The Impossible just happened: Omni Tiract opens and disconnects

T

topcat

Active member
I have just had a Triact Omni open and disconnect from one side of the harness, leaving me hanging on one leg loop.

I was in a tree using a Super Avanti harness and cows tails. [no other kit on the Omni]
I was on a free hang, twisting to regain the branch.  Only 5m up, but above a rocky stream; fortunately the single leg loop was enough, under the circumstances.

There was no interference from branches: the only interaction was between the harness/Omni and the cows tails.

I had put the Triact on the SRT kit that I loan to beginners.  It is now replaced with a standard Maillon, and I thank fate that it was me up a tree and not a novice down a cave...?.

The Omni Triact is fine, insofar as it operates normally.  It is very clean, hardly used, defect-free.    Just not as safe as you might think...??????.
 
Badlad

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
Nothing is 100%.  Maillons suffer from a number of possible problems.  People forgetting to do them up for a start.  A friend fell 20ft feet in his harness.  He had forgotten to do his maillon up and the force of the fall opened it right up like a hook - he was several hundred feet up at the time and lucky he didn't come right out of his harness.

I've used a omni triact for many years now and much prefer them to maillons.  Glad you were ok.
 
T

topcat

Active member
The significant difference re the above is that failure to do up a maillon is human error: there should be no expectation of a safe outcome if you don't screw it up.

It seemed like a reasonable expectation that a Triact, securely fastened, would remain so.
 
al

al

Member
topcat said:
The significant difference re the above is that failure to do up a maillon is human error: there should be no expectation of a safe outcome if you don't screw it up.

It seemed like a reasonable expectation that a Triact, securely fastened, would remain so.
Click to expand...

Point is that a triact locks itself - that's why I prefer the screwgate version.
 
T

topcat

Active member
Point is that a triact locks itself - that's why I prefer the screwgate version.

The point is, it also unlocks itself, and then detaches ??...presumably with the help of your cowstails or harness.

That's why I prefer the screw version.  It only f...s up if I do, which I can live with.  Or maybe not.
 
Mark Wright

Mark Wright

Active member
I use an Omni Triact and Superavanti harness and always make extra sure that the harness webbing is not touching the twistlock mechanism when I fit it as I've found it can sometimes prevent the gate from locking shut, effectively leaving you with a snap gate carabiner in a situation where a twisting action could allow the impossible to happen. 

You can never rely on them locking themselves, particularly in a dirty cave environment. They should always be checked before committing to them. 

The tree surgery industry actually recommends the use of Triact connectors following a number of accidents due to 'Rollout' of double action twist locks.

I used the screw gate version for a while and found that the gate sometimes unscrewed itself when ascending, not completely, but enough to make me move over to a Triact.

I've seen people have an equipment sack suspended from the bottom (straight part) of an Omni Triact. A heavy bag swinging below you could quite possibly open a Triact sufficiently to again leave you attached to a snap gate.

Assuming you always check your connections before committing to them then the safest option would be an appropriately torqued (nipped with a spanner) Maillon Rapide.

Mark
 
ZombieCake

ZombieCake

Well-known member
The Titanic was unsinkable. Checking and double checking everything should override any snake oil technology assurances. Darwin awards all round if you don't.
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
"Checking and double checking everything".

Triact stands for triple action: it requires three sequential operations specifically to avert unintentional opening thus heralding it as a very safe device.

If a triact can open unintentionally it is alarming, to put it mildly.
 
T

topcat

Active member
As you might expect I have been giving this some thought over night.

This is what I think happened: the lack of other SRT kit (only using cowstails) allowed the Omni to rotate,  placing the barrel sleeve within the loop of the harness.  Then my jiggling about (think constricted pitch head though I had loads of room) did the rest.

I have been known to remove my Stop and braking krab before tackling a tight, nasty pitch head so perhaps the same thing could happen in a cave?

Well, not to me; no way am I using a Triact again!
 
Y

yuvals

Member
My guess is that the OMNI was not locked in the first place.

In any case, there are cavers who tie the harness with a 5mm Dyneema string, long enough to allows you to wear and remove the harness but backs up the carabiner in case it opens.

 
T

topcat

Active member
yuvals said:
My guess is that the OMNI was not locked in the first place.

In any case, there are cavers who tie the harness with a 5mm Dyneema string, long enough to allows you to wear and remove the harness but backs up the carabiner in case it opens.
Click to expand...

It was very much locked when I left the ground.  I'm certain of this.
 
Y

yuvals

Member
yuvals said:
In any case, there are cavers who tie the harness with a 5mm Dyneema string, long enough to allows you to wear and remove the harness but backs up the carabiner in case it opens.
Click to expand...

 

Attachments

  • 6694914c-4691-4f9c-8563-34384e3f0031.jpg
    6694914c-4691-4f9c-8563-34384e3f0031.jpg
    16.5 KB · Views: 455
T

thomasr

New member
A screw gate maillon  with a typical standard right hand thread , may be undone if , the barrel is to the left on  the wearers harness [ when looking down at it ] So when ascending the action of the rope if weighty can rub against it  If the maillon is fitted the opposite way on the harness, this action would tend to tighten it.
 
T

thomasr

New member
Their is quite a bit out their on screw thread "creep"  maillons can suffer from this.  Finger tightening may later need a spanner to undo or the opposite may occur with a spannered  maillon creeping open. Every Maillon Is subtly different, no two are excact wear and dropping can alter their characteristics So check check check.
 
Tangent_tracker

Tangent_tracker

Active member
thomasr said:
A screw gate maillon  with a typical standard right hand thread , may be undone if , the barrel is to the left on  the wearers harness [ when looking down at it ] So when ascending the action of the rope if weighty can rub against it  If the maillon is fitted the opposite way on the harness, this action would tend to tighten it.
Click to expand...

I have genuinely seen this. Barrel ALWAYS to the right. Personally I have no time for self lockers. If you tighten your D ring properly in the first place and follow the simple rule you will find it does not ever get stiff or otherwise distort. Had mine for 6 years now and even then it was second hand!
 
F

Fulk

Well-known member
Hi TC,

This is what I think happened: the lack of other SRT kit (only using cowstails) allowed the Omni to rotate,  placing the barrel sleeve within the loop of the harness.  Then my jiggling about (think constricted pitch head though I had loads of room) did the rest.
Click to expand...

So ? would you infer that this wouldn't (couldn't?) happen if you were using a type of harness with metal D-rings rather than material ones?
 
alastairgott

alastairgott

Well-known member
I think all D rings will open under certain circumstances. My last D ring (steel) mallion was replaced, because as soon as I'd got the barrel? open I could slide it from side to side. I didn't take it much further than this, Retirement!

Whether its the 3 actions the Tiract (triact?) needs or the many turns a standard steel mallion needs, there will be a way of achieving it.
 
Mark Wright

Mark Wright

Active member
If a Maillon Rapide is torqued to the correct amount for its diameter then it is most unlikely it will ever come undone during use. I?m not aware of any instances in the past 30+ years of using them in a work environment of them ever unscrewing themselves. If anyone has such an experience then I think Peguet would be very interested in knowing about it.

From my experience, a ?D? Maillon or an Omni Triact rotating on the harness is probably due to the harness not being tight enough. The only time I?ve ever had it happen is when I borrowed somebody else?s harness and didn?t adjust it properly.

Mark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top