Tying into the crane ball

cory

Tree House enthusiast
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On the ground, we tie into a master link above the ball and then lanyard into the hook for back up safety. After being lifted into the tree, you have to detach the lanyard to attach the choker to the pick and then descend to tie into tree to make the cut. At what point is it considered ok to detach the lanyard and only be tied into the master link?
 
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  • #6
The likelyhood of any item of climbing equipment failing under light static load would be close to zero.

Yes I understand that. I was just wondering, generally speaking or even specifically, when redundancy would not be required or at least recommended
 
I would lanyard to hook as well as above ball on initially being lifted. Good practice in case you tied your not wrong. But truthfully once its tested I unclip from ball........or did.
 
If we're staying on the hook, say to cut a branch out of the way to improve the routing for the sling(s), we'll keep the lanyard on the hook, or transfer it to the tree while cutting, to be 'tied in twice'. Otherwise once up top I remove the lanyard from the hook to attach the sling(s) to the pick, then rappel down and lanyard in, pull my line out of the ring above the ball, and tie in below the point where I'll cut the pick free. I use the Akimbo pretty much exclusively now for crane jobs, and feel quite secure with this approach.
Now, the other two climbers of the three of us just use a figure eight, so they tend to 'always' be lanyarded in either to the hook or the tree as they are prepping the pick, due to the rapid descent which could occur if their line got accidentally nudged loose of the figure eight.
 
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  • #9
Yes, I do what no bivy does.
I would lanyard to hook as well as above ball on initially being lifted. Good practice in case you tied your knot wrong.

And also like Pat, if cutting a limb or something while on the hook.

I guess I was just looking for a little clarity re when to remove the redundancy, and I feel like I have it now.

Gracias
 
The only reason that we are required to tie in twice was to appease OSHA officials with our ANSI Standard of being hoisted into the tree with the crane. Everyone in the tree care industry feels that it is not necessary though. Once the crane stops hoisting you up, you are free to
 
I agree with @chris_girard. I was also told this was to slow a climber down enough to think about what they are doing. I do it but leave my lanyard loose in the hook. I also inspect the crane and tie in prior to me tying in. I also document it every job. I also make sure the new guy tightens the ball every time. I’m seriously lining up crane work now. Looking at a week a month coming out of winter. Hoping for two weeks before long. My boss seems happy with our profit margin and told me he would gladly pay the crane company more. I sign the paperwork for him on the crane work and I pad the crane ops hours. Always at least an hour extra after travel time. I’m making sure we keep this guy available. All I know is he answers the phone or calls me back with in minutes so I must be doing something right. It’s looking like I’m becoming a crane baby
 
Working around the public is a hoot too. I went out to move a small building once, pick it off one pad and set on another. When I started to set it down the customer came to the cab and asked if I could turn it to sit square on the pad, lmao. I jumped out and went over and leaned on the building and told him to hold it there. He thought I had a lever that would spin the load. People bees funny.
 
i was wondering if that is a legit (enough) way to tie into the crane? its a multi sheeve hook so everything above the actual hook is covered in grease.
 

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I am leaning towards, “not legit”.
How about installing a short section of chain above the hook and tie into the chain, grease free.
 
I always tied off above the becket when we were on a job that didn’t have “rules” that prohibit riding the ball.
 
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