Pre installed lines in case of emergency

[pntrees]

Hi everyone, I am currently in my last year of the BSc Arb and sorting out my dissertation. I am looking at if and when a second line should be pre installed during tree work operations to reduce aerial rescue times in the event of an accident and also if other countries differ from that of the UK. If you could possibly take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire on the link below that would be a great help. The questionnaire is anonymous.
Thanks in advance
Aerial rescues within arboriculture Survey

 

[Bearcreek]

I've heard of people doing that. Never seen it done. Seems like it would just get in the way and cause tangles more than anything else.

 

[tree md]

Done.

Your survey is lacking. There are no options for the use of gaffs in the questionnaire. I would bet that 90% of climbers use gaffs as their main entry method. Especially most who do removals and here in the US most probably gaff prunes. At least that is what I have observed in the real world.

Using a preinstalled secondary line in a different tree or remote leader makes a lot of sense when working a particularly hazardous tree or a really dead, unstable tree. A single preinstalled line in the tree you are working makes a lot of sense in most situations. However, most situations would not call for a secondary preinstalled line. It would waste time, eat into production and be too redundant. In most real world scenarios a single climb line and the use of a personal safety lanyard for a secondary tie in is what is most adequate.

 

[treemandan]

I would don gaffs for arial rescue. Aroung here there is not much attention payed to arial rescue. You usually have a climber and a couple draggers who are afraid of heights and along with some other points the whole idea is kinda mute. Its kinda like getting on a commercial airplane. Sure they give you some snacks, a drink, a pillow and treat you nice but there ain't nobody handing out parachutes.

 

[Bearcreek]

The other thing lacking in the questionaire is clarity. It asks simply if I have a second line installed when carrying out tree work operations. If I didn't already know it was referring to emergency access lines, I would have assumed it was asking about bull lines. The answers wouldn't be accurate at all.

 

[superjunior]

The other thing lacking in the questionaire is clarity. It asks simply if I have a second line installed when carrying out tree work operations. If I didn't already know it was referring to emergency access lines, I would have assumed it was asking about bull lines. The answers wouldn't be accurate at all.

that's what I was thinking. In some cases lines may be pre-installed for lowering

 

[arborpros]

Using gaffs is the primary method for aerial rescue. That would be the first thing I reach for in an emergency situation.

As far as the secondary line, I have only used that one time. It was an abnormally large dead oak tree and I did it just in case. The reasoning was the fact that the tree diameter was too big far any safety lanyards I had in my aerial rescue kit. Really did it for peice of mind. I am a firm believver in the fact you can never be too safe.

 

[deevo]

I would don gaffs for arial rescue. Aroung here there is not much attention payed to arial rescue. You usually have a climber and a couple draggers who are afraid of heights and along with some other points the whole idea is kinda mute. Its kinda like getting on a commercial airplane. Sure they give you some snacks, a drink, a pillow and treat you nice but there ain't nobody handing out parachutes.

Aerial rescue training is often something overlooked, but after taking the EHAP and doing some aerial rescue training recently, everybody should be trained and know what to do should an emergency happens. In Ontario here you are supposed to have another climber on site at all times (which i usually do) I also have a dedicated aerial rescue kit now with us at all times. It is really a great thing knowing if something ever did happen(which I hope never does) you have a competent crew to do a rescue. On the other line topic, yeah it would be nice to have another line in the tree, but like others have said it is more of a hinderance and potential entanglement hazard. But yeah the survey needs to be more explicit on the rescue itself.

 

[rymancm]

I've heard of people doing that. Never seen it done. Seems like it would just get in the way and cause tangles more than anything else.

Agreed. And take a lot of extra time. A good idea but not practical.