kerry davies Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Two new-to-me bits of kit for climbing and personal rescue here which I have yet to come across. The riggers Stannah Rescue If anyone has had a demo or used either in battle it would be useful to get feedback. Both have limited use but might be additional kit or adaptable to our world, particularly for the reluctant climbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 I have to say that dangling from a rope, strapped into a seat with a hot engine and petrol tank under it doesn't appeal too much. I get this image of a flailing fireball dropping from the sky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 I have to say that dangling from a rope, strapped into a seat with a hot engine and petrol tank under it doesn't appeal too much. I get this image of a flailing fireball dropping from the sky. Great balls of fire?! Seriously though, they do make an electric motor version... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 Having climbed literally tens of thousands of poles in twenty years and only had a MEWP for the last three I looked at the beast with aching knees, back, shoulders and joints, being very resentful indeed. Totally useless 99% of the time but oh, the bliss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alistairhammond Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Rather poor advertising for the Latchways PRD backpack thing: What on earth was the guy doing up there on his own, without even telling anyone what he was doing? One would expect better from a company that's trying to save lives. Perhaps they're just thinking of their profits. E2A: The man seems to of fallen because he was trying to reach a dropped AJ, which should of been secured while working at height. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 If anyone has had a demo or used either in battle it would be useful to get feedback. Both have limited use but might be additional kit or adaptable to our world, particularly for the reluctant climbers. Nope, and nope, soz. The Latchway PRD thingamabob looks pretty cool, though I wonder if whatever's going on in that backpack might violate the KISS principle a bit. I'd need some convincing about the system's robustness and reliability I think.. The Rigger's Stannah I can't really see a call for, as it seems the user is intended to remain seated throughout the job. Great for the kind of roped access work where the alternative might be hanging in a harness for ages, not so good for a situation where you're ascending in order to gain access to some other structure (a truss, to focus lights, for example) as is almost always the case in our industry. Something vaguely similar that I have seen used on a few of the larger American touring shows is this battery powered ascender. Its a more conventional ascender in that the user hangs below the device, perhaps more appropriate than the seat-thing as a possible alternative to a good old-fashioned caving ladder. Rather poor advertising for the Latchways PRD backpack thing: What on earth was the guy doing up there on his own... Er.. falling off and requiring rescue. A pretty major boo-boo in the real world, but kinda necessary to demonstrate a rescue device wouldn't you say? The USP of this device would seem to be the ease with which a self-rescue can be effected, so not unreasonable really to show a situation where self-rescue is the only option. Yes, it shouldn't happen. But then rescue devices shouldn't be used. So whaddayagonnado? FWIW, I thought it was a rather well-crafted little film, almost arty, and pleasingly free of the annoying patronising commentary that usually gets plastered over that kind of thing. Also, a definite bonus of the guy being on his own - no awful stilted dialogue. The film looked expensive, I'm guessing the device is too.. Perhaps they're just thinking of their profits.er... What, like they're just trying to sell stuff?True I guess, but it seems a strange criticism to level at an advert. That is what they're for y'know. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Thanks Seano, useful response. I did think that both had limited use but the Latchway was interesting as it seems to be both fall arrest and personal self-rescue. Can't think of another method of demonstrating the pros and cons of it Alistair, and FWIW, after many, many people have been up against the wall I fully intend to ban the concept of profits from the land. That might even come before the edict that all men wear hats and Hawaiian shirts, not sure yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJones Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I wonder if the PRD back pack thing would be more useful if there was a way to deploy it remotely. At the moment it is only useful if you are still conscious when you fall. If you are person is unconscious you still have to get to them to pull their cord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roderick Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 The bonus of the PRD pack I can see is that it would make a rescue much easier even if the person is unconscious.Yes, someone will need to abseil but then all they need to do is pull the cord. No need to rig a separate descender, transfer to other lanyard, cut the other lanyard, etc. Big question, does anyone know what they cost? And maintenance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddle Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 The bonus of the PRD pack I can see is that it would make a rescue much easier even if the person is unconscious.Yes, someone will need to abseil but then all they need to do is pull the cord. No need to rig a separate descender, transfer to other lanyard, cut the other lanyard, etc. Big question, does anyone know what they cost? And maintenance? Why would someone need to abseil? Why not find a safer way of remotely deploying the lanyard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Why would someone need to abseil? Why not find a safer way of remotely deploying the lanyard? My initial thought was a boathook, but some might frown on that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pstewart Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Why would someone need to abseil? Why not find a safer way of remotely deploying the lanyard? EG - the second photo here - a telescopic pole which holds a scaff hook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trussmonkey Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 hmm boat hook... you don't get an awful lot of control with one of those and if I were lowering a casualty down I would want control. I know they might be unconscious but I doubt they would want any more injuries. as hazardous as abseiling is I would think that if you are deploying a rescue device like the latchway one in question then would would be thinking of a back up anyway i.e. if the casualty is indeed unconscious. if you have work at height and a rescue plan for that then abseiling is a perfectly reasonable method to reach the casualty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Why would someone need to abseil? Why not find a safer way of remotely deploying the lanyard? For that matter, why deploy the lanyard/descender at all?The point of the thing is to make self rescue very quick and easy. In the event that a second rescuer needs to get involved, maybe they'd be just as well treating the thing as a conventional harness and using conventional rescue equipment. hmm boat hook... you don't get an awful lot of control with one of those and if I were lowering a casualty down I would want control. It looks from the video that there's no control anyway - it seems more parachute like than that: pull the 'ripcord' and from that point on the descent is fully automatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 So what if you slip and fall, then pull that ripcord before realising that there's a huge meat grinder directly below you? :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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