blocking down wood safely

C

chad

Location
virginia
got into discussion today that led to disagreement of answers to this question. when blocking down wood on spikes should you have your lanyard above or below your climbing line?
 
When blocking down a spar on spikes, I use my lanyard as my primary support (just as a lineman would). So my lanyard is usually about 4"-6" below my cut (as close as I'm comfortable with) and my lifeline is below that as my backup.
 
When I work down a spar, I sinch my climbing line around the top, lower myself SRT to the next position, safety in, set up block and bull rope(if any), make my notch, then lower my climbing line. This puts the climbing line at the top, a position I like because I feel that it is easier to climb off a central tie in point. If you have ever "spiked out" with a lanyard on, it's an awkward thing getting back on your feet. It may be safer too, to be set and suspended by a line which could be used to lower you in case of a rescue. It is at least a more secure TIP than the lanyard, and it somewhat takes your body out of the circut in case of a split or tearing bark.
 
I put my lanyard right above the pulley line, this is what I put my weight on when cutting, for control. Above this I put my long false crotch with my climbing line, I hang from it when moving the pulley to get my weight off my feet for a minute.
Works for me. Dan.
 
Way back in August of '98 Mark wrote an article in Arborist News called Tie-In Technique Too Troublesome to Title. He gave a good description of the options for working down a spar.

Tom
 
Kevin, the simplest method is to tie a running bowline, leaving a tail long enough to reach from the next TIP. The adjustalbe friction savers work great too, if you have one.


Tom, that article sure turned on a few light bulbs for me. Mark sure has some great ideas!
 
Thanks Tom and Mike. That was the first article that I wrote- well the first edition was. I first wrote that article for TCI the year before. Sharon Lily asked for a new title when I re-worked it and I couldn't think of one, so she named it for me. Pretty funny now.

When I was growing up and starting to do more technical removals, I never felt safe working down wood with the climbing line just drapped around the spar. To me that was a gamble. I also hated spiking down when it was short enough to flop. So, the running bowline and figure 8 came to me first. I now have many ways to finish the job, but the important thing is to be secured to the tree with an appropriate escape route at all times. I can't tell you how many people came back to me with "saved my hide" stories after that article hit the field. Glad I took the chance and shared.

I'd have to say that my preference lies with Brian. I've always used my lanyard for leverage while standing on the spar. However, I would also have to agree that there are three or more appropriate choices. Whatever works and is safe is cool by me. I just hate hearing about people working off of only a lanyard. Never a good choice. I have a dozen horror stories I could share regarding that practice.
 
Mark,

You mentioned having an appropriate escape route at all times when blocking down wood which i can fully understand, just interested to know how you go about attatching your steel core lanyard to your harness? We get plenty of arbs over here when they turn up for training in the dismantling of trees they have plenty of kit using SCL with gibbs, rockers, macroadjuster and a world of other mechanical devices - i often pose a simple question, in the event of the tree splitting out on you and the climber being pulled into the stem, how would you get out of that tensioned system? Industry Best Practice does dictate that climbers should carry a knife with retractable blade - ha! ever tried cutting thorugh a Gibbs or SCL? Or how many of us carry a hacksaw as part of an AR kit?
 
for specification... our company emphasizes wearing your lanyard abouve your climbing line while workind down a spar.
your weight is on the lanyard, your climbing line is backup and the exit. the thinking is that if your saw slips you cut your lanyard first and your line is below that to catch you. then i noticed in the sherril catolog the the photos of the guys in the arbormaster ads have their climbing line above their lanyard, also same in their drawings.
this led to my questioning... i thought maybe if you cut your lanyard while weighted you fall back and are caught by your climbing line, well it seems to me a fall back could jar a section of the spar onto you if the cut was almost complete or worse the running saw could impact the climber as a result of the fall. if the climbing line was cut first you would not drop off the spar and your climbing line would still be attached to you by your friction hitch so you would not loose it. that is what im reasoning anyway, i just would like to know what is the safest way to do this... so in this scenario what is best?
 
