4 d-ring belts

[spark and bark]

Due to the new OSHA laws coming soon, have/has any fellow brothers switched to the 4 d-ring belts? Is it company making this decision, or are the hands making the call?

Do any of you guys currently use the fall arrest systems required next year currently? If so, is the 4 d-ring the way to go?!

Just looking for a little info, especially from fellow brothers already using these systems.

In Solidarity

[US & CA Tramp]

Old WWP doing this??

[stulittle]

Our "belts" in the UK tend to have four days rings but there are two on the hips for positioning then one front and one back for fall arrest.

Bren will no doubt remember true belts but since I've been working at height it has always been a full body harness

Stu

[reppy007]

Four....sounds a little excessive....never had problems with one....yeap,times have changed alright.

[Hebrew]

I think,from what i have been reading,the four D-rings are to make sure you are buckled on at all times.We free climbers would stop,unbuckle and pass the pole strap over the obstacle,buckle back in and proceed.I think the idea is to stop that totally.You would move with two pole belts.We had some guys from Ireland trying to sell us the permanent attachment system.you had to wear a full body harness plus a regular belt or a combination thing.Had a D ring at the front and a long lanyard.When you get to an obstacle,you had to wrap the lanyard around the pole and secure it before you moved your scare strap.Pain in the a$$ it was.

[reppy007]

I think,from what i have been reading,the four D-rings are to make sure you are buckled on at all times.We free climbers would stop,unbuckle and pass the pole strap over the obstacle,buckle back in and proceed.I think the idea is to stop that totally.You would move with two pole belts.We had some guys from Ireland trying to sell us the permanent attachment system.you had to wear a full body harness plus a regular belt or a combination thing.Had a D ring at the front and a long lanyard.When you get to an obstacle,you had to wrap the lanyard around the pole and secure it before you moved your scare strap.Pain in the a$$ it was.

What about not stopping from the ground ..go around the obstacle and get where you need to be and then buckle off...thats the way it was here....Im pretty much old school and had trouble adapting to the safety belts having two latches/snaps....one worked well for me....but those days are long gone :(

[Hebrew]

Lucky for me,Reppy,I still do it like that but the days are coming fast when that will stop.By that time,I would've hung up my hooks and belt anyhow.Wit all the fibre optic cable on poles nowadays,by the time you get to the secondary,it is time for lunch!

[bobbo]

What about not stopping from the ground ..go around the obstacle and get where you need to be and then buckle off...thats the way it was here....Im pretty much old school and had trouble adapting to the safety belts having two latches/snaps....one worked well for me....but those days are long gone :(

You can put your belts on the hips. Snap the handline on to the other. Then snap a nose bag with everything you need. Second thought screw the hand line, throw that down. Then snap your rigging on the other d ring. You have every thing so you don't need a handline. Hold the cutters with your teeth like a pirate. Press tool in your shirt. Or you can't cut every tree in the way, mat 10 hours to your structure and don't even worry about 4 d rings.

[reppy007]

4 d-rings..the squeeze/ect...Im afraid some youngster will climb the old way and get hurt because he has already gotten used to the new way of climbing ,so when he thinks he's safe,actually he will be falling on his a$$ because he wont have all that new stuff to protect him.:nightmare:

[bobbo]

4 d-rings..the squeeze/ect...Im afraid some youngster will climb the old way and get hurt because he has already gotten used to the new way of climbing ,so when he thinks he's safe,actually he will be falling on his a$$ because he wont have all that new stuff to protect him.:nightmare:
since the advent of telegraph lines. So 170 years developed by men in trade for something no one wants, 90 percent don't use it anyways they use that green and white rope. You can't mandate someone to be unskilled! And I am not a tether ball!

[bluestreak]

For the 20 years I did transmission when climbing always used two belts when climbing so always belted in when climbing on 345 kv in case you got a rap from the induction and made it easier to take slack out of belt on a 000 hundred footer. never had a problem getting two belts onto two d rings just had to think a little no room for the mindless brain fart the OSHA tends to have to take into account in everything they set rules for.

[lewy]

All of our new apprentices get the 4 D-ring belts with a second strap, but so far they haven't made the rest of us change our belts and we still use the retractable lanyard.

[trigger]

Got my son a ez rider 4 d Bashlin and he is in love with it and the envy of the class

[Roofus]

I have 2 belts. I have a buckingham drilex 4D belt and a good ol' Bashlin leather 2D belt. The 4D is more comfortable when climbing with a squeeze and when up on the pole for extended periods of time. The Bashlin is GREAT for speed and free climbing. Honestly I prefer the 4D when using the super squeeze, that way I dont have to fumble with my secondary when I transfer. I just know that its always on my top D ring.

[thrasher]

The way I read the new regulations everyone has to go to a 4 D ring belt because you are required to have a fall stop belt (bucksqueeze or equivalent) and a safety to go over obstacles. OSHA has previously said you cannot put two belt clips (snaphooks) in the same D ring. Therefore you have to have four D rings. I have seen belts with all four at the same height but more common is an upper and lower set which is what our cooperative is buying.

[in the bucket]

I'll be training with the buck squeeze starting monday. I was messing around with it on friday and although we work out of trucks exclusively, I have done some climbing old school. After I got the buck squeeze around the pole and took my first few steps, all I could think was, "man, this thing sucks". Oh well, I'll get the hang of it. Getting back to this thread, my belt has 2 rings and I'm sure 4 would be better with the positioning lanyard to keep them separated.

[Formula89]

I'll be training with the buck squeeze starting monday. I was messing around with it on friday and although we work out of trucks exclusively, I have done some climbing old school. After I got the buck squeeze around the pole and took my first few steps, all I could think was, "man, this thing sucks". Oh well, I'll get the hang of it. Getting back to this thread, my belt has 2 rings and I'm sure 4 would be better with the positioning lanyard to keep them separated.

Get your hands on a Supersqueeze. I found them to be a ton better to use. Adjustment is way easier and they seem to hike up the pole easier too.

With the Bucksqueeze, try twisting the top of the belt out when you lift. It will help the edge flare out and over the splinters instead of getting hung.

[in the bucket]

Get your hands on a Supersqueeze. I found them to be a ton better to use. Adjustment is way easier and they seem to hike up the pole easier too.

With the Bucksqueeze, try twisting the top of the belt out when you lift. It will help the edge flare out and over the splinters instead of getting hung.

Yes, I have the super squeeze. I cut that plastic cover off of the lanyard too, that got hung up on everything. I got the hang of it, did my obstacles etc.