Rope
Tower Rescue
Employers are responsible for providing expedient rescue for employees who work at height. This course will provide tower climbers and professional rescuers with the tools and knowledge to rescue incapacitated personnel efficiently and safely. Content includes a review of fall protection and an introduction to climbing techniques for towers, and then builds on these techniques with simple and effective rescue procedures. The course covers basic and specialized equipment; ropes and rigging; safety considerations; scene management and organization; ascending and descending; belaying, lowering, and raising systems; and litter management in a tower environment. It is appropriate for lineman, tower maintenance personnel, and firefighters with a range of prior experience.
Details
Duration: 3 days (24 hours)
Format: 1 day classroom, 2 days at outdoor tower sites
Cost: $649 (minimum six participants required)
Pre-requisites
- 18+ years of age (16-17 with parental permission)
- No previous experience required but appropriate physical and mental aptitude for working at height is necessary.
- Participants will be asked to perform moderately strenuous activities.
Required Equipment
- Climbing or technical rescue helmet*
- Gloves with leather palms (ie. work gloves)
- Work boots, hiking boots, or appropriate footwear
- Long pants or coveralls
- Class III full-body climbing or rescue harness*
- Appropriate protective clothing for weather conditions
* rentals available - see our online registration form for details
Technical Rope Rescue FAQ
Want more details about technical rescue courses including what to expect and how to prepare? Click here for our Technical Rope Rescue FAQ.
General Objectives
- To develop the sense of confidence and necessary skills for rescue personnel in rope access situations.
- To train students in the utilization of both standard and innovative rescue equipment in tower rope rescue situations.
Behavioral Objectives
- Understand the basic characteristics of ropes, knots, and technical gear used in tower safety and rescue work.
- Be able to manage rope systems in a tower environment.
- Understand the management skills needed to direct a tower rope rescue operation.
- Be able to tie basic rescue knots.
- Understand and utilize basic camming devices and hitches.
- Understand and utilize tensioning systems and mechanical advantage systems.
- Be able to construct effective anchors, and utilize artificial anchors.
- Understand and utilize rope protection.
- Be able to manage a self-belay, and understand the differences between static and dynamic belays.
- Be able to set up and manage a friction lowering system.
- Be able to set up and manage a raising system.
- Understand the Incident Command System and the position of Safety Officer in tower rope rescues.
Tower Rescue Course Outline
This is a generalized course outline. The instructor may change the order of the topics.
Day 1 - Classroom Session
- Rescue Philosophy
- Relevant standards and legislation
- Rope rescue problems and systems application
- Equipment: current, specialized, new, and experimental
- Tower types, construction, hazards and problems
- Ropes, knots, technical gear
- Rope systems and anchors
Day Two - Tower Session
- Scene assessment and incident command
- Setting rope systems and anchors
- Mechanical advantage systems
- Safe and effective climbing in a tower environment
- Fall protection systems
- 100% tie-off, first man up system, two-line systems
Day Three - Tower Session
- Pick-off and lowering
- Tower rescue scenario, raising and lowering of injured workers
- Team rescue—vector rays, tag line lower, skate line lower
- General review and testing of skills
- Certificates awarded
Take-Aways
- Rescue 3 training material and handbook
- Itemized, personalized skill sheet (training record)
- Certificate of Completion
- Registration in Rescue 3 International “Certification Database”
