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Vehicles As Anchors
So how do you determine a suitable anchor point on a vehicle for use during either a rope rescue or confined space rescue situation?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike "Lapo" Lapotasky on
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Technical Rescue Technician training does not allow for mechanical winches, at least not where I am from or how I've been trained for that matter. That doesn't make it wrong; we just don't do that.
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Check out the Terr-Adaptor by SMC. Or is it CMC? One of those...search terr-adaptor and con-space anchor point worries will be a thing of the past, making surveys and pre-plans WAY easier to do. I here ya on the need for a dvierse repertoire of rigging options in industrial/manufacturing con-space settings.
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Most of what you said was true, but outside conditions and winds can vary SO much. Also, I would like to point out that there have been con-space injuries and fatalities recently that reacher out of that access/egress manhole/hatch and caused the person to pass out and subsequently fall into the hole. Check firefighterclosecalls.com if you are unfamilair with either the story or the website.
Good ideas though. I like them. -
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We HAVE used this before, but it makes me leary. I tend to err on the side of caution when overseeing the rigging that my crew is about to use.
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You guys insert winched gin poles or davits in those mounts? How big is the boom or pole?
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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They're all good points Mike, but the golden quesiton- what part should the equipment be attached to on the vehicle?
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I like going through the wheel. Tow hooks are usable but some good point were made against that. Other than the wheel, I would say a drive axle would be best. But overall...actual bull rings or rated anchor points to me leave no questions. Every situation is different...
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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I used to run on a heavy rescue that had a row of rope anchors on each side of the rescue box roof. We used to connect them with a load-distributing anchor sling and put the rig perpendicular to the load.
It worked like a champ every time. -
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Luke, I don't have any current photos. I'll make some calls and see if the guys I used to work with have any.
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Permalink Reply by Charles Dusha on
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Have just joined this list (as I just found it) and have been reading throught he posts. Everyone makes some very good points regards vehicles as anchor points, there are many excellent options to use. Just a couple of comments I have, based on experience. Many of the industrial tripods and davits (such as may be bumper mounted on a vehicle) may be only 6 nto 8 feet high. This may be fine for the typical lifeline/harness combination on a confined space entrant for performing non-entry rescue, which we would generally like to be our first action, however, if we have to place someone in a stakes or sked, or another device (the old reeves sleeve comes to mind), then when we do a vertical hoist we would like to have a higher anchor point as we will have the 6 1/2 to 7 feet of packaging, about a foot or more of bridle, and the hauling system or at least a pulley between our anchor and the ground. If we can't clear the space with this entire assembly, we then have to manhandle the victim out of the hole, working in a potentially dangerous environment (especially regards slips and falls) and are putting ourselves at risk for injuries from these hazards as well as lifting in an awkward position. One of the "high anchors" I advocate for fire departments, if they can access the space appropriately, is the tip of their aerial ladder truck. My recommendation for a rescue tripod is at least 10 feet (you may not always be able to extend it this high depending on the location and configuration of the space) and preferably a 12 foot tripod. That having been said - ALL SPACES ARE DIFFERENT. Each space should, according to 29 CFR 1910.146, be preplanned as part of the companies Confined Space Plan, and any specialized equipment or informatin should be addressed.
Someone else made a comment about "mechanical winches" not being allowed. This may be your department or team policy, however, one must be cautious if your interpreting that as part of 1910.146. The term mechanical winch can be used to mean 2 specifically different types of equipment. The standard does allow for "manually operated" winches - which are mechanical devices, looking very similar in operation to the winch on a boat trailer (but there are some significant differences). The devices which should never be used are those that are powered (by electric motors, hydraulic motors, or gasoline engines), as these devices have absolutely no way of feling any increased resistance on the hauling line which would be an indication that the victim is hung up on something, and they will continue to pull until something breaks - usually the victim. All of the manually operated hauling devices (mechanical advantage systems, hand cranked winches, etc) will allow the operator to FEEL the increased resistance, stop and re-evaluate the situation.
Hoping to hear more from everyone. Train safe, work safe, go home to your loved ones!
Charlie D. -
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