Who wants to abseil for a living?!?

[Chris101]

Re- qualified as a level 3 rope access tech today. (It's not my first rodeo, I have to go every three years).
I thought some might be interested in the tick sheet for rescue and rigging techniques you need to do.
:shock:


This is just one of the rescues you need to nail.
I thought some might be interested.
Mildly, possibly.
My legs are black and blue and I am not 25 anymore...



[youtubessl]2HHkV80NHJA[/youtubessl]

 

[AJB Temple]

I don't like heights. You are brave and also nuts.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Brilliant - I remember when the Gherkin was first built being in a meeting in the St Helens building and watching you chaps cleaning the top. You must get a very different perspective on things!

 

[Gill]

Mad as a box of frogs.



But that doesn't mean there isn't a place for frogs in this world.

 

[Steve Maskery]

When I were a lad...

I was in the Scouts and we did things like Abseiling. I know. Crazy. Why? But we did it. It was supposed to be Fun. Hmm.

There was usually a safety rope, so if you slipped, some big geezer at the top stopped you falling more than a couple of feet.

On one occasion, Skipper was coming down, Mr. Huson was at the top, holding on. Only he didn't. Drop, bang, broken bones.

He was forever known as Dropper Huson.

S

 

[Trevanion]

Ah this is just a gloat in disguise, you just want to show off that you were marked off as "excellent" :eusa-snooty:

We all lament 'elf 'n safety training but it really is for the best and I think more employers should really be putting their employees on an annual/biannual first aid/traumatic injury course, I've seen it happen before where an accident has happened and there are several people standing around dazed at what has just happened like a deer caught in headlights without a clue what to do. In a serious incident, all those precious seconds being lost really matter and can affect the outcome of the situation drastically.

Thinking back to that video Sunnybob linked to the other day where the gun blew up in the guy's face and punctured his neck, had he not trained for that kind of scenario (IE, effectively being shot in the neck) previously in his law enforcement background, he would most likely have died from his injuries from not knowing what to do which was to jab his thumb into the open wound in his neck to stem the blood flow.

 

[AndyP]

Takes me back. I used to do that for fun.

I guess this is for your job. What do you do?

 

[Mike G]

Brilliant - I remember when the Gherkin was first built being in a meeting in the St Helens building and watching you chaps cleaning the top. You must get a very different perspective on things!

I was walking along the streets of London on a fine and sunny summers day, not a cloud in the sky, when I got sprinkled on by a shower. I looked up to see that it was coming from the pointy end of the gherkin where a team of abseilers were cleaning the glass.

 

[novocaine]

rope to rope, fun in a room with soft squishy mats under you.

scary as fuuuuk 300ft up the side of a face.

I have my turbine access cert (or did, haven't used it in 3 years) which covers some but not all of this stuff along with boat access, liferafts, helicopter crash and winged access from above. fully enjoyed the training, glad I have never had to put the lessons on escape and rescue in to practice. (also have offshore survival BOSIET).

strangely I'm fine on a rope, except the going over the side bit, I also have a dislike for jumping from things even with a rope, which made the adventure fun day I got dragged to in the lakes amusing, I belayed for most of the day as the instructor found out I was legally allowed, rigged and climbed when I could on some fairly iffy routes (apparently a few where 5c/6a which is about my limit I'll admit that), did a bit of tree climbing etc. then we went on to a tree top thingy at the end of the day, which culminated in a 10ft jump from a platform to a net. and that's where I came unstuck. I did it, but it took me 10 minutes.

you aren't nuts Chris, just different. :lol:

 

[SamQ aka Ah! Q!]

AAhhh!! That takes me back! In Ye Oldene Dayes, the Mountain Leadership Exam would NOT allow hardware beyond an 11mm hawser laid rope... ...We had to fully abseil a la classical, lower a ambulatory casualty using a bowline on the bight, yada, yada...the only small allowance they gave us was a permitting the use of heavy gloves. Didn't do a bloody thing for your wedding tackle, bum cleft and shoulder if you sped up accidentally going down.

Cliff Rescue was whole different ball (sorry) game. Tackle and tactics very similar to the gear and procedures in the Toob vid and listed on Chris's tickbox list. We all thought it was great craic, hanging off a wee bump somewhere in the Mournes, until our instructor made us take it in turns to "be the casualty"! To be ankle-, knee-, waist-, and chest-strapped into a fleece-lined body-bag, on a lightweight stretcher, swaying about, unable to exert ANY control, is a real ball-tightener!

Having had to call in Teeny-Weeny Airways (R.N. Sea King to you grockles) on one occasion in Glencoe, when one of our 'pure climbers' had all his gear 'zipper out' when he fell off a climb (and survived) it sort of brought home how meticulous you had to be with placement, gear integrity and knots.

So, have fun, Chris and don't forget to tighten the gate on EVERY Krab!

S.

 

[Chris101]

Takes me back. I used to do that for fun.

I guess this is for your job. What do you do?

Window cleaning Andy. It's not taxing but I've always liked the hours and the freedom.

I have my turbine access cert (or did, haven't used it in 3 years) which covers some but not all of this stuff along with boat access, liferafts, helicopter crash and winged access from above. fully enjoyed the training, glad I have never had to put the lessons on escape and rescue in to practice. (also have offshore survival BOSIET).

Fair play! I was chatting to a guy on my course who does turbine maintenance and the money is still good. I'm wondering about wondering about it the money is that good, but it's a young mans game really, even more than windows.

I thought a few of you would be interested, always surprising how many people have climbing experience and some good knowledge.

Ah this is just a gloat in disguise, you just want to show off that you were marked off as "excellent" :eusa-snooty:

Lol. Each one of those boxes is a minor. But too many minors can get you in serious trouble. :shock:

AAhhh!! That takes me back! In Ye Oldene Dayes, the Mountain Leadership Exam would NOT allow hardware beyond an 11mm hawser laid rope... ...
S.

Fair play Sam. Respect where it's due mate.
The younger guys coming into the game now have no idea of how much safer the industry (generally) is now.
I had a few of the young lads wide eyed when I told them some work stories to sober them up and set them straight. Like Novocaine says, all fun and games inside on a wall at a training centre. Bit different 300 foot up on an icy February morning.

 

[RogerS]

That is seriously impressive, Chris. :eusa-clap:

 

[AndyP]

The kent sandstone was not the most satisfying to climb on so for many years it was a Friday night dash out of london up to the peak district and Stanage Edge. Most of the time it was top roped but still challenging. probably got as far as vdiff but once overhangs came in to play I knew my time was up.
Abseiling with a figure 8 bouncing off the rock face was always the best bit.
Hanging on by my fingertips with legs uncontrollably shaking is a memory that will never leave me though.

This was 40 year ago :shock:

 

[droogs]

The thing I miss most about climbing is waking up on a portaledge and getting that view as the first thing you see through the crack of the zip


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5RNX6ZmYlY

 

[novocaine]

Ahhhh climbing in the peaks. Still got my route guide somewhere. I consider myself exceptional lucky to have peaks and yorkshire pennines to the east of me, wales and snowdon to the west and the lakes juat up the road. Along with a couple of local quarrys i didn't have to travel more than an hour to be on everything from yorkshire grit to slate. Havent climb properly since we had kids. Sold most of the gear to pay for trainers and various sports lessons. Still got the shoes a couple of friends/nuts (mainly the ones with memories of not dieing) a belay and one or 2 krabs although Nice airport nicked one of those as apparantly its a tool and not allowed on the plane (fucking joke). Occasionally i find the time for some bouldering but im to old for it really (and by that i mean out of practice and shape).