You can "What if" to death. At some point you either have to accept the risks of the job or else stay on the ground. In your particular "What if" scenario, I'd say the safest way would bve to leave your chainsaw on the ground.
 
My preferance is to keep my climbing system far away from the chainsaw. I always want to have an escape route out of the tree.

Rather than using a mechanical adjuster, consider using a friction hitch in case you need to cut yourself free.
 
As another poster said, what if's could keep us thinking all day long, have you had chance to read Marks article? It highlights some very simple safety precautions, for myself, and as others have said my steel core lanyard is always above my climbing line, the reasoning for a SCL is as i am cutting in close proximity to my "line". During normal tree climbing oprerations i have my normal rope lanyard i can therefore have two points of attatchment when utilising the saw. When cheesing off, snatching, blocking down, sectioning, free falling sections, my rope gets chockered about knee level, the SCL is above my rope and attatched to my harness via either a distel or if i use a gibbs i have a small taope sling form the gibbs eye to my harness in the event of a stem splitting (this is after i have put my ears in and maybe a reverse gob) i can cut my lanyard away and fall back onto my chockered line. A thousand and one what if's in this game, education, training and finding a way that is comfortable for you is the key.
 
Pugsly,
I actually don't use a SCL. A couple of reasons: I work near electric a lot. I also hate the lack of flexibility. And last, which also replies to another of your questions, I was told that a STihl 020T cuts through a SCL in less than 3 seconds (closer to 2).

I do believe that SCLs are safer, but prefer not to use them myself. I don't feel that threatened since I started adopting some pre-cut procedures, like physically feeling around the entire spar to dbl check where my lines are and that they are not stuck over a nub on the backside. I also take great care when making my cut. The backcut is a time to relax and prepare, not time to make adjustments. That is done during the face cut.

These are just my feelings (of course) and I would love to hear if anyone has concerns with what I am doing/saying. Afterall, we are ALL still learing each day.
 
more of a how to question than a what if question. just looking for the safest way to do things, thats why i posted it. hearing the opinions and techniques of others climbers here is an invaluable resource for me and then i can take the ideas back to my co-workers and into the trees.
 
Mark,

One of the main reasons for utilisng a SCL lanyard for myself over here (UK) that as far as we are concerned it is Industy Best Practice when it comes to working in close proximity to your lifeline, there are exceptions and one of those you highlighted i.e powerlines, i can fully understand the inflexibilty of a SCL and you are not the first to comment on how an O20 can cut through one (that is something i might have to try next training session). The main point taken from your comments is the fact that you back up your system, whether it is SCL or not, you have the lanyard and the rope at a lower tie in point in the event of a worst case happening. I find alot of climbers in the Uk also prefer the use of a SCL is when spiking trees the rigidity in the SCL makes it easier to move up the stem. Different climbing styles and techniques.

As your final point makes "There's no point getting older if you don't get wiser" and they do say "Everyday is a school day".
 
And just who is going to hold an 020T running full throttle with the chain cutting the lanyard for 2.5 seconds? That is a heck of a long time when your life support is being cut. I consider my lifelines and lanyard as an extension of my arms/ hands. Just how long would you hold your hand against the chain of a running saw? 2 seconds? 3? About 1/10 of a second even?

I do not use a SCL but would consider one if I did more peckerpole type trees. 2.5 seconds is a considerable safety margin when you are talking about pressing a saw full bore into your lifeline.
 
You're right Brian. It does seem long, but if it were on the back side of the tree, and maybe you were blocking down large wood with a more powerful saw (time factor would change) it may be dangerous. The point is, SCLs are far from "chainsaw proof". They can be cut, they just buy a little more time. That's all. I've talked to many people who believe that that are a failsafe to bad cutting techniques or procedures. Not true. Be pecise with your technique, it buys a lot more time than a SCL.
 
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