Vertical Access for Route Setters

NEW! Pre-Conference Workshop:
Vertical Rope Access Techniques for Route Setters

Workshop Description

This new course will cover an introduction to the topic of vertical rope access techniques for route setters. Workshop participants will learn Petzl’s recommendations for ascending, descending and positioning for work at height on a climbing wall. We will discuss the selection and use of vertical rope access equipment and the application of certain vertical rope access techniques used in industry to the climbing wall environment. The debut program will cover specialized equipment, practical techniques and procedures for work at height as a route setter. Considerations for developing a thorough vertical rope access training for route setters will also be discussed.

Workshop Goals:
This course has been designed to provide you with information and techniques to:

• understand legal requirements pertaining to work at height in a climbing gym;
• understand equipment and techniques used in industry for work at height;
• understand ascending, descending and positioning for route setting;
• discuss a basic vertical rope access training system for routesetters.

The first half of the course will cover general OSHA, ANSI, fall arrest, rope access, and general work at height requirements such as: fall arrest vs position systems and the strength requirements for each, maximum allowable fall distances, industrial solutions for fall arrest and positioning applicable to route setting (rope access, arborism, tower access), and equipment for fall arrest, work positioning, and haul/lower systems.  Our intention in this section is to introduce and discuss regulations, equipment, and work practices used in work activities similar to routesetting.

The second half of the course will focus on a practical, hands on introduction to rope access rigging, ascending, descending, and positioning systems, as well as Petzl recommended methods for toprope soloing for pre-running. Then we will demonstrate how these techniques can be applied to route setting.  In this section, we would like to allow as much time as possible for you to learn and experiment with these techniques.

Please come prepared to work on rope, and feel free to bring your personal harness and equipment, although we will have a variety of Petzl Sport and Professional harnesses, ascenders, descenders, etc. for you to use.

Presenter Bio

Rick Vance, Petzl America’s Technical Information Manager, is a Petzl Technical Institute V.axcess certified PPE inspector and inspection course trainer with a mechanical engineering background. Rick has extensive experience in the vertical world as a climber and mountaineer, knowledge of PPE systems and is an expert in vertical rope access and work positioning techniques used in industry.