NEW PRODUCTS

Hard Hats and Night Climbs

Over the last several years the availability and popularity of the “Rock Climbing Style of Helmets” has grown with Tower Technicians.  These styles of helmets are comfortable because of the unique adjustments to head shape and the well designed chin straps.  The helmets are also popular because they do not include large lips to reduce upward visibility, and availability with vents to reduce the heat build up while working.

The first of these sport helmets to be tested and labeled under the appropriate ANSI ratings to allow use as commercial “hard hats” was Petzel.  Although several other sporting equipment manufacturers have now offered the same ratings all of the suppliers we have reviewed continue to have the same problem in distribution.

 With the exception of the few multi-line distributors specializing in equipment for tower work these helmets are sold through sporting equipment stores such as “REI”.  The helmets are inventoried with both those having the appropriate ANSI labeling and ratings and without.  The salespeople in these stores rarely know the difference so it is up to you as the consumer to be sure to only buy those properly labeled.

Since the introduction of the ANSI commercial testing and approval Petzel has made a significant change in product.  The newer ANSI commercial rated helmet is the “Vertex®”.  This hard hat comes in three models.  The “Best” meets ANSI Z89.1-2003 standards as a Type I Class E safety helmet.  This is also rated for insulating qualities not generally a requirement for most tower work but the extra safety costs little or nothing.  The “Vent” is probably the most popular with tower technicians and meets the same standards as a Type I Class C, the minimal requirements for a safety helmet in general construction.  The “Vent” is popular because as the name suggests it has good ventilation to prevent heat build up.  The “ST” also meets the Z89.1-2003 as a Type 1 Class E and is economical. 

These hard hats are pricy but well worth considering.  An additional feature to the Petzel and other sport helmets is the clips on the lower rim of the helmet.  These make attaching accessories easy and secure.  Attachments that are popular and offer comfort and safety include the “Sombrero”, this is a wide bill that can be attached in harsh light to provide shade or in rain to drain off the water then easily removed for visibility.  An additional valuable accessory is the “head lamp”.  In the picture you see the Petzel MYO XP.  If you are doing night climbs or working in gloomy conditions or inside water tanks and smoke stacks this is well worth taking a look at.  The MYO is powered by three AA batteries, cheap and easily replaced.  The unit is water resistance and has both a narrow focus beam and a lens for wide soft beam use.  The lens is hinged so it doesn’t get lost! There is even a button on the unit to intensify the light for special needs.  This light fits securely and easily into the clips on this sporting type of helmet as shown. 

For additional information you may find the best source of help is to deal with a special distributor for tower workers such as “Bunch Safety” (BunchCo) or “Midwest Unlimited”.

BLUE BAR? LOOKS "RED" TO ME!

Many of you are using the "termination plate" or "rope terminator" that we use in our classes. We nicknamed, the plate the "Blue Bar" several years ago. Now we need to rethink the nickname. MSA has produced a new terminator we will obviously need to call the "Red Bar". You will notice that the only visual difference (other than color) is the rippled side look. Additional differences are that the device is now rated for MBS. The MBS is 10,000 lbs!

If you have been buying the "Red Bar" but haven’t read the instruction sheet you should do so soon. We discuss using the terminator to provide a connection point for anchoring soft rope and we also discuss using the terminator as a connection point to attach loads. MSA has developed a great new use idea. While we suggest terminating the rope and then attaching it to a sling with hardware, MSA shows a method to use the "Red Bar" as both the connector and the termination.

Modifications of the MSA Surety rope brake

 You may know that we continue to prefer this rope brake over all others tested.  We have been frustrated since the purchase of Surety by MSA that the lanyard attachment is modified by adding the steel carabineer.  This creates a weight that when maneuvering bounces and often provides sufficient load to activate the brake and hang you up.  The original termination was a direct attachment of the soft loop terminating the lanyard.  In the MSA product line you will find this brake offered with different length lanyards and the short one (pictured) even eliminates the bulk and weight of the shock pack.  As always we recommend all rope brakes be pre-rigged with lanyards to prevent climbers from attaching the wrong length of lanyard to the brake. 

At some point in the last few years there has been a modification to the rope brake itself. 

