Originally Posted By: NightHiker
Originally Posted By: paramedicpete
The only two times I have seen/used rear attachment points is with a tag line for confined space and for the door/hoist operator for helicopter operations.

It's also used for "Australian" rappel.

The one thing that I've noticed about having the attachment point fixed on the belt versus just clipping a carabiner onto the belt is that the lone carabiner can slide from side to side on the belt if the user doesnt stay squared up to the rope. It takes a surprisingly small amount of trunk rotation (like when you're looking down/behind you) even if you have your feet square against the wall, and even less if you happen to have the leg on the side your looking to lower than the other. I've never experienced that personally but I've seen it happen.


Attaching from the rear is not a good idea. While doing a training with a SWAT TEAM we discussed Ausie styled rappels. IN the beginning the TEAM was all about Aussie styled rappels. After we discussed things like Rappel escapes, and Figure 8 devices going "Girth hitch" or capturing the rope, or just getting stuck. By the end the team was a little more open to a new style that I learned from FIRES.

Also speaking from direct experience of having to hang in an industrial full body harness for about 30 min while being the rescued for a Mock rescue. After about 10 min of hanging my legs went numb, after 15 min of hanging I had to ascend into my secondary harness that I was wearing under the first harness.


IF YOU ARE DOING AN EMERGENCY RAPPEL DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUSMSTANCESS ATTACH YOURSELF OR OTHERS TO THE ROPE VIA THERE BACK. AGAIN DO NOT EVER ATTACH YOURSELF OR OTHERS BACK TO THE ROPE.


Edited by Tyber (01/11/11 04:58 PM)