Loading…
7
My old foreman insisted on using a 3/4-inch rope for every rigging job, no exceptions.
Switched to a 5/8-inch line for controlled lowerings on a job in Boise last year, and it handles just as well with less weight and bulk. Anyone else find a specific task where you can safely downsize your gear?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
nancy3265mo ago
Honestly, my old crew would have laughed me off the site for suggesting a smaller line. Tbh, I stuck with heavier gear for years thinking it was just safer. Seeing a 5/8 line handle a tricky lower on a bridge project last summer totally changed my mind. It's way easier to work with when you don't actually need the extra capacity.
2
kelly_patel5mo ago
Ever think that extra capacity is exactly what makes it safer, nancy326? A smaller line might be easier to handle until something unexpected happens. I'd rather have the buffer than risk it.
4
miller.thomas5mo ago
Ever feel like you're just lugging around extra steel for no reason? Nancy326 has a point about how a smaller line can be way easier to handle on the job. I used to be all about that overkill safety margin too, but seeing the right tool actually work changes your mind.
1
wader713mo ago
Another angle worth chewing on is how a lighter line affects your crew over the course of a full day. That extra capacity that Kelly Patel is talking about might feel solid, but it takes a toll on your shoulders and back by hour six. The real safety margin isn't just about the gear's rating, it's about whether your hands are still steady when you're tired. A guy hauling a lighter line all shift is less likely to make a dumb mistake from being worn out. That's the kind of buffer that doesn't show up in a spec sheet but matters plenty on site.
2