1. RIGGING
OVERVIEW
Updated Aug 7, 2013

2. Highline Overview Highline Types Components of the Kootenay
Highline System
Highline Setup
4. Operation

3. Highline Types Horizontal Highline Sloping Highline Drooping Highline3

4. Highline Setup
Messenger Line 4

5. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Anchors
Pre-tension Back-tie
Kootenay Pulley
Track-lines
Tag-lines
Reeving-line
Raising Systems
Lowering systems
Tag line Hangers
High Points
Tensioning System 5

6. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Anchors 6

7. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Anchors 7

8. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Pre-tensioned Back-tie 8

9. Anchor Systems

10. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Kootenay Pulley 10

11. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Track-lines 11

12. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Tag-lines 12

13. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Reeving-line
English Reeve 13

14. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Norwegian Reeving-lines 14

15. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
English Reeving-lines 15

16. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Raising and Lowering Systems 16

17. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Tag line Hangers (Festoons) 17

18. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
High Points 18

19. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Tensioning System 19

20. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Tensioning System 20

21. Components of the Kootenay Highline System
Tensioning System 21

22. Highline Setup Safety Issues Messenger Line Pre-tensioning Tensioning
Using Mechanical advantage systems

23. Highline Setup Safety Issues PPE Edge safety Pay attention Listen
No horsing around

24. Highline Setup
Pre-tensioning
6:1
Places initial tension in the system

25. Highline Setup
Tensioning
18:1 Rule – 1/2” Rope
12:1 Rule – 7/16” Rope

26. Highline Setup
Using Mechanical Advantage
Systems

27. Operation
Commands
Lowering
Raising
Reeving

28. HIGHLINE RESCUE SYSTEMS

29. Highline Rescue System Overview
Components of a highline rescue team
Lowering belay system
Raising belay system
Reversing the system
Tensioning the system

30. HIGHLINE RESCUE TEAM

31. HIGHLINE RESCUE TEAM Team Leader Safety Officer Edge Tender
Control/Operations
Static Anchor Team
Tag Line Team
Reeving Line Team
Medical/Attendant

32. Team Leader Identify highline location
Briefing and outlining objectives
Identify anchors with squad leaders
Give assignments

33. SAFETY OFFICER

34. SAFETY OFFICER
Rescue situations rapidly change. The effective Safety Officer must be able to forecast potential safety issues.

35. SAFETY OFFICER
The Safety Officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing the safety aspects of all team operations, door-to-door.

36. SAFETY OFFICER
A team Safety Officer should be assigned to every rescue mission and training event.

37. SAFETY OFFICER
Any member of the team can call a STOP to an operation if a safety concern is detected

38. SAFETY OFFICER Scene Safety
Establishes, and marks a minimum 6’ safety zone at the edge
All personnel must be on a tether beyond this safety zone

39. SAFETY OFFICER Scene Safety Determine if the rigging location is safe
Loose rocks
Unstable overhang
Awareness environmental safety issues
Poison Oak
Hornet’s nest
Requirements for Personal Floatation Devices

40. SAFETY OFFICER Scene Safety Checks each member’s minimum PPE Helmet
Gloves
Harness
Establishes a Safe Zone 6’ from edge

41. SAFETY OFFICER Scene Safety
Responsible for selecting safe helicopter landing zone.
Assures an emergency medical plan is in place
Assures Horseplay does not occur

42. SAFETY OFFICER System Safety Checks each Anchor
Proper anchor materials
Proper anchor for situation
Bomb-proof anchor system
Angles

43. SAFETY OFFICER System Safety Checks each system to the component level
Knots
Proper carabiners in use
Carabiners locked
Proper and adequate edge protection in place

44. SAFETY OFFICER System Safety Checks each System Adequate MA
Proper overall setup
Proper equipment used

45. SAFETY OFFICER Edge Tender Safety Edge tender has independent anchor
Edge tender is tethered before approaching the edge

46. SAFETY OFFICER Operation Safety
Assures change-over procedures are conducted in a safe manner.
Assures adequate medical resources are considered when making search team assignments.

47. SAFETY OFFICER Operation Safety Monitors the entire operation.
The Safety Officer can stop the operation at any time.
Monitor vehicle safety: sleepiness and adequate breaks on convoys.

