"One of the things I consistently see is that after three or four or five years - depending on the size of the department - that initial training starts to break down," Stewart said. Just as any officer would never send a firefighter into a structure fire without SCBA training, they should never place one of their people into a rope rescue situation without the appropriate training. Here are five key things to consider when buying new rope rescue equipment. "Working with a vendor early on, you might find that they can give you a better price because they've learned what you need and what you can afford." "Not only will that help you get good advice that can help in the buying process, you can also save money, too," Burns said. You want to buy from someone who has that experience, not someone whose just a salesperson," said Matt Burns, managing owner at High Angle Associates. Tested by Wellington Commercial Cordage, the results showed an approximate 15% strength loss after nearly 10 years."Get in touch with a vendor who uses the equipment and start developing a relationship. BlueWater’s catalog specifies a 34.1 kN (7,666 lbf) tensile strength for 12.5-mm (1/2-in) diameter BlueWater II. The marker tape indicated the rope was BlueWater II manufactured in 1983. They said it was the worst looking of the ropes they had in service and its acquisition preceded any recordkeeping.
The National City (CA) Fire Department sent us a rope they described as old and well used. The unknown factor is how quickly this micro-level damage adds up to a significant decrease in the working strength of the rope. What happens when we actually take a life safety rope out into the field and use it in the dirt, sun, rain, running it through pulleys, ratchets and descenders? Rope is a textile product and abrasion on the fibers through bending the rope, tying knots, running it over rough surfaces and loading/unloading cycles cause wear that decreases the strength of the rope. The test results from the Bridger Coal samples suggest minimal strength loss when the rope is properly stored. For comparison, the independent lab tests on new rope averaged 47.0 kN (10,566 lbf). The manufacturer’s new rope tensile strength rating was 40.3 kN (9,059 lbf). The samples were 12.5-mm (1/2-in) diameter, lowstretch kernmantle rope. The rope had been stored on the spool in a cool, dry location for seven years.
We had the opportunity to test rope stored for seven years by a Bridger Coal’s (WY) mine rescue team.
The committee felt that after 10 years of storage, it might be worth considering replacement of a life safety rope even though the rope had not been used. Section 5.2.2 of ASTM F1740-96 (2007) Guide for Inspection of Nylon, Polyester, or Nylon/Polyester Blend, or Both Kernmantle Rope recommends 10 years as a maximum rope life.
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