"Certified Splicer" ???

[Leroy]

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[oceans]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

Great question!

Not sure if there is a certification, but there is liability that companies carry for that reason. I think that's the crux for your employer.

Labels, and traceability of products is big, too. I'm sure there may even be random batch testing in higher production outfits.

I know it may sound like a PITA, but make up a few different style splices on different classes of rope, and have them break tested. Maybe your employer would allow it after that, but not likely.

 

[tennarbor]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

Hey Oceans! I wanted to add that I had a similar issue with a climber who decided he wanted to learn how to splice. He ordered a how to video and only practiced only two splices over the weekend before bringing in a new climbing line he had spliced. I told him that I couldn't allow that and asked that and he have some break tested (and from what I understand this is to be done without whipping in order to be accurate). Obviously, this caused a problem between us so I looked into it. There is formal training available as well as some different certifications but I do not know of an "overall" splicing certification. Sherrill tree advertises their splicers as certified.

As an owner, I would recommend bringing your employer some signs of serious personal investment. Break testing, weekend seminar etc. This would make it much easier for me.

 

[itterada]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

If it helps: you can often receive semi-formal certification from different rope manufacturers, where you order in a small piece of rope and then splice it to proper specifications, send it back, and get an official certification you can put on your wall or whatnot. Like tennarbor says though, general certification is perhaps a misleading concept to chase after.

At Iron Street RS, though, all splicers are trained extensively and get certified through the different rope manufacturers if the option is available. On top of that we do extensive break testing on all new splices and random break testing throughout the year, which is what Oceans is talking about as random batch testing, Safety first, ya know?

I'm not sure if Sherrill just sort of calls them certified, or if it uses the certification from one of the manufacturers to kind of get around that issue. Maybe they even have their own structure and certify from within. Either way I'm sure they batch test like crazy too.

I think what these guys are saying is very smart. Get your stuff tested at LEAST. My offer still stands and Ill gladly do it for free, just know that if your splices do hold it is for personal knowledge only and Iron Street bears no liability for your actions forward from there! We only assume knowledge of what you send in, and that is getting pulled apart

Ian

 

[NickfromWI]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

Out of curiosity, who certified you to tie a friction hitch? (is what I would ask him)

 

[tennarbor]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

I understand your frustration guys but I would have to say that just about everything we do in this industry is worthy of a certain amount of formal training. No, no one certified your employer, or you to tie a friction hitch, but if he cared at all about your safety, he made sure that you knew how to do it by visually inspecting it before you made an ascent for the company.

Sure, this may be one of the "pains" of being an employee; however, one of the responsibilities that comes with being an owner is providing and ensuring a safe workplace and the personal guilt associated with any injury whether the company is at fault or not.

Think of it this way: You guys are obviously talented at splicing. If you decided to start a splicing company and sell to Sherrill/Tree stuff etc. What would you require of someone who hired into your company?

 

[chris_girard]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

As far as I know, Yale cordage is the only company that will officially put down on paper that you are certified in THEIR ropes to be a splicer.

I was certified by Yale 2 years ago as a double braid and 12 strand hollow braid splicer. This certification is good for one year only and needs to be redone annually.

There is just too many new ropes out there to have companies try and certify people on every type, not to mention liability.

 

[seanlarkin]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

For as long as we've had our splice department, which is about 18 years, the certification process has remained just as others have described. The different rope manufacturers give varying degrees of certification if you submit your splices. Yale and New England will provide a certificate, where as Samson just verifies that your splice broke above a certain tensile strength.

One thing to note, is that these certifications are for the specific rope you submitted. So, you wouldn't get a general certification saying you're a "certified splicer", it's be a certificate saying you're certified to splice Yale double-braid, for example.

I'd definitely recommend submitting your splices to the various manufacturers. Splicing is a really good skill to have in our industry. It's also one that requires constant practice and upkeep of skills. Everyone in our department gets re-certified every year. Granted, our splicers are splicing all day, every day, so there's really no chance for getting rusty.

Good luck with the certification!

-Sean

 

[NickfromWI]

Re: \"Certified Splicer\" ???

Thanks for the reply, Sean! Great to have you chime in!

Your post perfectly sums up the whole situation. There is no way you can become a "certified splicer" in the way you can become a certified arborist.

The root of the issue for the orginal poster is that his boss is unfamiliar with what goes into making a splice.