Check, Check and CHECK again!

[Gnarlyoak]

Good afternoon all. How often do the climbers out there, who are doing the job day in & day out, who are repetitively performing the same actions in each tree when setting their anchor point, check and then double check the setting of their anchor each and every time. Does it become an autonomous action which you complete almost subconsciously each time you do it.

 

Does the familiarity of the same action each and every time, risk you becoming unconciously complacent. Before last week I would not have stopped to think about such an existential question. Since last week I think I may have formed a different view, but then again hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

Last thursday morning, I was in the process of dismantling a smallish inconsequential robinia. I climbed to the top part of the tree and set my mainline up through a cambium saver. Locked my karabiner into place on my harness, and then released my side strop to move around the tree and begin the dismantling of the same. Only to suddenly find my self hurtling to the ground at an increasing speed of knots. Needless to say the impact arrival at the foot of the tree was fast, unexpected and jeez Loiuse excrutiatingly painful. The pain came from right ankle which had taken a massive impact blow on my descent. As the groundy/employer tried to disconnect my twisted rope from my harness, and through the sheets of pain, I was pulling at my rope to work out what had gone wrong. The problem when I found it was obvious and the error blindingly and stupidly basic. When passing my rope through the cambium saver, I had missed passing it through 1 of the 2 rings! WTF!!!!!!!

 

The rest of the day became a blur of pain and morphine induced surreal nightmare. Punctuated throughout with the nagging self admonishment of how, why, stupid stupid stupid. The guy I was working for was a solid rock of support and encouragement, the paramedics, NHS trauma team and surgeons were outstanding.

 

The outcome. I suppose I was lucky, it could have been so much worse....! Despite falling approx 40ft, was a broken right ankle. I say broken, in fact the impact I sustained in the fall, managed to smash the base of my tibia and fibula into 29 pieces, the tibia also had a helical fracture which extended up to within 3 inches of my knee. The only thing that was keep my foot (which was also dislocated) connected to my leg was skin and sinew. I spent 5hrs in surgery the following day having an "external fixator" fitted to try and stablise the broken bones. I'll have to wear this for at least 6 weeks, while the bones try to heal themselves, and form something a bit more solid than the soup they currently are. Assuming I don't have any further complication, I will then have to spend at least a further 6 weeks in plaster.

 

If all goes well, then I will only be unable to work for the rest of this year! SO trust me boys and girls, if you want a mechanno set buy one, and double check your rope is set properly before you release your side strop. 'COS you definately don't want to do what I did and get a free one off the NHS. I've had a world of pain for the last 6 days, and 3 painful, boring months of recovery to look forward to...........

 

To add insult to injury, the paramedic had to cut off my boot, less than two months old, and the NHS trauma team at Wythenshaw Hospital, Manchester had to cut off my chainsaw pants, less than 1 month old. The paramedic would have done it but did'nt have anything strong enough to cut thru the material.

 

Enjoy the pics, and stay safe people.

[Pooch0151]

That looks bad mate hope you get better soon Tom

[RobArb]

Ouch mate, that looks sore, heal well and heal quick

 

On the subject of checking, yes I do, every time! Its just something that I've drilled onto myself over the years, never release my side strop till I know my anchor is safe and holds...

 

Hope you make a full recovery, and soon:thumbup:

 

Sent from my Galaxy S2

[nepia]

Crikey, that's bad. As you say it could have been worse coming down from 40'.

 

Now don't get me wrong here but I hope I can bring a smile to your face... I reckon you asked the medics to cut off your trousers so that Santa can bring you these; go on you know you want to.

 

Work trousers from engelbert strauss

 

 

Heal soon, heal well.

 

Jon

[bbtarb]

sorry to hear this, hope your recovery goes smooth and nice one for sharing

[ballymac]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and thanks for posting. I think we all do things automatically after a while and hopefully your experience will help remind us to double check everything

[silky fox]

Good of you to post.if your fall encourages people to double check...then it wasn,t in vain..speedy recovery...When i am setting my anchor point,(in this case using a cambium saver)as i clip the system on my anchor ring i sit back an take up the slack until i hear the clink of the rings and i,m suspended.....then i take off my strop.i,m a creature of habit......GET WELL SOON MATE!

[mistahbenn]

Damn Rick, sorry to hear! Luckily the pics haven't downloaded to my phone. I hope you have a quick heal and don't get too bored!

[csjr]

hope your recovery goes smoothly and swiftly, thanks for sharing!!

[Le Sanglier]

Bad bad stuff, I have just got back to work after a tumble, broke 6 ribs, 10 days in hospital, epidural, lots of pain, loss of money etc, people were always saying "oh that"s terrible! are you ok? what bad luck!" and I was thinking, "no it's not, it"s me being a bloody careless fool!" I wish you a quick recovery, all the best.

Mick