Look closely and you will see a small diameter cylinder with a pin that falls out if the brake is upside down.  The device is not named or mentioned in the instructions but appears to prevent closing the brake if it is upside down. Be sure to include inspecting the pin in your pre-climb safety activities. 

Buckingham:

The new Buckingham adjustable positioning lanyard is well worth a look see.  Although similar to the “Petzel” there are several interesting differences.  The rope is a softer double braid rather than the kern mantle and seems to cling better.  The adjuster is a “Petzel” hardware unit that is light weight and simple to operate.

The connecting hook is the new light weight aluminum. 

The attraction to the equipment is the light weight, short length (about 4foot) and one hand operation, making adjusting to the work location easy and flexible. 

Our only initial concern is that the opposing end is terminated in a soft loop; there is no thimble to protect from pinching when connecting with a carabineer.

Buckingham also featured a new harness at the show.  The harness has a number of great features.  You will immediately note that the harness is less multi colored and features the professional lineman’s type of hip D rings.  The harness also features soft loops on the front of the shoulders to suspend your Y lanyard hook in, making less of a trip hazard and reducing over population of the hip D rings.  The saddle is of the multi use type more common today, removable or convertible from hard to soft seat.  Photos will be included as soon as the guys stop using them in the field long enough to take the photos.   

    Elk River:

Elk River continues to improve on last years tower climber harness.  They have made two changes that we feel are worth a second look.  Look carefully because the harness is the same RED fabric as the last two versions.  Elk River is like Henry Ford, you can have the new car in any color as long as it is black.   The new harness has holsters for the saddle D rings.  This looks much like the elastic holster used on the Surety tower climber harness.  An additional feature (not shown, since we got our harness before the final changes) is the hip D rings.  Elk River has incorporated the curved and locking type of rings used in the old linemen’s belts.  Some of you may have used these, they are great, and they do not fold all the way back so it is easy to hook to them.  They also have a slight curve making it easy to hook when they are forward.  When we get the new final model we will include photos. 

Elk River also featured a great belt bag at the show.  (We have not gotten ours yet, but have ordered several).  The bag (surprise it is red) has a great draw string top and plenty of niches.   

DBI Sala featured the modified harness discussed earlier in this area.

Tuff Tug was in full support and displaying their non metallic safe climb.  We have high hopes for this as a solution to safe attachment while climbing the mast. 

MSA was conspicuously not in attendance at the show. !!!!

Harness Notes:

Manufacturer:  DBI/SALA

Model: ExoFit XP tower climbing harness

DBI/SALA spent a good deal of time and research developing this product.  Many of you have used, seen and purchased the ExoFit in one form or another since its introduction.  Our unscientific observations are that the harness has become one of the four or five most popular with tower technicians. 

The harness has gone through several modifications since its introduction, most of them probably suggested by users and beneficial to the application.  The removable saddle and the removable back padding are probably the most appreciated.

Critical concerns have been the cross over at the chest and the back padding.  The chest cross over is fixed location to the shoulder straps, this makes adjusting the cross over low enough to prevent it stretching up to the throat in a catastrophic fall, difficult.  Be sure the harness fits you correctly.  If you have concerns regarding how high the cross over fits on your body style contact DBI directly.

There is a new modification however which is worth note here.  The dorsal (back) D ring is now encased in housing with a roller attached to the back of the D ring.  This roller is spring loaded and helps keep the D ring elevated and easily located reaching back to connect.    An additional value to the roller is that if the D ring is stress loaded it will pull out of the roller housing and expose a red strip on the back of the ring.  This is a great idea for inspection of the unit. 

We have had a problem with the new roller unit.  Over the last several months students in our class have had the D ring pull out of the roller under less than 300lbs of load.  DBI/SALA designed the unit to allow testing of stress loading which is set to a load of 400 or 450 lbs.  The problem is that once the D ring is pulled out of the roller the back is exposed and is red for easy inspection, essentially demonstrating that the unit has been stress loaded and is no longer usable. 

DBI has responded to the problem in a strong support fashion.  Students have returned the units and advised DBI of the problem and in all cases we know of DBI has repaired the damage at no charge.  DBI has also stated that the indicator showing red has not compromised the strength member of the harness.  DBI/SALA is including an additional metal pin in the unit to hold the D-ring in place to acceptable levels where it will indicate a fall and is working with their supplier to correct the problem.