Chapter 7 Ropes and Knots

Life Safety Rope

Life Safety Rope

• Uses

  • Rescue/emergency operations

  • Raising, lowering, supporting FF’s during training

• Construction

  • Only block-creel construction using continuous filament virgin fiber for load-bearing elements is suitable

• Manufacturers provide info about

  • Use

  • Inspection

  • Maintenance

  • Retirement

• Ropes must pass field inspections

• Criteria to be used for life safety

  • No abrasions/visible damage

  • No exposure to heat/direct flame

  • No exposure to impact load

  • No exposure to materials that deteriorate rope

• Maintain a rope log throughout rope’s working life

• Must be permanently identified by marking/labeling

• Remove rope from service

  • Subjected to impact load, fails inspection, used as utility rope, marked for destruction

  • Refer to SOP’s for reclassification/destruction

Utility Rope

• Uses

  • Hoisting equipment

  • Securing unstable objects

  • Cordoning off areas

• Industry standards, no NFPA standards

• Downgraded life safety rope may be used as utility rope

• Inspect for damage regularly

Rope Materials

Rope Materials

• Synthetic fibers

  • Used for life safety and utility

• Natural fibers

  • Only for utility rope

• Rope construction materials

  • Main difference between life safety & utility

  • Affects use/longevity

  • Natural fibers lose strength when wet, rot quick

Synthetic Fibers

• Synthetic fibers

  • Polypropylene

  • Polyester

  • Nylon

  • Polysteel

  • Kevlar

  • Spectra

• Disadvantage

  • Melt when exposed to heat

• Advantages

  • Excellent resistant to water, mildew, mold, rotting, shrinkage

  • Long life than natural fiber

  • Lightweight but strong

  • Easy to maintain

Natural Fibers

• Plant fibers

  • Manila

  • Sisal

  • Hemp

  • Cotton

• Disadvantage

  • Prone to mildew/mold

  • Deteriorates via chemical exposure

  • Burns in contact with flame/ember

• Advantage

  • More resistant to sunlight then synthetic

  • Chars don’t melt from flames

Rope Construction

• Kernmantle - external sheath, internal core

  • Dynamic rope

    • High stretch

    • For possible long falls

    • Stretch without breaking

    • Elasticity disadvantage when raise/lower heavy loads

    • Not for rescue/hoisting

  • Static rope

    • Used for rescue ops, rappelling, hoisting, falls not likely/short fall

    • Made for low stretch without breaking

    • Not elongate more than 10% when tested under load equal to 10% of breaking strength

• Laid (twisted)

  • Utility rope only

  • Disadvantage

    • Susceptible to abrasion

    • Damages immediately

  • Advantage

    • Easy to inspect

• Braid

  • Less likely to twist than laid rope

  • Vulnerable to abrasion

  • Commonly utility rope

  • Most use synthetic

• Braid on braid

  • Very strong

  • Not resist abrasion as well as kernmantle

  • Sheath may slide along inner core

  • Most often utility rope

Inspecting Rope

Inspecting Rope

• Inspect after each use, unused after 1 year

• Document inspection in rope log

• Damage found, remove from service, destroy

  • Imbedded glass

  • Metal shavings

  • Splinters

  • Foreign objects

• Kernmantle ropes

  • Damage may not be obvious

  • Slight tension on rope when feeling for lumps

  • If sheath damage, core most likely

  • Core can be damaged without outer sheath

  • Any doubt or rope fuzzy, remove from service

• Inspect kernmantle rope for

  • Damage to core/sheath

  • Irregularities in shape/weave

  • Foul smell

  • Discoloration

  • Roughness

  • Abrasions

  • Deterioration (fuzziness)

