Will Dean wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
Will Dean wrote:

a) 10mm nylon rope

What kind of rope?

If you fall from above your attachment point using a static rope and no
energy absorbtion pack, you will almost certainly break something, be it
rope, harness or anchor point.

10mm nylon tow rope. The harnesses have limited energy absorption, the
rope has a little but not a lot. The idea is to minimise fall distance.


b) if you do fall, you've got the choice between falling to the ground
and falling 2-3 feet. I prefer the small fall.

It sounds to me that you're looking at a small fall, a sudden jerk/ripping
noise and then a longer fall.

the ladder is the means of rescue.

I thought the ladder had fallen down.... Even if you have an assistant,
they're not going to be able to climb an ordinary ladder, arrange an adult
on their shoulder, cut the lanyard and then climb down with you.

Since one is using ropes, the ladder can usually be tied to prevent it
falling down. With ladder and harness attached to the same point or
same rope, the fall victim will end up next to the ladder - this is
only beneficial for short falls of course.

However there is more than one scenario and more than one approach. If
the faller is uninjured the assistant can reposition the ladder and
hook the harness to the ladder using one of the 2 short clip on ropes,
move the person onto the ladder and either release them from the main
rope or reconnect to a lower point on the rope.

If the faller is injured they can be lowered via the rope using either
of a couple of different methods.


why will you be dead after a few minutes after falling 2 or 3 feet??
Do you think someone would be better off falling all the way to the
ground?

If you're unable to move when you're dangling in your harness, you'll be
dead within a short time for reasons which are not *completely* understood
but are well documented. Look up 'suspension trauma'.

Hmm, didnt know bout that one. Guess its not so useful then.


If you've fallen on
a rope which is tied through a window or over the eaves of a house, you'll
have been bashed into the wall as you fell.

The kit comes in at under £40, most of the cost being for
the harness.

I think you'd be better putting the forty quid towards a higher quality
ladder - I don't think you're going to do much useful for that in terms of
bits of nylon.

What we need then is a controlled decent mechanism, a speed limiter.


NT