Doug: In training for rescue, just like with fall protection equipment,
it's going to be dependent on both the scenario and the equipment that is
selected as appropriate for the scenario.
However, one of the elements of rescue training that is a little different than fall
protection training, is that once you've trained people in the proper procedures,
even if it's a very simplistic methodology, such as a simple ladder,
or we're going to use a scissor lift to retrieve the worker, as long
as it follows the policies and procedures that we lay out and the planning,
and everybody's communicating and understanding; but when you get into some
of the more technical elements of rescue, and there are many, is that those
rescuers need to be very adept at what they're doing and be prepared to make
changes to that plan based off of when an event happens, or an incident occurs,
although, yes we can predict a lot of it, there are still unpredictable things
that may occur.
So, they might have to modify that plan; they have to be super
knowledgeable, as well as, this is not thought process, this needs to become
muscle memory.
One encouragement for rescuers, is that they regularly practice in a safe environment
the skills so that when the event occurs that they're not thinking
about what the procedure is, they are absolutely able to react, and
react safely, to retrieve that worker from this, at heights, oh my gosh,
condition.
In any rescue scenario, fall arrest scenario, where we could
potentially have a hanging victim, rescue is essential.
Not because it's a law; because you have a potential hanging victim.
Depending on the standard or study that you look at, the average amount
of time a victim has to remain in suspension is around 15 minutes.
Of course, using suspension trauma straps, or
other devices such as that, can increase the amount of time that the
victim can remain in that condition awaiting the rescue.
But if we're not prepared, people are humans, and they're going
to do what they need to do, and they're going to get laser focused.
There are a bunch of different ways.
I always use the kiss method; keep it simple, using a simple ladder, a boom lift, or a scissor
lift to retrieve the victim.
As long as it's the right tool for the job, then that's perfectly acceptable.
But, at times, we have to get a little more technical.
So, in this next demonstration, we're going to take our victim, and we're going to start
down here, on the ground.
We're then going to climb up into the air; remain protected; we're going get the
rescue equipment remotely attached to them; lift them up enough so that we can
disengage them from their anchorage; and lower them down to the ground to safety,
because most of the time going down is where your rescue or your medical
professionals will be.
But, there are times that going up is a necessity, so we
have to look at the scenario to assure that we have the right tool for the job;
same as any fall protection equipment.
Once the victim has fallen, at some point somebody's going to scream,
somebody's going to make the call that we have a victim, and then of course,
the rescuer should remain calm, cool, and collected, and always be protected.
Then, the rescuer�s number-one priority is still
the rescuer at all times.
We're going to get ourselves up there, and we're
always going to talk to the victim and make sure the victim is okay, and then we're
going to direct the environment.
So, we're going to tell somebody to call 9-1-1,
and then we're going to make sure that people are on point.
Once we get climbed up here, we'll get protected, and
we'll talk to the victim.
All right victim, how you doing; don't worry about it; looks like you are having a pretty
bad day; let me get connected and safe up here; we're going to get you down pretty darn
quick.
Every rescue piece of equipment that uses mechanical advantage, must have at minimum
of a three to one mechanical advantage.
That's a little further than I want to be for that swing fall.
Let me get connected to here.
As our victim is dangling there, we're just going to continue to talk to him; make sure
that he's okay.
Then, I'm going to open up the bag; reach back in; make sure everything
is secure; come out here grab it; take my sling or whatever anchorage that
I need to be necessary to get this attached; get it functional and get it over
there; get it close to him; get it attached to me; and then we're going to start
what they call measuring rope.
We're just going to measure out the rope down to
our victim to make sure that we can get it attached.
This type of rescue is so that the rescuer can remain in a safer
environment, and remain up here; instead of repelling down and attaching to the
victim.
There's numerous versions of this bad boy, or this type of system, and
they're all pretty good; they're all effective, but what makes it most
effective, and will always make it most effective, is having very well trained
and well practiced rescuers.
The whole goal is to have those rescuers ready to
go, and hopefully, never use it.
If we're doing our fall protection well, we're going to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios.
Now, once I've measured out the rope, I grab my remote pole like this; get it pulled through.
Then we're just going to bring the rope up here and get it connected.
Again, this is a system; there's a lot of different systems available, but
you can see where if you're not practiced, you're not aware of what's going
on, or you get in a rush, where this can go badly.
Because, if I drop any of this stuff, and I can't retrieve it, my
rescue capabilities have just significantly changed.
This little device is just a remote device that is designed to attach to the rope so
that I can remotely attach it to my workers d-ring; get that attached; get it popped up
here; get my pole out of the way; then we're going to start pulling slack out of this thing.
