Anyone use 1/4" polyester braid for prusik loops?

[dspacio]

interesting to read about rope use on roofs. I was considering this on a recent roof job, but the planks are so familiar and customary to the guy I was working with that it seems counterproductive to divert time to a new system. I have definitely been looking for new times to expand my use of rope in these other fields.

 

[JCB]

Thanks for your reply, Fivepoints. All the FA gear I've seen has the tie-off point up between the shoulderblades, which isn't much use to me for WP, unfortunately. In an absolute worst-case scenario, and depending on the formula or calculator used, I figured that I might create 600-1800 ft-lb of force in a fall. I'm assuming my 1/4" nylon prusik loop (with two legs) with break strength of 1500# on each leg should hold, as well as my harness (10 or 12 kN, if I recall)...I know it's not 10-to-1 but I think I'm pretty safe. But I might "go up" on my prusik loop to 3/8" nylon solid braid, now that I think about it. I'll have to make one up and see how it grabs.

Heck, most of the guys around here make fun of me for using a rope at all on the roof. And the local pros might use a FA rig in case the OSHA guys show up, but what the OSHA guys can't see from the ground is that the ropes aren't tied to anything! LOL

Yeah, but is it really something to laugh about! My close friend died after falling off of a roof last year, and his injuries were horrific. For the record, he was not tied in properly. Hook yourself up with the safest equipment available!