ANK

Brilliant rope. Works well for SRT and great value for money. Doesn’t hold knots as well as some others but still great. Can be spliced too [emoji108]

We do a lot of commercial work for big construction firms and councils so all climbing systems have to be CE certified and fit for purpose. It’s a very professional and well run company which is great but they have to be really careful to adhere to any HSE guidelines or legislation. So what wouldn’t be a problem for many climbers can be for us. I just don’t believe using the ASAP to be inherently “dangerous” and there doesn’t seem to be any clear legislation one ways or the other as to if it can be used in tree work.

Exactly that! I’m asking because Petzl mentioned that the ASAP could potentially be used in tree work but that when deployed with a shock absorber it can easily generate 4 to 5kn of force. So I’m wondering if our anchor points that we select can withstand 4 to 5kn of force? And how much force a 500mm fall generates. If I can tick all the boxes that Petzl stipulate then I can argue my case to the company I work for.

A ventral attachment is fine as well which would be the preferred choice if it were to be used in tree work. I’ve used it in tree work already and it’s the best system I’ve found to keep climbing on two ropes as close to climbing on one rope as possible. You don’t notice it’s there and it just follows you around the tree. Every now and then you have to tend it to take some slack out but no more than if you were using two work positioning systems. It’s just that recently it’s been brought to light at the company I’m at that we may not be able to use it for tree work. So currently I can’t use it [emoji17]. I’m just digging for info to be able to clarify the issue further. Really helpful input guys. Thanks!

Hahaha. I know what you mean. I never thought I’d spend my spare time finding out about wrist thickness anchors but legislation can be a pain and in this case it is.

Cheers for the replies people. I’ve been climbing a while so I’m not asking out of concern about the strength of the anchor points. It all comes back to a previous post about using rope access equipment in tree work. In rope access anchors have to be rated to 12kn minimum which is easily done in an urban environment but I wondered if any testing had been done on the anchors we use day to day. If I can show that our anchor points can withstand a 12kn fall then I’m one step closer to being able to use a Petzl ASAP as a fall arrest In Tree work

Anyone know why we climb on an anchor point that is wrist thickness or above? Have there been tests done on this or is it just that wrist thickness and above is considered safe? Cheers!

Anyone know how much force is generated on the anchor point from a 250mm fall? I know there are a lot of factors that come into play like climbers weight, but I’d imagine there have been some tests done, I just can’t find them. Cheers!

The zigzag is approved for tree work. It was made for tree work. I’m talking about the ASAP. A fall arrest device designed for Rope access work. Just wanted to clear that up 👍

Hey Rich, I’ve been climbing for over 11 years now with the last year moving over to working from two ropes. I don’t mind working from two ropes and I’m not trying to prove the guy at my company wrong at all. I respect what he says, but this is new ground for all of us and views seem to differ on what constitutes a second system and what equipment is “allowable”. A good example is that in the new arb association handbook it says that a fall arrest system that follows the user is an acceptable option for a second system. But I’ve yet to find a fall arrest device that a manufacturer will say can be used for tree work. The DMM buddy and ISC rocker are both no no’s and so is the ASAP potentially. But whoever wrote the book must have an idea of what could be used I’d assume? The only “legitimate” solution in the company so far is two separate systems but as anyone who has tried using two devices it is often almost unworkable. People are also using a loosely tied VT with a hitch climber on a single line that moves with the user like a fall arrest device. But for it move up and down freely the knot has to be so loose it wouldn’t bite unless it was set anyway. So if a climber cut their primary line or had an anchor failure it wouldn’t provide any safety for them anyway.

Cheers Jamie. I’m in dialogue with arb suppliers currently and will be contacting Petzl directly, although not sure of the best person to speak to yet. As you say, they will likely give the best clarification. I’m aware that they will likely come back with it not being suitable for tree work as it hasn’t been tried and tested in that environment and they will have to cover themselves. But I know there are plenty of people on here with experience and insight into these things and may have even come across this question already.

I’ve skimmed through the posts regarding using the Petzl ASAP as fall arrest system and was wondering where the user stands from a legal point of view when using it as it’s not technically designed for tree work. I’m aware that it needs to be used with a shock absorbing lanyard and attached to a sternal or dorsal point on a fall arrest harness but is that enough to make it a suitable option for tree work? Im asking this because I’ve recently been using it at work and found it to be an excellent solution for climbing with two lines. However, last week I was told from one of the office staff I can’t use it anymore as it’s not designed for tree work. At first I accepted it and thought it’s just something I’ll have to deal with, but the more I’ve looked into it the more I see it doesn’t seem to be as clear cut as I first thought with many arb suppliers selling the ASAP and ASAP lock as “acceptable devices for a second line in tree work”. If anyone could shed some light on this issue and let me know one way or the other that would be great! Thanks in advance.

Definitely. Laurence is a cool guy and has loads of knowledge. If you want to learn about SRT and a few other things this is definitely worth the few dollars it costs. [emoji106]

Nice one. Thanks Steve [emoji106]

Hey People, Does anyone know if the Red Teufelberger Fly rope can be spliced? Not sure of the construction of it, but it’s different to any line I’ve used before. Thanks! Al