48. EDGE TENDER

49. EDGE TENDER Edge Tender Safety
Edge tender has independent anchor (may share a bomber anchor point, but may not attach to system anchors)
Edge tender is tied into an adjustable tether before approaching the edge
Clears loose rocks and tripping hazards from the edge

50. EDGE TENDER System Safety Places ropes on appropriate edge protection
Assures ropes remain on edge protection.

51. EDGE TENDER
Attendant Safety
Assist attendant and stokes over the edge

52. EDGE TENDER Attendant Safety
Weighting the system before going over the edge removes slack and stretch in the main line. 20’ of rope in operation, with a 2% stretch, will result in 3”-6” of sudden movement if system is not weighted.
Tightening of knots
Stretch of rope
Rigging extension

53. EDGE TENDER
As attendant goes over the edge, the “Lower slow” used in approaching the edge should be slowed even more,
The attendant is rotating on a fixed point, neither moving back nor moving down.

54. EDGE TENDER Communicates with, and for, the attendant at the edge.
Halts system 1 meter from edge
Edge Tender Ops Leader
“STOP!”
“Why Stop?”
“Attendant tension
the system” <attendant weights system>
“Lower slow”
“Lowering slow”
“Attendant at the edge” <attendant rotates
over edge>

55. EDGE TENDER
Provides voice communication between Ops Leader and Attendant to relay changes in speed control
Observes the path of the rope to detect additional rope hazards requiring edge pro

56. Control/Operations Officer
Once all systems are built and safety checked. Team Leader gives control over to Ops Officer
Ops officer in charge of communication and operations of all systems

57. Static Anchor Team Navigating to position can be challenging
Determine static anchor/pre tensioned back tie
High directional
Tag line system, raising and lowering
Install tag line hangers

58. Reeving Line Team Determine anchor Determine high directional
Set up system
Operate system, raising and lower

59. Medical officer First contact with subject
Independent rappel line to subject
While highline is being built medical officer will attend to subject, if access is available

60. ADJUSTABLE EDGE TENDER LEASH
8 mm Accessory cord
Attached to independent anchor
Attached to harness with Figure-8 on a bight and locking carabiner
6 mm prusik cord
Attached to 8mm cord with prusik

61. HIGHLINE RESCUE SYSTEMS

62. LOWERING/BELAY SYSTEMS

63. SINGLE PRUSIK LOWERING BELAY
Tandem Prussik Raising Belay Static photo

64. RAISING SYSTEMS

65. TANDEM PRUSIK RAISING BELAY
Tandem Prussik Raising Belay Dynamic photo

66. RAISING SYSTEMS
Hauling without the aid of a system is a Mechanical Advantage of 1:1
Also known as the Armstrong Method

67. RAISING SYSTEMS
Our simplest system is the Simple 2:1 Mechanical Advantage
Components are:
Rope
One pulley

68. RAISING SYSTEMS
Our basic haul system is the simple 3:1 Mechanical Advantage
Components are:
Rope
Two (2) pulleys
One (1) rope grab

69. RAISING SYSTEMS
With the addition of a single pulley, the 3:1 is converted to a 5:1Mechanical Advantage
Components are:
Rope
Four (4) pulleys

70. RAISING SYSTEMS
Piggybacking the simple 2:1 onto the simple 3:1 provides a compound 6:1Mechanical Advantage

71. RAISING SYSTEMS
Piggybacking the simple 2:1 onto the simple 5:1 provides a compound 10:1Mechanical Advantage

72. REVERSING THE SYSTEMS

73. REVERSING THE SYSTEMS Work on only one line at a time
Change the Main Line first, then the Belay Line
Wait for direction from the Ops Leader before you do anything.
Don’t anticipate a change to the system

74. REVERSING THE SYSTEMS before you do it Communicate
Tell the Ops Leader what you are doing,
before you do it

75. REVERSING LOWER TO RAISE
Step 1
Assure you have the equipment you will need
One Pulley
One Progress Capture Device (PCD)

76. REVERSING LOWER TO RAISE
Step 2
Lock off your lowering device

77. REVERSING THE SYSTEMS
Step 2
Attach your Progress Capture Device (PCD)

78. REVERSING LOWER TO RAISE
Step 3
Unlock the lowering device and load the PCD
Step 4
Attach the pulley to the LRH and rig the pulley

79. REVERSING LOWER TO RAISE
Step 5
Assemble your Haul pulley onto the running end of the rope
Step6
Assemble your Rope Grab Device

80. REVERSING LOWER TO RAISE
Step 5
Attach your Rope Grab Device
Advise Ops Leader,
“Main Line Ready to Haul!”

81. REVERSING RAISE TO LOWER
Step 1
Assure you have the additional equipment you will need
One Brake Bar Rack

82. REVERSING RAISE TO LOWER
Step 2
Remove the pulley and Rope grab and attach to the anchor plate
-- Lower the Load onto the Progress Capture Device (PCD)

83. REVERSING RAISE TO LOWER
Step 3
Load the lowering device and lock it off
Step 4
Use the Load Release Hitch to transfer the load to the lowering device

84. REVERSING RAISE TO LOWER
Step 5
Remove the Progress Capture Device
Retie the LRH
Step 6
Prepare to Lower
Advise Ops Leader,
“Main Line Ready to Lower!”

