Rescue Equipment

Rescue Equipment

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL

The participant will understand the need to properly

select and use rope-rescue equipment for confined
space entry and rescue.
ENABLING OBJECTIVES:
Based on the information presented in the classroom and in the student
guide, the student will be able to:

1. Explain the uses and limitations of static kernmantle rescue rope.

2. Identify various rope rescue hardware components and explain its use.
3. Demonstrate the correct procedure for tying the following knots and hitches
a) Simple figure-8 knot
b) Figure-8 on a bight knot
c) Figure-8 follow through knot
d) Figure-8 bend
e) Clove Hitch
f) Munter Hitch
g) Double fisherman’s knot
h) Bowline knot
i) Butterfly knot
Rescue Ropes, Webbing and Equipment

 NFPA 1983 Standard On Fire Service

Rope Life Safety Rope, Harness, and
Hardware

 Life Safety Rope:

Maximum working load:

300 pounds for a one-person rope
600 pounds for a two-person rope.

Minimum breaking:
4500 pounds for a one-person rope
9000 pounds for a two-person rope.
Rope Strength
 Force is anything that can cause a moving object to
change its shape, change its direction of motion, and/or
change the speed at which it is moving

 Kinetic Energy = ½ mv2 where m is the mass (weight)

of the object and v is the velocity (speed) that the object
is moving.

 Free-fall objects accelerate at a constant 32 feet per

second for every second of fall (32 feet/second2)
because of the force exerted by gravity.
Kinetic Energy Chart of a 160 pound Falling Body

Height of Fall Time of Fall Velocity of Fall KE or Force of Impact

(Feet) (Seconds) (feet/second) (Pounds)

10 0.80 25.6 1,638

20 1.10 35.2 3,097
30 1.40 44.8 5,017
40 1.60 51.2 6,553
50 1.78 56.9 8,410
60 1.95 62.4 9,732
70 2.10 67.2 11,287
80 2.25 72.0 12,960
90 2.38 76.1 14,477
100 2.50 80.0 16,000
Rope Strength

 Rope must absorb the force of NFPA single person load 300
a falling object in order to stop Safety factor X 15
its fall. REQUIRED STRENGTH 4500 lbs
 NFPA Standard indicates that
a lifeline breaking elongation 3/8 or 7/16 Kernmantle rope required
shall not be less than 15% or
more than 55%. NFPA double person load 600
 Stretching the rope is another Safety factor X 15
way of spreading the shock REQUIRED STRENGTH 9000 lbs
energy over a longer period of
time.
 This advantage is not present ½ kernmantle rope required
in cable systems.
Work, Mechanical Advantage
and the Pulley

The pulley is a simple machine.

The pulley is used for two things:
1) Change the direction of a rope’s force
2) Produce mechanical advantage.

(Work = force x distance)

Rope Types / Properties

Rope Type Melting Temp Abrasion Comments

Resistance
Nylon 500 F Good Good shock loading

Polyester 500 F Good Acid resist, poor

caustic
Polyolefin 250 F Poor Impervious to acid

Spectra 300 F Good Chemical resist, poor

shock loading
Kevlar 600 F Poor Poor shock loading,
no sharp bend,
expensive
TYPES OF KERNMANTLE ROPE

STATIC CORE (kern)

 Low stretch rope  50% - 85% of strength

 Used for hauling, entry,

and rescue Braided sheath (mantle)
DYNAMIC  15% - 50% of Strength
 High Stretch ropes
 Used for arresting a fall
 Not used in most entry or
rescue situations
Rope Care and Storage

 Written History
 Pad sharp corner (Rope and webbing do not usually
break, they cut)
 Avoid sharp bends
 Utilize efficient knots
 Retire the rope if there is any doubt as to its quality
 Storage cool dry place (bagged)
Rope Retirement

 Rescue rope 5 year old (even if unused)

 Industrial rope 3 year old (even if unused)
 Rope absorbs a five foot fall
 Penetration of sheath
 Soft spots in the middle off the rope
 Exposure to chemicals
 Used for one rescue only
 Inspected visual and by feel
 ROPE QUALITY

When in doubt, throw it out!

WEBBING
 1” tubular webbing = 4000 lbs strength
 1” solid Webbing = 6000 lbs strength
 2” solid tubular webbing = 6000 lbs strength
 Poor shock loading qualities
 Poor abrasion resistance cuts easily under load
 Very versatile
 Can be purchased in straight lengths or sewn slings
Prusik cord

 Prusik cord consists of a 7-9 mm nylon cord with a

2,000-3,000 lb strength. It is used for tie-offs, prusik
lines, and substitute ascenders. It is important to note
this material will not withstand shock loading.
Carabiners
 Strength varies from 6000 lbs (AL) to 15,000 lbs (steel heat treated)
 Link equipment together
 Quickly attaches and detaches
 May be fractured by dropping
 Designed to be loaded along long axis No double axis loads
 No hard links (3 carabiners hooked together)
 Do not over tighten locking mechanism
Steel Trilinks

