Tech Tip: Ascenders won't catch you!

At Ropeworks we field technical questions from customers daily. One that pops up frequently is: “Is it OK to use a handled ascender for your backup rope?” In a word, NO! In rope access, the backup device should only come into play when a primary support fails. This type of fall can subject the backup device to a considerable shock load. A handled ascender typically has an aggressive toothed cam that grabs the rope with no slippage when it’s loaded. This can result in a shock load tearing the sheath and cause failure of the back-up system! This is no urban myth, we have tested it! Read more…

The backup device chosen should dissipate energy if dynamically loaded in a fall. There are many “rope grabs” in the market that do this. We tested several of them, combining different ropes and devices to find the best “real world” solution.The truth is there is no perfect device for all applications. The standard Ropeworks Kit comes with a Petzl Shunt as a backup device for rope access. The Shunt also happens to be the most commonly used device in rope access world-wide. We chose the Shunt because, in our testing, it delivered a reliably mild “catch” to a falling load. It achieves this by slipping a certain amount along the rope and absorbing energy as it goes, in a manner that doesn’t damage either the rope or the device if used correctly. It is important to note the Shunt should only be used by trained and certified rope access technicians. It should not be used in standard fall arrest applications by unqualified workers! Some basic reminders on how to properly use the Petzl Shunt in rope access applications will be the subject of the next issues’ tech topic.