85. TENSIONING SYSTEMS

86. Forces on a Highline
When tensioning the highline it is important not to over tension the system
Need to stay within 10:1 SSSF (Static System Safety Factor)
The larger the angle at the mid-point of the highline, the more the load at the anchors is multiplied

87. Tensioning Highline
Static System Safety Factor is a ratio between breaking strength of equipment and applied force (load)
Team standard is 10:1
Using a rescue load (2kn), 10:1 sssf = 20kn
All equipment in system must have at least a 20kn rating
Why use 10:1 SSF
10:1 sssf covers worst case scenario under a dynamic situation

88. What is Worst Case Scenario ?
In a rescue situation Worst Case Scenario is when rescuer is transitioning over the edge.
2kn load
Belay 1m 3m
1/3 Fall Factor
Fall
Amount of Rope
10kn to 15kn Peak Force

89. BELAY COMPETENCE DROP TEST CRITERIA
British Columbia Council on Technical Rescue
de facto standard
Belay Competence Drop Test Criteria
200 kg (440 lb) mass
1 meter (3.28 feet) fall
3 meters (9.84 feet) rope
< 1 meter (3.28 feet) arrest distance
Maximum 15 kN (3,375 lb) peak impact force
This test also calls for the maximum force transmitted through
the system to the anchor point to be no greater than 15 kN (3,375 lbf.)

90. BELAY COMPETENCE DROP TEST CRITERIA
Edge Transition is the Worst Case Scenario
Slippage through the belay device
Tightening of knots
Stretch of rope
Prussic extension
Rigging extension

91. Dynamic System Safety Factor
Peak force under WCS between 10 – 15 kn
Using a rescue load (2kn), 10:1 SSSF = 20kn
10kn peak force/20kn breaking strength = 2:1 DSSF
15kn peak force/20kn breaking strength = 1.5:1 DSSF
Both within 10:SSSF
Using the Average Dynamic Force formula
Peak force = 12kn

92. Dynamic System Safety Factor
20kn
15kn peak force 1.5:1 dssf
10kn peak force 2:1 dssf
10:1 sssf
2kn load

93. When tensioning the highline it is important not to over tension the system and stay within the 10:1 sssf
Using ½ inch rope rated at 40kn
10:1 sssf = Max. 4kn load on anchor
Using 7/16 inch rope rated at 30kn
10:1 sssf = Max. 3kn load on anchor

94. Tensioning Rules One man rule Ten % rule Fifteen degree rule
Number of persons rule

95. Number of Persons Rule
Pull testing using dynamometers determined with ½” rope total mechanical advantage needed to stay within 10:1 sssf is 18:1
7/16” rope 12:1 mechanical advantage needed

96. Standard Tensioning System
Compound 6:1, 3:1 acting on a 2:1 in series.
Need 18:1, total 3 people

97. Standard Tensioning System
All anchor points can be on one anchor
BFT

98. Pre Tension Pre tension before loading the system
One person pulling hand over hand with 6:1
No heave ho

99. Tensioning When highline is fully loaded 3 people hand over hand
No heave ho
If rescue load, system not loaded until subject and rescuer are on system

100. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE

101. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE

102. Forces we encounter in SAR
Simple Machines
Mechanical Advantage of Pulley Systems

103. Training Objectives Participants will understand:
The Forces we encounter in SAR

104. FORCE MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE What is Force
What types of Force do we encounter
What are the Units of Force

105. What is Force? MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Force is an external influence that may cause a body to accelerate. It may be experienced as a lift, a push, or a pull.
Force is a vector. All forces will have a magnitude and direction.

