers if needed), until all your weight is on the safety line with a fall-protection device.
rappel device. Your weight must be completely
off the ascenders for you to release the cam
(without taking it off the rope) and slide it
down the rope.
6. Detach the mechanical ascenders, double-check
your system, unclip/untie the backup knot, then
continue rappelling.

Vertical Rope Access Techniques

Vertical rope access is defined as work at height, an
exposed location, or a confined space, where the
worker will need to be suspended from a rope to
achieve a safe work position. These situations occur
when the work station cannot be accessed by use of
a ladder, scaffold, lift, crane, etc., or where it might
be more expedient to use a rope for safety.
Vertical rope access methods first gained wide-
spread use for inspections of oil and gas platforms
in the North Sea. Today vertical rope access tech-
niques are used extensively in construction, wind
energy, and oil and gas industries for inspection,
repair, maintenance, and work on infrastructure like The Petzl Rig.

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