Aerial rescue debate

[Gray git]

My thoughts on this are that you should have the kit On site near the tree incase something happens, don't wonder about On the ground with a harness on looking like a ponse as you will have to take all your gear off it to be able to work safely if at all and this will take far longer to replace and you might forget a vital item than it would take to put on a fully equipped modern harness with quick clips.

If the climber feels the situation carries a higher risk they should plan for an escape should anything happen.

If the whole job is of a high risk to the climber shouldn't we be Mewp ing it according to all the hse bumf, ideal world I know.

Had a situation a while back when I subbed in a very experienced bloke to grounds for me as had a rig down that needed a delicate approach, didn't bring his Kit as New I was climbing but I had him down as rescuer, luckily only 10 min from home so nipped back for my spare kit and all was ok but if this was an hour away would I have called off the job? Not sure?

[aspenarb]

Going back to the original post about the second guy leaving the climber in the tree. For at least five years we have this no lone working policy imposed on us by all of the contractors we work for, at the end of the day its what they have requested and should be priced in accordingly. Another problem is that the largely generic r.a.m.s are sometimes scrutinized on the job. It is virtually impossible to detail in writing how a job will be undertaken so the r.a.m.s need the addition on the bottom of the page that on the day operatives will take a view on a "real time risk assessment" and method statement. That should cover any deviations necessary on the day. Going back to the climbers safety, I know of two very accomplished climbers that have had very near misses, one of them slipped and stuck a topper into his neck and the other had a similar situation and nearly cut his hand off at the wrist .The second one fell unconscious and had to be removed from the tree by the fire brigade. There are old climbers and bold climbers but there are no old bold climbers. Be safe its only a job.

 

Bob

[Agent-Arb]

I'm in a 4 man team, we usually access with SRT then change over to DdRT. Then get the ascenders, hitch etc lowered back down so its ready to go if needed.

If we don't choose SRT for access on a tree, we will get a secondary line(DdRT) installed on a fork below the climbers TIP/main anchor as soon as they're up there.

 

It's never been needed yet but it's a good thing to have in place, far more useful than having a harness on when working on the ground but no line installed... Although on occasion we have set a harness up ready to go on the 2nd line, all tied on as a potential timesaver.

 

Trust is a biggy in an emergency, but the one thing you can't practice is how you would react when your mate's screaming & blood is everywhere. I've been there with a couple of minor ones in the past, a silky cut & chainsaw 'kiss' and I know I was far better equipped mentally to react properly & sort it the second time round. It took the reality of the first one though to make me know what to expect - & more importantly to make myself KNOW how to react if it happened again.

 

Bottom line: A bit of planning & practice stops the headless chicken performance in an emergency.

 

 

 

Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

[marcus_arb]

When I read some of the comments I cannot believe it, "Have the aerial rescuer in his harness whilst the climber performs a dangerous procedure" or " have another climber in the tree" most of the time I work/have worked with just a brash monkey no chance of rescue, so do many people I suspect. Nothing macho just economics.

 

What's hard to believe about having a second climber in the tree! It's not only safer because you can rescue each other but it gets the job done quicker, I've worked in trees with 3 or 4 other climbers in the past

[Le Sanglier]

What were you doing with 5 climbers up one tree? (Out of interest)

[marcus_arb]

What were you doing with 5 climbers up one tree? (Out of interest)

 

Any thing. If the tree is big enough we'll all go up

[Pat Ferrett]

Topping conifer hedges and trees is so much easier with 2 climbers

[Arran Turner]

What's hard to believe about having a second climber in the tree! It's not only safer because you can rescue each other but it gets the job done quicker, I've worked in trees with 3 or 4 other climbers in the past

 

At one of the firms i work for we always go 2 up on street tree reductions and work gets smashed out and you can have a laugh and joke when working. also if someone needs rescuing you are on them in seconds pretty much.

 

Best type of rescue is a self rescue if that cannot be achieved just fell the tree

[skyhuck]

I have only ever shared a tree once, got to say I did not really like it.

 

Whats the H&S implications of more than one climber in a tree, obviously we all know about two and a half hight of trees distance for felling, but whats he score up the tree???

[marcus_arb]

At one of the firms i work for we always go 2 up on street tree reductions and work gets smashed out and you can have a laugh and joke when working. also if someone needs rescuing you are on them in seconds pretty much.

 

Best type of rescue is a self rescue if that cannot be achieved just fell the tree

 

I find It makes me look at the other climber and think he's going quicker than me an makes me step it up a bit haha