I plummeted from about 32 feet atop a cottonwood tree here on a job I was working for a fellow business I sub for.
On this day I performed all the inspections of the tree and my life support gear as I always do. I threw my line over the main lead and ascended the tree. Before ascending I jumped and tensioned my line as I noticed a limb which could snap and drop my lead maybe 3 feet before it would rest into the crotch I had aimed for. The jumping and hopping and lode forcing did not snap this limb so I decided to ascend telling myself that a 3 feet drop would be negligible if it did happen. Rope runner preface: prior to this day I had tensioned the pins in my roperunner to fit my rope "yale xtc fire" to ensure minimal slide and maximum rope grab. Even ascending since the first days I set it was always a little difficult as the device was set to be more grab bias than slide bias. These tests and tunes ultimately resulted in my comfortability in the tree and I began to use the device as I had once used a prusik and rope wrench. Back too the day I fell... this day was particularly peculiar as the yard had a wooden ledge I used as a 4 foot drop to further test lode my system and ran and jumped off the ledge to shock the system. I remember running on this ledge like mission impossible. It was all in the name of safety. I ascended the tree too the near top reached for my scare strap and as I whipped it towards the trunk my arm movement broke the little limb preventing my climb line from sitting flush with the leader. At this point I knew I was going for the swing of the distance between my rope and this lead, i kicked off the tree, uptook an arms length of this slack and prepaired to land feet towards the trunk I was falling from. Expecting only about 6 feet of drop I was surprised and confused. My device, the roperunner did not grab my rope at all. As if the 6 foot drop got it sliding and the device wouldnt grab. I hit the ground almost instantly before I could think. My roperunner wad still connected and all pins all settings all rollers were on the rope properly and I was in the lawn with a broken, bruised, and torn lower body. My spine is fine. My head is fine. I am extremely lucky. I have a groundsmen that witnessed and described my fall as
Full speed until the last 5 feet where it sortove locked on the rope and slowwed me down just before all the worst could happen.
Has anyone experienced roperunner of any year make or model failing them. If so please PM Me!
Also describe to me any theories or legal support you may have for this situation. I am self employed and my workcomp does not cover my own butt. As I entered the lawn feet first my femer slid over the top of my knee cap thus really damaging the short term and long term functionality of my knee. Essentially my knee went inward and backward.
I am hoping to make sure this never happens to anyone Ever Again!!! This is the device at the bottom of the rope I disconnected from my harness and then went too the hospital.
Sorry for deleting the image guys im going to probably take this to court so Ive been advised I should remove the image.
On this day I performed all the inspections of the tree and my life support gear as I always do. I threw my line over the main lead and ascended the tree. Before ascending I jumped and tensioned my line as I noticed a limb which could snap and drop my lead maybe 3 feet before it would rest into the crotch I had aimed for. The jumping and hopping and lode forcing did not snap this limb so I decided to ascend telling myself that a 3 feet drop would be negligible if it did happen. Rope runner preface: prior to this day I had tensioned the pins in my roperunner to fit my rope "yale xtc fire" to ensure minimal slide and maximum rope grab. Even ascending since the first days I set it was always a little difficult as the device was set to be more grab bias than slide bias. These tests and tunes ultimately resulted in my comfortability in the tree and I began to use the device as I had once used a prusik and rope wrench. Back too the day I fell... this day was particularly peculiar as the yard had a wooden ledge I used as a 4 foot drop to further test lode my system and ran and jumped off the ledge to shock the system. I remember running on this ledge like mission impossible. It was all in the name of safety. I ascended the tree too the near top reached for my scare strap and as I whipped it towards the trunk my arm movement broke the little limb preventing my climb line from sitting flush with the leader. At this point I knew I was going for the swing of the distance between my rope and this lead, i kicked off the tree, uptook an arms length of this slack and prepaired to land feet towards the trunk I was falling from. Expecting only about 6 feet of drop I was surprised and confused. My device, the roperunner did not grab my rope at all. As if the 6 foot drop got it sliding and the device wouldnt grab. I hit the ground almost instantly before I could think. My roperunner wad still connected and all pins all settings all rollers were on the rope properly and I was in the lawn with a broken, bruised, and torn lower body. My spine is fine. My head is fine. I am extremely lucky. I have a groundsmen that witnessed and described my fall as
Full speed until the last 5 feet where it sortove locked on the rope and slowwed me down just before all the worst could happen.
Has anyone experienced roperunner of any year make or model failing them. If so please PM Me!
Also describe to me any theories or legal support you may have for this situation. I am self employed and my workcomp does not cover my own butt. As I entered the lawn feet first my femer slid over the top of my knee cap thus really damaging the short term and long term functionality of my knee. Essentially my knee went inward and backward.
I am hoping to make sure this never happens to anyone Ever Again!!! This is the device at the bottom of the rope I disconnected from my harness and then went too the hospital.
Sorry for deleting the image guys im going to probably take this to court so Ive been advised I should remove the image.
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