106. Forces we encounter in SAR
Forces due to:
Gravity
Friction
Impulse
Applied Forces

107. Gravity g = 32.2 ft/sec2 = 9.8 m/s2 F = ma
F ≈ kg x 9.8 m/s2 = 1Newton (N)
A newton is the amount of force required to accelerate a body with a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one meter per second squared.
1 kN = 1,000 N ≈ lbf

108. Gravity = Weight 1 kN = 224.81 lbf
80kg (0.8 kN ≈ 1 kN) for a ‘single load’,
200kg (440 lbs = 1.95 kN ≈ 2 kN) for a ‘rescue load’
280kg (617 lbs = 2.7 kN ≈ 3 kN) for a ‘three-man load’.

109. Gravity = Weight 1 kN = 224.81 lbf 1 Person ≈ 1 kN 2 Person ≈ 2 kN

110. Gravity = Weight
The average rescuer can hold or apply a .2 kN force with one hand (≈ 45 lbs)
The average rescuer can hold or apply a .4 kN force with two hands (≈ 90 lbs)
Hauling an rope ‘hand-over-hand’ is applying a force of lbs

111. Impulse Reaction time to a failure or rope movement is 1 sec
In 1 sec a load will travel 16 feet

112. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Simple Machines

113. Machines are affected by factors such as friction and elasticity
MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Machines are affected by factors such as friction and elasticity
So the actual mechanical advantage of a simple machine will usually differ from its theoretical value.

114. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE Pulley:
Pulleys change the direction of a tension force on a flexible material, e.g. a rope or cable. In addition, pulleys can be "added together" to create mechanical advantage, by having the flexible material looped over several pulleys in turn. More loops and pulleys increases the mechanical advantage.

115. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE The pulley is a variation of the wheel and axle.
Pulley as a Lever:
The pulley is a variation of the wheel and axle.
The size of a pulley does not influence the MA.
The size of a pulley does influence the efficiency of the pulley.
The larger the pulley, the more efficient the pulley.

116. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE Fixed pulley Provides change of direction ONLY
Pulley Types:
Fixed pulley
Provides change of direction ONLY

117. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE Movable pulley – Adds Mechanical Advantage
Pulley Types:
Movable pulley
– Adds Mechanical Advantage

118. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE Pulley:
Pulleys change the direction of a tension force on a flexible material, e.g. a rope or cable.
Pulleys can be "added together" to create mechanical advantage, by having the flexible material looped over several pulleys in turn.
More loops and pulleys can increase the mechanical advantage.

119. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE Two factors determine a pulley's efficiency:
Pulley Efficiency:
Two factors determine a pulley's efficiency:
Sheave size: the large the sheave diameter, the higher the efficiency.
Bushings and bearings: self-lubricating bushings are efficient, but they must be regularly maintained. Ball bearings are very efficient and since they are sealed, they do not require any maintenance.

120. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Effective pulley systems must always have one side anchored and the other side attached to the moving load, known as the anchor side and the load side. There must be something to pull against

121. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
The longest distance a pulley system can be stretched, the distance from the anchored pulley to the moving pulley, is called the stroke.
The longer the stroke, the more useful the MA system.

122. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Pulling the system down to its smallest stroke is called compression.
It is called de-set when the system is compressed so it will expand again when using the MA system as the Decent Control Device (DCD) to lower a load rather than to raise it.

123. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Extension means to pull out a pulley system to its longest stroke. Re-set in when the system is extended again during raising operations and another haul segment is made on the main line.

124. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
All anchored pulleys are Change Of Direction (COD) only.

125. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Pulleys that move with a load (unanchored pulleys) are simple machines that gain advantage.

126. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Pulley systems are either simple, compound or complex.
Compound pulley systems are made up of at least two simple pulley systems.
Complex pulley systems are made up of at least one simple pulley system and at least one compound pulley system.

127. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
If the terminal end of a haul line is attached to the anchor, the simple pulley system will be EVEN
2:1, 4:1, 6:1, 248:1

128. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
If the terminal end of a haul line is attached to the anchor, the simple pulley system will be EVEN
1:1, 3:1, 5:1, 115:1

129. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Simple pulley systems have a greater stroke than compound pulley systems of the same MA.

130. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Mechanical Advantage

131. MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
The Mechanical Advantage of a pulley system can be expressed as a ratio.
It is the ratio of the amount of force that must be applied to a haul line to move a load, divided by the weight of the object that must be moved.
It is the ratio of the weight of the object that must be moved to the amount of force that must be applied to move it.
2:1 = 2 Units of output force will result from 1 Unit of input force

132. Tomorrow 07:30 24 hour packs Helmet Harness Gloves
Orange Shirts / Green pants
Lunch
Water
Rain Gear

133. DEMO & HANDS ON PRACTICE