To teach the basic procedures required to rescue either a fallen climber or evacuate an injured party from height. It focuses on the use of the High Access Rescue kit, but can be developed, at the clients' request or operation procedures, to encompass controlled rate descenders or what the instructor assesses to be the most appropriate form of rescue or evacuation. It is ideally suited to clients working on telecommunications towers, pylons and tower cranes.
Duration
2 days
Pre-course requirements
Must have a current climbers ticket, valid to access areas of open structure.
Certification
Valid for two years on successful completion.
Course timetable and content
DAY ONE
Objectives
1. To operate rescue equipment effectively
2. To be able to make-up the rescue kit
3. To be competent to perform a cut-rescue
Presentation
The need for rescue, worksite rescue procedure, high access rescue kits.
Practical
- Introduction to descending. Trainees will learn how to descend controlling their own descent speed. All trainees are to be backed-up with a safety line rigged through a Grigri or Italian hitch.
- Tandem descent with the trainee descending as a pair.
- Further tandem descents until all are competent to operate the descender correctly.
- Cut release: trainees to transfer the casualty to their rescue system by cutting a piece of webbing representing an activated energy absorber.
- Further cut-release rescues
DAY TWO
Objectives
1. To operate effectively using a single-rope rescue system
2. To be able to rescue a fallen or trapped climber in a work-orientated scenario
Casualty pulley system. Trainees shown how to operate a casualty pulley system instead of cutting the activated energy absorber.
Single-line cableways shown, plus how to change the rescue equipment into a lowering system for confined spaces e.g. a hoop ladder system.
Practical
Assessment scenarios. Each trainee will satisfactorily complete a rescue simulation. The instructor will set the scenario and the trainee will begin the exercise as if working on site i.e. with a complete rescue bag and nothing rigged. Scenarios may include:
- Fallen climber on lanyard
- Injured fallen climber using a pulley system
- Fallen climber on cut-proof system using a pulley system
- Climber trapped in ladder system inverted lower
- Rescue line through deviation point
- All scenarios may be completed with/ without a cableway
