Linesman belt truth

[Bwhana]

Given the added attention to safety based on recent accidents, I wanted to point out that a linesman belt or rope is nothing more than a positioning device, not a true safety device, especially the way most of us are using them, without a squeeze. It is absolutely misleading to post otherwise and inexperienced or naive readers are being duped in the false promise of the linesman preventing them from falling down a tree all by itself.

Granted, there are some variables, such as limbs, that can be a factor on how far or fast it might catch you, but I bet that most hunters choose telephone pole or limbless trees when available, so the majority of us climb them the most.

Here is just one example of what can go wrong:

 

[Brocky]

Operator error, not a failure of the equipment or the method. In the quest for speed he gaffed out as he descended on the spurs, and his feet complete left the pole as he rotated, apples to oranges comparison.

 

[Bowmanmike]

I don't ever want to try falling on a linemans belt myself. Big reason why I stopped no sticking with my platform.

 

[WannaBMonkey]

I always attach my tether at ground level and advance it ahead of myself for every step of the climb. 100% right that the linesman rope is NOT a safety device, and only a positioning device. Having tether attached from the start only adds a few seconds to each step of the climb.

 

[Knik]

Glad you are sharing this reminder with everyone. They don't keep you from falling, they just slow you down if they catch on something. God forbid any part of your body hangs on one of your steps first.

 

[rhagenw]

In my limited experience being an arborist, he kept his lineman belt way to low the whole process. I was always told keep it between nipples and belly button. He kept it at or below waste level the whole time.

 

[jcoenen]

maybe he didn't have his linemans belt the right height, yes he was going too fast, yes he made a mistake on way down, but that misses the ENTIRE point of the post. Safety devices aren't there to protect you when you do everything right - they are there so that when you inevitably make a mistake you go home to your family.

A linemans belt might help you survive a major injury in some circumstances, but there are quite a few scenarios where you are severely injured and killed when something bad inevitably happens so its wrong for people to assume it will prevent you from falling to your death when the unexpected eventually happens and should not be promoted as a safe way to climb IMO.

 

[Nutterbuster]

I've always understood a linemans belt to be fall prevention, not fall protection.

That said, if you keep it short and between your shoulders and waist I feel like falling with it on probably beats a freefall.

 

[thedutchtouch]

I posted in the 2TC thread a bit about using a modified tree squeeze as a tether. I understand they are meant as a LB, so it may make more sense here- can the more experienced arborists/climbers in the group weigh in on why these aren't commonly used? It slows the climb down somewhat for a full time arborist, but we aren't usually trying to spur up and around trees as quickly as they are, why aren't they more common?

My modificaition idea was using quick links instead of rings on the tree squeeze to make passing a limb easier(just unscrew whatever side needed and pass the limb, no need to take the whole rope off of the rings) but regardless of if you use it with the standard rings or modified like this (which btw I have no idea is an improvement, at this point it's a theory), why aren't tree squeezes more popular? Too fiddly/too much metal?

 

[neonomad]

See any downside to maybe just improvising a piece of shock cord / bungee that tightens across and is easy to remove? I think I might try it.

 

[Fgirtyman]

Operator error, not a failure of the equipment or the method. In the quest for speed he gaffed out as he descended on the spurs, and his feet complete left the pole as he rotated, apples to oranges comparison.

Operator error is right also instructor error!! Obviously pole training field. As a lineman for years I see a several training issues missed here. Kid trying to go too fast for one thing bent knees etc etc. Lineman belt is
really for positioning while working with both hands on equipment. I admit I climbed up and down poles for years without using the LB. I feel much safer when I had 3 points of contact with sharp gaffs. I admit I feel safer with tethers than any LB when in trees….rarely use them. That’s me..you make your own choices.

 

[gcr0003]

I was looking at a lineman’s course booklet recently and some of their videos on YouTube and they require all of their students to use a “tree-squeeze” type belt now. I’m curious if the industry has made this mandatory now or not?

 

[Nohvah]

Given the added attention to safety based on recent accidents, I wanted to point out that a linesman belt or rope is nothing more than a positioning device, not a true safety device, especially the way most of us are using them, without a squeeze. It is absolutely misleading to post otherwise and inexperienced or naive readers are being duped in the false promise of the linesman preventing them from falling down a tree all by itself.

Granted, there are some variables, such as limbs, that can be a factor on how far or fast it might catch you, but I bet that most hunters choose telephone pole or limbless trees when available, so the majority of us climb them the most.

Here is just one example of what can go wrong:

I’m not so sure that’s a great comparison compared to the slow and methodical process I’m using one-sticking. I use the lineman’s while I ascend because I never have full body weight in my tether unless I’m grabbing for my stick or actively set and hunting. The one thing I do always pay attention to is I ALWAYS keep my linesman up about 45 up around shoulder height. If something happens, I’m gonna get f’d up by eating my platform or something, but I will be slammed into position and not sliding down a smooth pole showing off with careless cleat work. I would never discourage people from using it.

Just made this video actually highlighting it… you can call me a newb or whatever you want, but it’s careless to go without one and it’s just as bad to go up and not know how to use your equipment. Safely One-Sticking with Lineman’s skip to 9:55 for lineman’s chat

 

[Fgirtyman]

I was looking at a lineman’s course booklet recently and some of their videos on YouTube and they require all of their students to use a “tree-squeeze” type belt now. I’m curious if the industry has made this mandatory now or not?

I’m not aware of it. My work for Time Warner was from 1980 to 1997. Im sure OSHA code have changed things for the better. Training and safety. I learned at a lineman tech school and then years in the field. Most work that I did is now done out of buckets.

 

[Buckhole75]

Guys He is using a fall restraint It is a squeeze of some sort I cant tell what type They were mandated in 2014 However They do not work if poorly adjusted He made sure to get himself some slack to make the belt slide easier Big Mistake That and piss poor technique will put your arse on the dirt in a hurry This guy was not training He was competing in a Lineman's rodeo in a timed event He just wasn't very good at it LOL That is the result you will get with a lineman's belt most of the time or and all these old lineman know what i am taliking about a dang chest and forearms full of splinters Been there Done that It sucks They would tell us to push off the pole to prevent it Yeah Right Over 20 years of climbing and i aint ever seen nobody do that crap