Climbing

[numberwrong]

Hello,

 

I mainly want to ask if there are any climbing training courses specifically for our industry?

 

I also wanted to open the discussion up a bit.. It seems that climbing in the rock & roll/live events/festival industry is a bit unregulated and IMO often done incorrectly or dangerously. (I can't speak for theatre)

 

I'd say that the standard practice I've seen is to free climb a structure and only clip in to work, sometimes not at all. no one ever double clips and no one I've ever met seems to have any qualifications or training to climb or the proper use of their equipment.

 

Other malpractices I regularly see are:

 

- fall arrest lanyards used incorrectly, ie in pickers or low anchor points

 

- static lanyards used on the slack so a fall would result in a very high fall factor

 

I'd say the most common type of climbing a lampy or rigger would be expected to do is to climb the king-poles in a big-top to put in points/safeties. I know that most king poles do not have may horizontal sections to clip to so people don't bother as putting in slings to clip to would take longer.

I reckon IRATA would have a fit if they saw how most climbers work in our industry

 

[Tom]

Lyon run an entertainment industry specific rope access and rescue course. I've not done it myself but a colleague did and recommended it.

[trussmonkey]

Speak to one of the course providers already in our industry (Uk Rigging, Total Solutions etc) they should be able to do you a bespoke course.

 

I will say that for the most part the industry is very safe. I dont see anyone these days not climbing truss ladders without a fall arrest unit clipped in, everyone either double clips along a truss or uses a horizontal life line. Im not sure where you are working but the days of free climbing to a truss and then clipping on are long gone thankfully.

[numberwrong]

I don't want to name names but I've seen malpractices whilst working with or alongside the biggest and best. Certainly not just small cowboy outfits although I've seen quite a lot of that too ;)

 

 

I think that clipping in is much more common once at the work station, be that a truss or a beam with a life line.

 

The main mr meaners I see are, like said climbing king poles that have mainly diagonal bracing. You cant use a Scaff hook and have to create an anchor point with a sling which takes time.

 

Also my main concern is that a lot of people have learnt on the job with no formal training. I'm not saying that learning on the job is bad, but with something so important I'm surprised there is not a ticket needed for it to prove competence. It seams that any one can just buy a petzl harness and start climbing.

 

Thanks for the course advise. I'll have a look at them :)

 

To be honest with you this UK rigging course looks like it covers the basics

https://ukrigging.ne...eight-training/