BLOG ARCHIVE — IDEAS THAT HOLD UNDER LOAD

Rope. Rigging. Reason

Where field craft meets first principles — every technique stress-tested by maths, every system shaped by research, every team lifted by clear leadership.
Instruction
Grant Prattley

More and more about less and less

More and more about less and less. This idea has been rolling around between the ears for some time – so time to release it to the world. If we have more and more information about finer and finer detail that makes no difference to our practice then why do we need it? This finer and finer detail is often in conflict with good decision making in the field where simplified is best. I have seen it many times, overthinking leading to

Grant Prattley 03/12/2016
Risk management
Grant Prattley

What is your risk priority?

Or risk management in the real world. For the past few months, I have started to use the term ‘risk priority’ to describe how to manage emerging risks in the moment. A lot of the places we work are dynamic in nature. Maybe we are moving through an environment or we are in one place and the environment is changing or has changed since our last visit. This can occur both in the outdoor and industrial arena. There are often

Grant Prattley 12/11/2016
Pulley Systems
Grant Prattley

Pulley versus carabiner efficiency

Pulley versus carabiner efficiency. It’s always a good idea to be prepared for self-rescue when you are out and about climbing, caving, canyoning, or mountaineering. Make sure the gear you have can do the job and you have tried it out. One question that comes up is: Can I use carabiners (to save weight) instead of pulleys for a rescue raising system? The main issue is friction. I did some quick look testing so you can gain an understanding of

Grant Prattley 27/07/2016
Instruction
Grant Prattley

6 Training Tools for Instructors

6 Training Tools for Instructors. This article was originally written for the training of SAR volunteers however, the principles here I think are universally applicable to all instructing. We have a unique situation and opportunity training SAR volunteers: They want to be at the training – at the course, monthly training, refreshers, SAREXs… They are giving up their own free time. Volunteers have the right reasons to be there – wanting to help others. We have an opportunity during training to

Grant Prattley 22/06/2016
afety-management-plan-A6-A5-binding
Risk management
Grant Prattley

Safety information: Engaging your staff

Safety information. 7 ways to make your safety information more engaging for staff. A few years ago I started up an adventure tourism company. Before we could operate I had to create a safety management plan (for an audit). I spent many days crafting a wonderful plan. Now I needed to get this information into a format that our staff would love to use. It’s easy for the plan to sit in a set of folders on the office wall or on your

Grant Prattley 22/06/2016
joining-bends-testing-2015
Canyoning
Grant Prattley

Which bends for joining ropes?

This article has been updated in 2020 with all the bends retested and lots more information on variations including small and large diameters. Check it out: Which bends for joining ropes update – CLICK HERE Which bend for joining ropes? Testing and analysis of flat bends used for rope retrieval As part of writing the Canyoning Technical Manual, I needed to find out more about flat bends. For my own peace of mind, I had to make sure what I was putting

Grant Prattley 21/06/2016
Anchors
Grant Prattley

Anchor rigging: Getting a grip on pre-tensioning

Anchor rigging: Getting a grip on pre-tensioning. For anchors a long way back from an edge, we often need to bring the anchor rigging and focal point forward to a better working position. An effective way to achieve this is by using multiple strands and pre-tensioning our rigging. When the load becomes live ideally there is little to no movement in the rigging. If anchors need to be held in a particular alignment, a pre-tensioned front tie is a tool

Grant Prattley 20/06/2016
abseiling-imp-grotto-canyoning-festival-web
Abseiling
Grant Prattley

Abseiling: 5 ways to improve

Abseiling: 5 ways to improve. Lessons learnt from abseiling in a canyon. When I first started canyoning several years ago I had to adapt my abseiling (rappelling) technique to this environment. A few things were the same and many things were different (or as is often said ‘same-same but different’). I had come from a background of climbing and caving where the environment was usually dry. When it was snow and ice you had some crampons on your boots to

Grant Prattley 20/06/2016
Anchors
Grant Prattley

3-point anchor testing

3-Point Anchor Testing Updated and revised by Grant Prattley, OTE Rescue 2014. Based on original work by SARINZ Trust 2005. We started to research 3-point anchor loading as a result of questions asked by both instructors and students. At the time we could not find any articles or testing on this subject area. To date we have undertaken a small number of tests but enough to give some indications of what works.

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016
Anchors
Grant Prattley

Snow Anchor Placement

Snow Anchor Placement A few pages exerted from the Rope Rescue & Rigging Field Guide. A quick overview of snow anchor section and placement options with strength ranges in different snow types. Put in your first name and email address and I will send you a download link.

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016
Testing
Grant Prattley

Rigging Myths and other things rope

Rigging Myths and other things rope NZOIA Symposium Paper, Tihoi, October, 2014, by Grant Prattley. At the NZOIA conference at Tihoi we had a bunch of people out for half a day breaking and load testing various components in rope systems and maybe a few myths along the way. Back in the classroom, we discussed the theoretical concept of vectors. The idea was to open up the thinking and start analysing what you have. Testing  We set up a load

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016
Risk management
Grant Prattley

Knots Safety Check

Knots Safety Check How to undertake a knots safety check before use A knots safety check is a really important step in your rope work just prior to use. You will learn how to go through a 6-step systematic quality check for each knot, bend or hitch. This includes: aligned, tightened, tail length, loop size, fit for purpose and tied correctly. A page exerted from the Rope Rescue & Rigging Field Guide.

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016
Rope Rescue
Grant Prattley

Systems Analysis: How does 1kN become 4.5kN

Systems Analysis: How does 1kN become 4.5kN So what did I see that made me stand waist-deep in water, scratching my head at 4 am? It seems to happen that you strike the trickiest part of the rescue rigging around 4 am in the morning, in the wettest part of the cave at the end of a long 20-hour day. So it was in a deep cave, SAREX in Summit Tomo, Takaka hill, 2010. I found myself standing at the

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016
Testing
Grant Prattley

Soil Anchor Report

Soil Anchor Report A report by Chris Gallagher, Field Equipment Officer, Australian Antarctic Division, March 2011. This report presents methods, discussion and recommendations in relation to appropriate rope rescue anchors and rigging systems needed for Macquarie Island. This testing has relevance to other rescue teams that need to carry ground anchors to the rescue site. Over the Edge Rescue (in partnership with SARINZ) has worked closely with the Australian Antarctic Division over the last 10 years. We have developed high-quality

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016
Testing
Grant Prattley

Rope Grab Test Report

Rope Grab Test Report Grant Prattley, Lindsay Main and Andrew Welsh, New Zealand Land Search and Rescue, February 2001. Many rope grab devices are used by the rescue technician for a variety of functions in a rope rescue system. This study focuses on rope grabs used in a slow pull situation as used in a rescue hauling system to attach a pulley to a rope to create mechanical advantage.

Grant Prattley 03/05/2016

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