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TechNOTEROPE INSPECTION / RETIREMENT INFORMATIONThis is not a product but may be printed for your convenienceRescueTECH ACCESS™ Lifeline meets or exceeds the life safety rope requirements of NFPA 1983 standard on fire service safety rope. RescueTECH ACCESS™ Lifeline is intended for use in rescue operations from above a victim or for rappelling. Should the risk of free fall arise, a dynamic rope is recommended for use; refer to EN892 for requirements. While using RescueTECH ACCESS™ Lifeline, anchoring points should always be above the user. Misuse of this product or use in conjunction with incorrect hardware and rappelling devices may cause serious injury or jeopardize the safety of the rescue operation. Rescue Technology recommends RescueTECH ACCESS™ Lifeline be used with NFPA or CE approved hardware and related equipment, and the hardware shall be suitable for the diameter of rope being used. RescueTECH ACCESS™ Lifeline should only be used by personnel qualified in life safety, rescue, and rappelling. RescueTECH ACCESS™ Lifeline should be inspected prior to and after each use. Records must be kept that detail each use and the results of the inspections. It is recommended that the rope be used by the same person that maintains the history of that rope. Prior to any rescue operation, careful planning and situation analysis should take place to ensure safety.WARNING - Failure to follow these instructions and/or improper care and use of your rope can result in serious injury or death. Never use any rope for something other than its intended purpose.Inspect your rope regularly Prior to use or reuse of the rope the rope must meet the following conditions.
The rope is not visibly damaged.
The rope has not been exposed to heat or direct flame impingement or abrasion.
The rope has not been subjected to any impact load or force.
The rope has not been exposed to liquids, solids, gases, mists or vapors of any chemical or other material that can deteriorate the rope.
The rope passes inspection when inspected by a qualified person following the manufacturer’s inspection procedures both before and after use.If the rope does not meet all of the above conditions, if the rope does not pass inspection, or if there is any doubt about the safety or serviceability of the rope it must NOT be used. It must be removed from service and destroyed.
Rope Inspection ProceduresA qualified person must inspect the rope before and after each use. All ropes must be inspected visually and manually (with bare hands) along every inch of its length. It is the USER’S RESPONSIBILITY to know the history of his/her rope and make the decision as to when a rope should be retired. The manufacturer cannot guarantee the specifications of a used rope. The pre and post use inspections must be noted in the accompanying rope log. If your rope does not meet the following inspection criteria it MUST be retired! This includes all inspection criteria as well as loss of faith or doubt as to the serviceability for the rope. Destroy rope by cutting into lengths too short for further use.When to retire your rope - The following are general guidelines that can assist you in deciding when to retire a rope. If your rope has any of the following characteristics it must be retired:
Inspection Criteria
Abrasion/Sheath Wear - The core is exposed or more than half of the outer sheath yarns are abraded.
Fraying indicates broken or damaged sheath bundles caused by abrasion or overloading.
Glazing and/or glossy marks or hard, stiff areas which signify heat damage.• Discoloration, a change in the ropes original color is an indication of chemical damage or overexposure to the elements of nature including UV radiation.
Exposed Core Fibers indicate severe sheath damage and possible core damage.
A Lack of Uniformity in Diameter or Size indicates core damage. This is noted by a depression in the diameter of the rope, lumpiness of the rope or exposure of white core fibers protruding from the sheath.
Flexibility and/or inconsistency in texture including, but not limited to, stiff or soft areas signify possible core damage.
Use/Age - the rope is simply worn out from use. We recommend a low elongation/static rope be removed from service after ten years under ideal use and storage condition.
Loss of Faith - if you feel uncomfortable for any reason or suspect there may be a problem with your rope it must be retired and destroyed.It is not possible to pre-determine an expected life span for a rescue kernmantle rope. Accurate record keeping, with a careful inspection program, are the best methods for determining when to remove a rope from service.
No type of visual inspection can be guaranteed to determine accurately and precisely actual residual strength. When the fibers show wear in any given area, the rope should be downgraded or replaced. Rescue Technology recommends putting a rope into service within 5 years of its production date. ...
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