juggler
New Member
OK, so I'm new here. I work in an international secondary school (middle/high for you Americans). We have a reputation for producing grand musical productions and I suggested we fly Mary Poppins this year. I have suggested a zip line with a second cable controlling the descent speed. This could also pull her back up. The director has now also requested a single point lift.
I have been searching the net for advice and suggestions and came across this board. I have read all threads I can see on this topic, each one has a similar (actually, identical) theme - DON'T DO IT. So this thread title will light all your touch papers.
I'm reasonably intelligent, have an engineering degree and a healthy fear of accidents. I have done the maths and know the strains on the cables. I will buy the kit in the UK and not locally here (North Africa). I understand FoS, how dynamic forces multiply static forces multiple times, redundancy in safety systems and what fail safe means.
Can you convince me why I shouldn't attempt this? Why is it much more complicated than people realise? One good example is the story of the Cirque de Soleil fatality. It explains how a particular brand of cable was used that wasn't designed to twist. As it twisted the helical core and outer helix (which were twisted in opposite directions) shortened and lengthened respectively thus losing some of its strength. This I understand. This convinces me that more complex lifts and twists are beyond me.
The idea that fall arrest harnesses can stop blood flow as they are there to save your life IF you fall once, not suspend you long term is a good point, but I'm not clear on why an abseiling (rappelling) harness can't work - isn't that exactly what they're designed to do?
To say a single point lift requires the professionals I think is overkill. That a rock climber and mechanical engineer can't manage a simple scenario, I roll my eyes, mutter "H&S gone mad" and am thankful I'm not working in the West.
"Don't do it" in capital letters doesn't convince me. I need reasoned arguments.
Calling me an idiot doesn't convince me. I need reasoned arguments.
A link to a fatal accident story doesn't convince me. People die on the roads, but you still drive right?
Insurance requirements don't convince me. We won't have any, nor be able to get any where we are.
The fact that you have seen many dangerous setups doesn't convince me. I have seen dangerous examples of many things (driving, crossing railways, electrical work, vehicle maintenance) but I am confident and competent to do all those things and safely.
OK, there we have it. Let the comments flow. Tell what am I ignorant of? Let's keep it civil though!
I have been searching the net for advice and suggestions and came across this board. I have read all threads I can see on this topic, each one has a similar (actually, identical) theme - DON'T DO IT. So this thread title will light all your touch papers.
I'm reasonably intelligent, have an engineering degree and a healthy fear of accidents. I have done the maths and know the strains on the cables. I will buy the kit in the UK and not locally here (North Africa). I understand FoS, how dynamic forces multiply static forces multiple times, redundancy in safety systems and what fail safe means.
Can you convince me why I shouldn't attempt this? Why is it much more complicated than people realise? One good example is the story of the Cirque de Soleil fatality. It explains how a particular brand of cable was used that wasn't designed to twist. As it twisted the helical core and outer helix (which were twisted in opposite directions) shortened and lengthened respectively thus losing some of its strength. This I understand. This convinces me that more complex lifts and twists are beyond me.
The idea that fall arrest harnesses can stop blood flow as they are there to save your life IF you fall once, not suspend you long term is a good point, but I'm not clear on why an abseiling (rappelling) harness can't work - isn't that exactly what they're designed to do?
To say a single point lift requires the professionals I think is overkill. That a rock climber and mechanical engineer can't manage a simple scenario, I roll my eyes, mutter "H&S gone mad" and am thankful I'm not working in the West.
"Don't do it" in capital letters doesn't convince me. I need reasoned arguments.
Calling me an idiot doesn't convince me. I need reasoned arguments.
A link to a fatal accident story doesn't convince me. People die on the roads, but you still drive right?
Insurance requirements don't convince me. We won't have any, nor be able to get any where we are.
The fact that you have seen many dangerous setups doesn't convince me. I have seen dangerous examples of many things (driving, crossing railways, electrical work, vehicle maintenance) but I am confident and competent to do all those things and safely.
OK, there we have it. Let the comments flow. Tell what am I ignorant of? Let's keep it civil though!