I am going to raise him up just enough so we can get them disconnected from his lanyard,
because you don't want to just cut it, and we're just going to bring him up a bit; just
enough to get some slack in his anchorage, or his lanyard; and we're going to tell him
rope down so I don't hit him with the rope.
Attach it like this; and then we're just going to slowly, using rope control and the brake;
repel him down to the ground.
Then, we're going to have somebody on the ground receive him to
make sure that he doesn't just try to run away.
Once he's down on the ground, he's no longer hanging in
suspension; no longer waiting for that 15 minute restricted blood flow; and
he's back down on the ground, and we're safe.
In some rescue scenarios, it doesn't have to be highly technical; it just has to be
highly effective.
With using a rescue ladder like this, that we're going to
show, you're going to see where something very simplistic can be effective.
We have our victim, Dan, down there.
As he's waiting for his rescue to occur, he's going to use his trauma straps; that way he
is not hanging in suspension for any prolonged amount of time; relieving that tourniquet
on the femoral artery.
Once he gets established, we'll actually deploy the ladder and show what's going on.
Dan, you all set?
Dan: Yes, sir.
Doug: How are you doing down there; ready to get out of that position?
Dan: Yes, sir.
Doug: A rescue ladder, such as this, is a pretty simple device; there's
instructions right on it.
One of them is to open the bag, and of course, then it says to
reach into the bag and get out your equipment.
At this point in rescue, we want to look for an anchor that's at least
3,000 pounds strong, or five times the weight of the worker.
In some cases, if you can attach to the same anchor that
you've fallen off of, that is perfectly acceptable as well, as long as it's in
good condition.
At first, I'm just going to connect the ladder like this,
and then I'm going to drop the ladder down, and I'm going to, of course, let my
victim know that it's coming.
What you're going to see, Dan, is I'm going to
drop this orange bag by you; I'm going to try not to hit you with it.
You're going to see the ladder come down to your right, to your right.
As the ladder deploys out like that, Dan can easily reach over and grab it, and then he
can just stand up in the ladder.
Even if he was incapable of climbing at this point, because he was freaked
out, or anything like that, don't climb up just yet my friend; he is at least,
no longer hanging in suspension; he's standing on something, because it isn't
so easy to climb these.
Each one of the rungs is reinforced, and he can
easily do this.
This system actually has one other benefit, and it's called
a belay system.
I'm going to drop the belay down to Dan, and we're going
to ask Dan to attach the belay system, or this device,
which is nothing more than a carabiner attached to a rope, that's attached
to the rescue ladder, and ask Dan to affix this to him.
Hey Dan, can you reach that?
Can you get that attached?
Wait, it'll come back to you.
All right, attach that to your d-ring.
The idea here is that as he tries to climb up, whether he's coming
all the way up, or we're just climbing him up enough to get him disconnected
from his anchorage, we don't want him to have another fall, because climbing a
ladder can be a challenging thing after you've just been a fall victim.
All we're going to do is pull the slack out of
here.
Now, this is a one-to-one mechanical; I can't lift Dan; however, as Dan climbs,
go ahead and ascend a rung there Dan, and as he climbs up, all I'm doing is continuing
to pull slack, because if he accidentally loses his grip, or his balance
in any way, or leans back too far, go ahead and Dan go ahead and let your feet
go for a second; Dan doesn't have another fall.
Dan, how many rungs have you climbed now?
Dan: Two.
Doug: Two.
Two rungs is enough to create enough slack in his system so I can get him disconnected,
and then I can drop it and I can lower it.
Dan, to your left, to your left; drop that down.
Now, Dan, do you want to continue to climb up, or do you want
to climb down?
Dan: Down.
Doug: Okay, can you get your feet back on the rungs?
Dan: Yes, sir.
Doug: Beautiful.
Give me a little slack, step up, there you go, a little bit more, beautiful.
Go ahead and climb down; go ahead climb down.
As he continues to climb down, all I'm going to do is this; and if he pulls too
hard, it'll pull out of my finger, and he'll be arrested just like that.
He pulled it out of my finger because he went too fast.
Go ahead step up Dan, let me get a little slack from you.
Beautiful.
You can climb back down now.
He can climb back down and he touches the ground.
Give him a little slack, and again, now our victim in a very fast, effective, and efficient
manner, is rescued from his hanging position.
With the necessity of inspecting equipment, if a fall occurs, all the equipment: the anchor,
the body harness, and the connecting device, shall be immediately removed from service.
It is highly recommended that if you have a successful
fall, that you contact the manufacturer of the equipment being used, because many have
policies that they will replace fall used equipment one
hundred percent, free of charge, only with a little bit of paperwork and understanding
of how it was used.