Fall Protection Equipment

[nikki1]

Hi everyone,

I'm a student doing a project on fall protection equipment (like harnesses) and had some questions I am hoping you can answer!

Do you use fall protection equipment? What do you use it for?
What type of equipment do you use?
How/where do you buy your equipment from?
Which brands do you rely on and why?
Ever had any issues or problems?

Thank you!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by nikki1

Hi everyone,

I'm a student doing a project on fall protection equipment (like harnesses) and had some questions I am hoping you can answer!
A pleasure..

Do you use fall protection equipment? What do you use it for?
None..
What type of equipment do you use?
You just asked that..
How/where do you buy your equipment from?
None.. nowhere...
Which brands do you rely on and why?
Me.. no problems.. I'm the safest person I know..
Ever had any issues or problems?
No.. sorry..
Thank you!

Sorry... guess that was a crap survey huh..??

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by nikki1

Hi everyone,

I'm a student doing a project on fall protection equipment (like harnesses) and had some questions I am hoping you can answer!

A pleasure...

Do you use fall protection equipment? What do you use it for?

Yes, when I go aloft (up the mast )
What type of equipment do you use?

Home made webbing and spare halyard
How/where do you buy your equipment from?

From bits left over from other jobs
Which brands do you rely on and why?

Home made - I can trust my own work, can't trust others unless it carries a bunch of third party certifications; in which case, it's too expensive for my tastes.
Ever had any issues or problems?

No

Thank you!

You're welcome

I am clearly more safety conscious that Boatie

By the way, welcome aboard. What country are you from?

[StuM]

Just count Wotname's answers twice and you've got my response.

[Brilliant Sea]

Originally Posted by nikki1

Hi everyone,

I'm a student doing a project on fall protection equipment (like harnesses) and had some questions I am hoping you can answer!

Do you use fall protection equipment? What do you use it for?
Yes, I use it for scurrying up the mast and teathers to jack lines.
What type of equipment do you use?
Black Diamond nforce ascender
Petzl harness, I combine the two for comfort and there are pouches on chair
Bosuns chair not sure what brand
Black Diamond figure eight for descending
PMI 11mm static rope
A few Black Diamond roclock locking beaners
Other misc beaners for teathers, mostly Black diamond
1" climbing webbing for jack lines
How/where do you buy your equipment from?
Cash, REI
Which brands do you rely on and why?
I like Black Diamond cuz they used to be Chouinard, The Petzl was on sale and is well made.
Ever had any issues or problems?
Yes, my beer fell out of bosun chair pocket, made a hell of a mess!
Seriously though, I only have a problem swinging away from the mast when it's rolly, thinking of making a strap that loops around my knees and the mast to keep me more secure.

Thank you!

Oh no, thank you!

[DawnTreader]

I use a climbing harness I bought from REI. I use it when going up the mast steps. It is light and minimal, so it allows freedom of movement while making the climb. It is secure enough to safely arrest a fall should I take one, and it is comfy enough to use as a bosun's chair as I dangle about. I am not too worried about about its construction, I can see the nylon webbing and the stitching and they look fine.

[jrogers]

Hi Nikki1
In my work I use fall restraint gear- harness, lanyard, static line. I've started wearing the harness when I use my bosun's chair and attaching it with a tether to fixed points on the mast as I go up. I have two six foot tethers and leapfrog them. I like having something independent of the chair for a safety in case I were to fall out or the attachment were to fail. I haven't thought of a good plan for getting down when hanging from a six foot tether though...

John

[Nicholson58]

Welcome:

You will probably note eventually that boat safety gear, particularly harnesses are inadequate. Try to drag a crewman back aboard who is wearing a standard life jacket with built in "harness" (without crotch straps). I did a fair amount of climbing and aerial tree work. ANY good Mountaineering stuff is way better. A ride aloft in a standard bosun chair is scary & I will only ride it at the dock.

[ryon]

I'll use my Singing Rock harness when going aloft, unless the ship requires me to use theirs. Never came even close to needing it in a fall, but I've often had to hang from it while doing work aloft.

[malbert73]

Singing rock harness and petzl ascenders.

[nikki1]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for the responses! You have all been so helpful!

Wotname - I'm from Canada

Do you take issue with the style or price of the harnesses that are available? Or is it that you have a hard time ascending and descending when you're in the harness? Are the current harnesses uncomfortable for you? What would your ideal product look like?

[Dockhead]

I use a regular bosun's chair, attached to one halyard, and a Petzl climbing harness, attached to a different halyard. Unfortunately it takes two people besides myself to get me aloft.

I agree that bosun's chairs alone are ridiculously scary. But they are useful with their pockets, and the seating position is convenient for working.

I would like to have a couple of steps, though, at the masthead, in order to get up that last bit.