HSE ALERT - Zig-Zag failure

[Konstantly]

35 days early me thinks..

Saw this yesterday on a Instagram post n thought it didn't quite add up...

Wonder who has an axe to grind?

[Marc]

1 hour ago, EdwardC said:

A load bearing piece of lifting equipment fails and a climber falls from height. And what is the response by many climbers who post here.

 

Suggestions of conspiracies, dismissal of the facts, treating it as nonsense and bullshit and numerous likes for these posts. Is it any wonder that the arb industry is one of the most dangerous and the HSE are getting tougher.

 

Briefings like this are common place in some organisations and raise awareness of risks and advise on how to mitigate them, albeit some briefings are better drafted than others.

 

As I understand it, this dangerous occurrence is reportable to the HSE. If it wasn't reported then someone should encourage the organisation to report it. Also, someone should encourage Petzl to provide the findings of their investigation into the failure, and provide guidance on how to avoid similar incidents.

 

I'm sorry but a report titled "HSE ALERT - High Potential - Equipment failure/Fall from height"

That grabs my attention, this also happened on the 10th of December so some time ago the initial actions are to remove all ZigZag prussiks from use and the failed item has been sent to Petzl for testing.

Then the more you read into the underlying causes, where apparently the cam in the photo is spring loaded to hold it in the up position it suddenly becomes unclear what has occurred.

 

I am the responsible person in my work place, I take these reports very seriously, the only way we will ever improve is to voice our opinions and discuss even when unpopular, I voiced mine and have made it clear i'll disregard the report until further more accurate information is available to me.

My opinion is this only weakens our credibility and is damaging to Petzl, I would go further but I will wait.

 

I do struggle sometimes with how we are seemingly not encourage to question that which is put in front of us, I am happy to be put in my place if I am wrong, its how I learn,,, story of my life 

 

 

[Alex O]

So was it a mk2 or 3 ? In question

[Mark Bolam]

1 hour ago, EdwardC said:

A load bearing piece of lifting equipment fails and a climber falls from height. And what is the response by many climbers who post here.

 

Suggestions of conspiracies, dismissal of the facts, treating it as nonsense and bullshit and numerous likes for these posts. Is it any wonder that the arb industry is one of the most dangerous and the HSE are getting tougher.

 

Briefings like this are common place in some organisations and raise awareness of risks and advise on how to mitigate them, albeit some briefings are better drafted than others.

 

As I understand it, this dangerous occurrence is reportable to the HSE. If it wasn't reported then someone should encourage the organisation to report it. Also, someone should encourage Petzl to provide the findings of their investigation into the failure, and provide guidance on how to avoid similar incidents.

So you know all the facts then?

For a fact?

[Marc]

22 minutes ago, Alex O said:

So was it a mk2 or 3 ? In question

2018 model, I do not think they ever called the revision a mk3 so technically a mk2 with beefier top links.

[TIMON]

Was it the link, or the spring that failed? This alert gives no real information.

Compare it with the DMM caribiner recall a few years ago. That had specific information and a definite course of action recommended by the manufacturer.

 

 

[Marc]

24 minutes ago, EdwardC said:

Are you disputing the facts; zigzag failed, climber fell from height, they're the facts.

 

As to what should follow, but doesn't appear to have, is an investigation by the HSE, with, I would hope, the full cooperation of all the parties involved, which would reveal why it happened, and what can be done to avoid similar incidents in the future. We await that, assuming the HSE have been informed.

 

Declaring the cause of someones very close brush with death or severe injury as mere 'bullshit' or 'none sense' (sic), demonstrates just how woeful the health and safety culture within the arb industry is. Falls from height are one of the main causes of deaths and injuries. Is it any wonder the HSE are tightening up.

No one said the fall or the significance of it is bull shit or none sense, that fact is not being disputed or questioned.

It is the equipment failure that is in question and the lack of facts or understanding of the failure, this is why the safety culture is so woeful.

2 months after the event i'd expect an accurate safety alert, I don't apologise for being so blunt in this regard because as you rightly point out we must do better!

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Marc

[Mark Bolam]

Thanks Marc, you put that across much better than I could have, with much less swearing.

 

None of us are taking it lightly Edward, just pointing out that the original report contains gross inaccuracies.

 

Petzl themselves don't even know about it - Why???

 

I climb on a ZZ when I'm on double line, so I do have a vested interest.

 

As Tom Cruise said in 'A Few Good Men' - I WANT THE TRUTH!

[Konstantly]

I would like to think if this was a true to life incident that both the HSE and petzl would have acted sooner on the subsequent riddor report submitted. 

 

It would not be in the interests of any large company to hide a potential falure such as this and to risk any law suits. 

 I believe that the last time this device had issues it was advised that it should be out of service until futher investigation was launched and results published.

 

I would say that 90% of arb's on hear take their health and safety seriously and will have looked at the facts presented on this bulletin. 

Scratch the surface and alarm bells ring on the integrity of this information.

 

 

 

 

 

[TIMON]

I think there is more to this possible failure than is being disclosed.