best practices for rigging in arboriculture pdf

Because the climbing line runs through standard false crotch rings, the wear on the rope and the friction experienced by the climber is exactly the same as they would be in a tree. There is inevitably some contact with and movement against the ball, but this, too, is absorbed by the heavy webbing of the false crotch.

The place a shackle on the cable connection to the above the ball, secure the pin shackle is made of the shackle with a piece of sturdy, weather-proof wire with the false crotch because the false crotch does not run over the rough metal of the shackle, and because the heavy webbing of the false crotch stands up well to wear on the shackle. B: One option to attach the climber to the crane is to climbing. In this setup, the initial connection to the crane is made with a rated shackle that is used only for Fig. There are several ways that this can be accomplished.Ī false crotch is placed through the shackle and the climbing line is placed through the false crotch (Fig. There must be a smooth, safe transition from the heavy rigging of the crane to the running climbing line of the arborist. The initial connection to the crane is where the climbing system is most likely to encounter burs, grease, pinch points or other hazards that might compromise the safety of the climber. Please circle 2 on Reader Service Card Simply put, this means that the climbing system must not interfere with or damage any part of the operation of the crane, and the crane must not interfere with or damage any part of the climbing system.

All of these are important and all should be read and adhered to.īecause of the limited space available here, however, this article TREE CARE INDUSTRY MARCH 3 will address only two of those subsections: and Section reads: The arborist climbing line shall be secured to the crane in such a way that it does not interfere with the function of any damage-prevention or warning device on the crane and so that no part of the crane compromises the climbing line or any part of the climbing system.

There may be other state or local differences and it is up to the reader to research and adhere to pertinent standards.) There are 12 subsections under ANSI Z133.1 section that prescribe the procedures and equipment that must be used when an arborist is lifted by a crane. (Note: State OSHA in California requires that the climber has an independent line attached above the crane hook and that the climber be secured to the crane s hook, which must have a positive-locking device. Finally, it is easier to place the choker on the hook if the climbing line has a separate, secure connection there is no chance of the climbing line becoming pinched by or entangled with the choker(s) and the climbing line does not have to be moved in order to place the choker(s) on the hook. Cranes are often used in applications that use chains and/or wire rope on the hook and these can create burs that would damage a running climbing line. For other industries there is no specific standard within the OSH Act, but those industries are still required to abide by what is commonly called the General Duty Clause.Įven if the latch does work, it is very easy for the arborist s line to roll out of the hook because of the large mouth opening. OSHA or ANSI? The majority of workplaces in the United States are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) of For many industries there are specific standards within the OSH Act that govern workplace practices, procedures and equipment. Two of the most common questions that arise are, Are climbers allowed to ride the crane to access the tree? And, If the climber can ride the crane, what are the best ways to do this? This article will focus on two things: First, it will comment on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards that guide the arborist industry for the use of cranes in tree removal and how those standards relate to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) second, it will discuss the particular issue of the climber using the crane to access and/or work in a tree that is being removed.

Best practices for rigging in arboriculture pdf