Re: Green Light to Ignore ANSI Z133.1?????????????
Good points.
The quote below is from something I wrote recently for AN. It is rather long (what do I write that is <u>not</u> long??) Laz2 and Chris Cowell helped with the Euro info.
[ QUOTE ]
A Word on Ratings
Ascenders and other mechanical devices are becoming more
and more common in the various worlds of tree climbing.
Mechanical devices can now be found at all levels of competitive,
recreational, arboricultural, and research-oriented tree
climbing. Yet virtually all of the ascenders that are used in tree
work were originally designed to be used in other vertical
disciplines. Consequently, these devices were manufactured
to conform to standards that do not easily align with all of
the current standards that guide the tree industry.
European tree climbers must use gear that has a CE marking
per an appropriate EN standard, where such standards
apply. The EN standards (derived from UIAA standards) are
generic to all work at height, and the majority of ascenders,
descenders, and other mechanical devices do have the required
CE marking. But, because each industry has specific risks
from its own unique work environment, consideration also
needs to be given to whether each piece of equipment is “fit
for the purpose” for which it is being used.
Arborists in the United States, however, must use gear that
complies with ANSI Z133.1-2006. That document does not
directly address ascenders, and it uses a blanket minimum
tensile strength rating for assessing suitability of other pieces
of equipment that are used for climbing. Recent articles that
discussed ascenders in tree care seemed to have been unaware
of, ignored, or contained separate discussions about the ratings
of mechanical devices and the Z133.1. This is not meant
to discredit the authors, but only to point out that in the United
States, certain pieces of equipment have been quietly accepted
into the tree industry without any discussion or research.
Mechanical devices can make tree climbing safer, more
efficient, and more ergonomic. Arborists need to learn how
these devices were intended to be used and to integrate them
into their work in appropriate ways. Because these tools are
so useful, it is hoped that there will be more discussion and
consideration of these devices in the Z133.1. These tools are
like any other tool. If used properly, they can be a great asset,
but if misused and misunderstood, they can fail. The safe
use of a certain piece of gear is not simply a matter of tensile
strength but of knowing that the item is “fit for the purpose.”
The user must thoroughly understand how the item works
and how it functions as a component in different types of
climbing (and rigging) systems.
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