Attaching a climber to the crane...best ways

[GilaShot]

hey gang
Started with a new company recently and the tow cranes have blocks, not balls. All the cranes I've climbed off of in the past have had a Clevis above the ball with a friction saver and 2 steel carabiners. (Actually, one had a pulley carabinered directly to the cable so that it was always side-loaded, but I'd rather forget that.)

Anyway, at this new company they have always climbed just by running their ropes directly through the hook. Not a good idea of course.

So, to my point. Anyone out there climbing off of a crane with a block, and if so how do you tie in?:monkey:

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

You might ask Norm Hall, this is his Face Book page.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Norm-Hall/1600733452

He has the most crane experiance of anyone I know.

 

[lego1970]

I'm not sure I'm understanding you right, but a tree company that I worked for had a crane. He had a hook but it at least had a flimsy spring loaded gate on it. Eitherway, the couple times I was tied into the crane I used a flat lanyard then would double wrap it onto the hook and that would keep me from sliding around on the hook. It would of taken a heck of a shake from the crane to get enough slack on the lanyard for it to come off the hook even without a gate, but if there is no type of closure on the hook I don't think I would feel comfortable tieing into it, no matter how remote it would be to pop off it. Good luck and hope you get the proper answer.

 

[Curtis James]

I just took a class with Norm Hall and sounds like you were doing it right in the first place you worked.

Norm stated the components used to make it all up to standards is a 17 ton screw pin shaclke attached on top of the ball with the a double locking carabiner through the screw pin shackle, gate facing up with a two foot ring & ring carabiner being secured in place with the carabiner that goes through the pin. occasionally the crain ball may call for a longer friction saver but it must be above the hook as to not get tangled.

The class was awesome. It is all I could talk about for weeks. I learned alot of great things. This is how I think others feel when they meet celebrities. I was in the presence of the wise ones sponging in as much info as I could. These guys are my celebrities. anyway Mr. Hall seems totally approchable and might send you pictures of the set up if you ask nicely.

 

[lego1970]

I was thinking about this some more. The times I've been tied into a crane, I've been under the weight of my body the whole time, therefore it was highly unlikely that my lanyard would pop out of the hook. Without some kind of gate preventing your rope or lanyard from coming out of a hook, there could be times when you could get enough slack to lift the rope/lanyard off the hook. For example, being lowered into the top of a tree there could be a time when you are not yet tied into the tree but as you are lowered in the tree you could stand up on a branch accidently causing your lanyard to slack up and pop off the hook. As others mentioned there are better ways to tie into it, but thought I'd better mention that potential flaw while it was fresh in my head. Good luck.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I was thinking about this some more. The times I've been tied into a crane, I've been under the weight of my body the whole time, therefore it was highly unlikely that my lanyard would pop out of the hook. Without some kind of gate preventing your rope or lanyard from coming out of a hook, there could be times when you could get enough slack to lift the rope/lanyard off the hook. For example, being lowered into the top of a tree there could be a time when you are not yet tied into the tree but as you are lowered in the tree you could stand up on a branch accidently causing your lanyard to slack up and pop off the hook. As others mentioned there are better ways to tie into it, but thought I'd better mention that potential flaw while it was fresh in my head. Good luck.

It's pretty much a no no to ride the hook regardless of whether it has a gate on it or not but I've seen it done many times. The few rides I've taken I had a big ol' clevis above the ball with my ring and ring friction saver through that. I wrapped electrical tape around my friction saver so it wouldn't come off the clevis even if my rope wasn't through the rings. I like this method 'cause it's fast but I doubt it's recommended. I'd work off the FS to set my choker on the hook and have the crane cable up while I worked my friction hitch to keep me in the same spot. As soon as the right amount of lift was applied to the load I'd rappel off the crane, down the tree to my cutting point, pull my climb line out, leaving my FS attached above the ball and make my cut. Worked slick.

 

[randyg]

Don't trust that flimsy spring loaded latch on the hook, very small branch can trip that gate open. Find a place to install clevis, or strap and carabiners, or ring and ring friction saver on the boom. Make sure it's "bomb proof".

IF I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO TIE IN SOLELY TO THE HOOK: I would double or triple wrap ring and ring friction saver on hook and rather than have crane op lower me through canopy, I would rappel into canopy while block remained stationary above.

Let us know what you come up with...