I've asked enough questions and received enough great
advice on TT - I wanted to try to contribute
something for a change :-)
In my recent installation of a Trylon 72' tower, I
decided to install a 'professional' fall protection
system. I've been very happy with the results, and
want to encourage others to think about taking a
similar approach.
Most towers that I have seen and/or climbed have no
fall protection system installed. The climber uses a
fall protection lanyard, either with a single clip or
a forked lanyard with two clips. In either case, you
either have to climb unprotected (efficient, but very
dangerous), or clip and unclip every couple of steps
up and down the tower. With a single lanyard, every
unclip to move your protection is risky. With a
double lanyard you don't have the risk, but you still
have the hassle of moving your protection every
couple of steps.
In at least some (maybe all, I don't know)
professional tower installations, a permanent fall
protection system is put in place. These systems use
a track or cable to provide 100% continuous fall
protection to the climber.
Summary:
On my Trylon, I installed a steel cable that is
securely attached at the top of the tower, and runs
down one face. I used spacers at the top and bottom
to keep the cable off the tower face. A "trailing
rope grab", an OSHA approved device that clamps on to
the cable in the event of a fall, clips on to my fall
protection lanyard and follows me up and down the
tower as I climb. I am protected all the time, and
don't ever have to unclip my lanyard. This system
allows me to climb quickly and securely, without
danger and without the nuisance of managing my
protection on my way up and down the tower.
Details:
I bought an 80' length of 5/16" galvanized steel
cable from http://www.mcmaster.com for $.42/ft. The
cable attaches around a leg and to my thrust bearing
plate at the top of the tower using 3 cable clamps
per the manufacturer's spec. It then runs through a
12" long 1" wide 1/8" thick piece of galvanized steel
that serves solely to space the cable off the face of
the tower. I bought the spacer steel at a local
Orchard Supply Hardware store, and had a local
machine shop bend at 90 degrees at one end (to hook
over the brace of the tower) and drill a hole at one
end for a 1/4" bolt (to hold it to the tower brace)
and at the other end to allow the cable to pass
through.
The cable then runs down the face of the tower to a
second identical spacer at the bottom of the tower.
A single clamp below the lower spacer provides enough
tension to keep the cable straight and spaced off the
tower face.
Imagine at this point a 5/16" cable running parallel
to and about 12 inches from one face of the tower. I
installed my tower intending to climb the north
facing 'nose' (to keep the sun out of my eyes), so I
installed the cable on the face that is to my left as
I climb.
Then I bought a Miller Microloc trailing rope grab
from www.grainger.com. The rope grab is designed for
use with 5/16" steel cable. The grab clips on to the
fall arrest lanyard. It runs along the cable, and at
least in the upward direction it just slides along
the cable behind me as I climb. Going downward it
sometimes requires that I reach out and slide it down
the cable, which is no hassle. I think if I had
chosen a more expensive grab, it would trail going
down more easily.
The summary is that for around $200 ($116 for the
Microloc, $35 for the cable, a few bucks for the
clamps, spacers, etc.), I have a full time reliable
fall protection system. In the context of a multi-
thousand dollar tower system, $200 seems well worth
it. You might consider adding such a system to your
tower(s) if you climb them much. It sure makes me
feel safer than climbing towers without them.
All the best, and safe climbing,
***dan, K6IF
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