• Synthetic laid rope

  • Untwist to inspect

  • Mildew not really bad, but should be removed

• Inspect synthetic laid rope for

  • Soft, crusty, stiff, or brittle spots

  • Excessive stretching

  • Cuts, nicks, abrasions

  • Chemical damage

  • Dirt or grease

  • Obvious flaws

• Natural fiber laid rope

  • Deteriorates from age

  • Remove from service after manufactures recommended time

• Inspect natural fiber rope for

  • Ruptured fiber/powdering

  • Spots between strands/odor mildew/mold

  • Rust spots

  • Accumulation of grease materials

• Rope rot

  • Spread from rotten rope to new rope if close

  • Immediately remove rotten and ropes around from service

  • Clean/reinspect rope

  • Clean, dry, vent storage before place rope

• Inspect braided rope for

  • Nicks

  • Cuts

  • Heat sears

  • Excessive/usual fuzziness

  • Mushy spots

• Inspect braid on braid rope for

  • Nicks

  • Cuts

  • Heat sears

  • Lumps

  • Shrunken diameter

  • Questionable wear

Rope Maintenance Guidelines

• Avoid abrasions/unnecessary wear

• Avoid sharp angles, bends, knots

• Protect ends from damage

• Avoid sustained loads, rust

• Prevent chemical contact

• Reverse ends of rope periodically

• Don’t walk on rope

Clean Synthetic Rope

• Remove surface debris → Wash using water/mild detergent → Dry immediately

• Washing by hand

  • Place in utility sink with water/detergent

  • Scrub with bristle brush

  • Use mesh bag to soak rope

  • Rinse thoroughly

• Rope-washing device

  • Bristle-line plastic tube with garden hose connection

  • Rope manually fed through

  • Multidirectional streams of water

  • Removes mud and surface debris

  • Cannot be used with detergent

  • Doesn’t address deep cleaning problems

• Washing machine

  • Place rope in mesh bag

  • Set washer to coolest temp

  • Use small amount of detergent

  • Used to rinse rope cleaned with high pressure washer

• Wipe/gently brush to remove dirt/grit

  • Do not use water

  • Dry rope if wet

Rope Log

• Info to include

  • Product/identification label, manufacturer’s instructions

  • Purchase date, use, maintenance/inspection info

  • Incidents from impact loading

• Helps determine when rope should be removed

• May be stored at station/rope bag

• Not required for utility rope

Rope Storage

• Rope bag

  • Clean, dry, unheated area, circulating air

  • Protected from weather, sunlight, chemicals, fumes, vapors

  • Not in same compartment as gas powered tools/fuel

  • Best method to store in rope bag

Webbing, Inspected, maintained, stored

Webbing

• Life safety/utility applications

• Forms

  • Piece of material

  • Ladder belt

  • Loop

  • Rescue harness

• Types of webbing

  • Flat webbing

  • Tubular webbing

Webbing Inspections, Maintenance and Storage

• Follow same guidelines use for synthetic rope

• Always follow manufacturer’s instructions

• Roll/daisy chain long lengths for storage

Types of Knots

Parts of a Rope When Tying Knots

• Running part - Free end for hoisting/pulling

• Standing part - Section between working end and running part

• Working end - Used to tie knot/hitch

Tying A Knot

• Form the knot

• Tighten knot until snug

• Remove slack/dress knot

• Tie overhand safety/hitch if need

Fire Service Knots

• Suitable knots must

  • Be easy to tie/untie

  • Secure under load

  • Reduce rope’s strength as little as possible

Bends

• Bight - holding working end together

• Loop - cross working ends making a circle

• Round turn - form circle with both working ends going same way

• Overhand safety - after tying knot, used as fail safe

• Clove hitch - 2 loops forming an X over an object

• Figure-eight - make 8 shape

• Figure-eight bend - 2 working end figure-eight’s following through each other

• Figure-eight on bight - make bight then figure-eight

• Figure-eight follow through - form bight around object and follow figure-eight path securing object

• Water knot - Figure-eight bend with webbing

Hoisting tools/equipment

Using Rope and Webbing to Hoist Tools/Equipment

• Tag lines

  • Hoisting line - raise/lower tool

  • Tag line - control tool sway/slack

• Carabiner

• Pulley

• Mechanical advantage

  • 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 6:1 (more metal pulleys = more strength)

Safety Guidelines for Hoisting Tools/Equipment

• Balanced/standing firm before hoisting

• Hand-over-hand method rope control

• Edge roller/padding to protect rope

• Pulley system for heavy objects

• Teamwork from heights

• Personnel clear hoisting area

• Avoid hoisting near electrical hazards

• Secure nozzles of charged hose lines

• Tag line to control hoisted item

• Avoid hoisting if safer to carry upstairs, ladder, aerial device

Common Hoisted Tools and Equipment

• Axes

• Pike pole

• Ladder

• Hoses

• Power saw

Ropes/Knots used during Rescue

Rescue Uses

• Life safety rope

  • Rappelling

  • Lifting victims/rescuers

  • Removing victims from swift water

  • Never use utility rope for rescue

Control Zone Perimeter

• Utility rope used for perimeter

• Rope tied to trees, signs, stationary objects

Search Lines

• Wide area search method — off ring (2 enter, rope secured to main rope line, FF’s sweep area from starting wall)

Object Stabilization

• Before performing work around the object, be certain that

  • Rope/webbing and anchor point are enough to hold object

  • Knots are tight/safety knots in place

  • Attachment points are secure

  • Personnel are clear from stabilizing line