 9000 lbs strength

 Used for linking rigging and equipment together
 Designed for double axis load
 May be fractured by dropping
Descenders
 9000 lb to 11,000 lb strength
 Friction device for lowering and rappelling
 Should have ears if used for rescue
 May get very hot if used for long rappel or
lowering
 May cause rope to twist or kink
Ascenders
 Strength varies from 2500 lbs to 6000 lbs
 Pull tested to 1000 lbs (gibbs)
 Used for ascending or grabbing rope
 Not designed to catch a fall
 Usually the weak link in a mechanical
advantage system
 May reduce rope strength by 2/3
 May abrade the sheath of the rope
Prusik Knots

Strengths
• Inexpensive
• Simple to tie
• Can be used to ascend or descend loaded or unloaded ropes
• Can be used for self-rescue
• Can be used to assist hoisting and hauling when mechanical-
advantage systems are stacked or piggybacked
Weaknesses
• Can be difficult to slide or untie after load has been applied
• Must be small diameter cord
Pulleys
 Breaking strength over 9000 lbs
 Load carrying capacity over 600 lbs
 Re-directs rope, produces rope, or produces
mechanical advantage
 Diameter of the pulley should be at least 4 times
larger than the diameter of the rope
 Splits to accept the middle of the rope
Rescue Harness
Class I
a) Fastens around the waist
b) Designed for 1-person load
c) Common ladder belt
Class II
a) Fastened around waist and thighs or under
buttocks
b) Rappelling seat
Class III
a) Fastens around waist, around thighs or
under buttocks, and over shoulders
b) Used when inverting is possible
c) Recommended for confined space entry
and rescue
d) D-rings provide at least 5000 lb strength
Harness Recommendations

 Use personal harness if possible

 Easily adjustable
 Easy to put on and wear
 Must have D-ring between shoulder for
required safety line attachment if the
entrant is working in a vertical space
 Additional front D-ring is helpful
 Should be clean and well maintained
 Waist section rides on pelvic girdle
 Should be tight when in use
Personal Equipment

 Harness
 Gloves
 Helmet
 Safety glasses
 Appropriate shoe and
body covering for the job
Fall Protection and Retrieval Equipment
Tripods

 350 lb working load

 5000 lb breaking strength
 Designed to be loaded straight down
 Leg safety chain should be in place
 Designed for 1 person load only
 Should be placed on level surface
 The higher they are, the more unstable
Cable Winches
 Cable has 350 lb working load (3/16)
 Cable breaking strength approximately 4000 lbs
 Winch should have fall arrester built-in
 Not designed for severe shock loading
 Should be backed-up for hauling a life load
Lanyards

 Breaking strength approximately 5400 lbs

 Rope or strap with attachment devices on the ends

 Should not be more than 6 feet long

 Should be replaced after catching one fall

Utility Straps

 Used in anchoring
 I-Beam strap strength – 10,000lbs
 Adjustable utility straps
 Webbing strength – 10,000 lbs
 D-ring strength – 5000 lbs
Wristlets

 Used to pull the entrants arms above their

head for entry into very narrow passages

 Usually should not support the entrant’s

body weight

 Should be used in conjunction with a full-

body harness
Hardware Warnings

 If the hardware is dropped more than three feet onto a

hard surface, inspect carefully for damage.

 If the hardware is dropped more than 5 feet, replace or

test the hardware.

 In most cases, it will be cheaper to replace the hardware

rather than have it tested.
Knots
 Tie it
 Dress it
 Tighten it
 Safety knot necessity
Knots

 Simple Figure-8 knot

 Figure-8 on a bight knot
 Figure-8 follow through
 Clove hitch
 Munter hitch
 Bowline
 Butterfly Knot
 Square Knot
Simple Figure-8 Knot

 Use this knot as the

basis for more complex
figure-8 knots.

 A "stopper" knot.
Figure-8 on a Bight Knot

Frequently used as an attachment point on:

Harness D-ring
Anchors

"dress" It

safety knot, such as an overhand

knot or a double overhand knot.
Figure-8 Follow-Through

 The figure-8 follow-through is used to tie a rope

directly to an anchor or directly to a harness.

Used in Tensionless Off Tie Anchor

Butterfly Knot

 Tie a non-slip loop in the middle of a rope

Bowline

 The bowline knot is used

primarily to make a fixed (non-
slip) loop in the end of a line.

Used in Tensionless Off Tie Anchor

Double Fisherman's Bend

 Ties two lines of together

 Forms a single line into a loop

Double or Triple
Clove Hitch

 Primarily used to attach a rope

to a pole or rod.
 This knot only secures when
under tension.
 An overhand safety knot should
always be tied to prevent it from
untying.
Munter Hitch
The munter hitch is used
as a belay device

Designed to arrest and hold

a one-person load
Square Knot

 Used to tie the ends of a rope together.

 Can be loosened after it has been under tension
Ring Bend (Water Knot)

 The ring bend is one of the few bends suitable for use
in flat material such as webbing.