Can you use the crane hook as your t.i.p.and rigging point?

[lync]

Two climbers is the way to go!! Fast and less exausting for both climbers. I.ve got a 200ft climbing line in a rope bag just for crane removals. No spurs, just hiking boots a figure 8 and a split tail. up and down, the rope is rebagged by the time I have to go back up. once I set the straps I drop the rope bag and rap to the ground. pull my line out and rebag for the next pick.

Corey

 

[BC WetCoast]

A problem I see with the climber secured to the boom, is that I think it becomes outside the range of the computer load cell. And the crane operators I've worked with don't breath if anything messes with the computer or the tiny computer line running down the side of the boom.

I've been on a job where we wasted almost an hour because a tiny branch had become hung up in the computer wire. No computer wire, the machine is down.

And the largest crane outfit around here won't let anyone ride the hook (company policy).

 

[jomoco]

I've been debating with and writing to the ANSI commitee for almost a year on this subject.

It seems that they are frightened that a clear common sense approach like mine would be misunderstood and result in an accident were it to be adopted and written into their specs.

They see two scary problems with my method.

1. There are many cranes that have no positive locking gates on their load hooks, this scares them silly because of the obvious danger of the lifeline bouncing off the hook.

It is my opinion that no crane should be allowed to work on any job without a lockable hook gate period. I won't work under a crane without one because I've seen the rigging come off the hook as the ball is lowered through a thick canopy on cranes without a locking gate, it's a hazard to both the climber and groundmen below.

2. The potential that a lifeline on the hook could be severed were it to become trapped under rigging hardware under load.

This is easily avoided by using two steel locking clevis' on the hook, one for the rigging, and one for your lifeline TIP. This allows both rigging and lifeline to be unaffected by the ball and crane cable spinning under load because both are on the hook below the 360 degree swivel specifically designed to minimize load spin.

The fact that very few if any climber deaths have occurred to date while tied into a crane has the ANSI commitee totally paranoid to risk changing their specs, and I am somewhat sympathetic to their point of view. In fact I myself am firmly convinced that only experienced journeymen climbers should be allowed to work trees down with a crane regardless of whether they tie onto the crane or not. The potential to get seriously hurt or killed working with a crane is very high, and as every climber knows, all it takes is one mistake or miscalculation, and its game over.

Work safe!

jomoco

 

[BostonBull]

Jomoco.........

Are you saying you run your rope around the hook DIRECTLY? I dont thnk i have understood you this far? If so It hink running your rope around a hook is very dangerous, what about the buurs that the rigging and daily use cause on the hook? This is why we use a MasterLink attached to the hook.

And as for the positive locking gate, with you 100%, and it should be backed up by a clevis pin through the hook IMO!

 

[jomoco]

Jomoco.........

Are you saying you run your rope around the hook DIRECTLY? I dont thnk i have understood you this far? If so It hink running your rope around a hook is very dangerous, what about the buurs that the rigging and daily use cause on the hook? This is why we use a MasterLink attached to the hook.

And as for the positive locking gate, with you 100%, and it should be backed up by a clevis pin through the hook IMO!

No Boston, I thought I was quite clear in explaining my method of using two large locking clevis' on the hook itself, one for the rigging, the other for my body line.

I think that the ANSI commitee is very concerned about any language in their regs that would allow a body line anywhere near the hook, which of course is what my method does, provided that the hook has a locking gate, and that the rigging hardware is separated from the bodyline.

I like 3/4 inch clevis' on the hook, but a solid oval 1 inch ring is also available at most crane rigging suppliers, these are also an excellent choice to place on the hook and run your climbing line through.

jomoco

 

[BostonBull]

No Boston, I thought I was quite clear in explaining my method of using two large locking clevis' on the hook itself, one for the rigging, the other for my body line.

I think that the ANSI commitee is very concerned about any language in their regs that would allow a body line anywhere near the hook, which of course is what my method does, provided that the hook has a locking gate, and that the rigging hardware is separated from the bodyline.

I like 3/4 inch clevis' on the hook, but a solid oval 1 inch ring is also available at most crane rigging suppliers, these are also an excellent choice to place on the hook and run your climbing line through.

jomoco

Oh I see.

Quite honestly there were a bunch of posts, I wasnt keeping up with the thread, and too lazy to read EVERY one.

I like the MasterLinks ("Oval 1 inch rings" lol) over the clevis. Even though they are "locking" they ARE openable. And why not put the rigging slings right on the hook? I can see the climb line but the slings have an exterior PROTECTIVE covering.????

Not trying to argue with you, just wondering.