Evidently more than 0%.What proportion of climbing accidents is due to harness failure?
It seems like the tail is wagging the dog on this one.
I've had exactly the same experience when I first started climbing and was using my dad's old harness! Although it didn't feel embarrassing as the staff were lovely about it, let me use a hire one for free, and offered me a discount on the ones they sell (in hindsight perhaps they considered me a bit of a charity case 🤔).I've just had an embarrassing experience at a climbing wall where I was told my harness was too old and that I wasn't allowed to climb there using it.
I think my harness is fine but perhaps I'm wrong.
Has anyone else had the same, or heard of this?
They don't check the age or condition of people's ropes.
In any similar situation, base the decision on "What would I say at the inquest?", if it all goes horribly wrong. If you are going to sound awful, then do something different. Rather more dramatic than "What would I say during the liability claim?" and concentrates the mind.Evidently more than 0%.
From the climbing wall owner’s perspective, how do you set any other policy, apart from following the manufacturer’s lifespan on climbing equipment?
Evidently more than 0%.
From the climbing wall owner’s perspective, how do you set any other policy, apart from following the manufacturer’s lifespan on climbing equipment?
absolutely, same for most PPE.If the former, is it entirely for the best of reasons, one can't help wondering?
I didn’t say that I’m in the harness manufacturing business and know what I’m talking about!@ Hannah. What age did they state was thier maximum? Or were they looking at the original instructions for that model? Just wondering.
@all
There are many factors that can affect polyester, not all of them visible. What I can say from experience is that if you’re sure it’s not been in contact with harmful chemicals and has had little use it’s likely fine. Webbings should have uv inhibitors making them pretty indestructible to sunlight. We drop tested some ppe harnesses that had been left on the factory roof for 15 years and they still passed.
The absolutely biggest issue is damaged fibres or sewing threads. This is not always visible.
Mechanical movement in the harness can in some situations destroy a harness fast. Eg prusiking. I destroyed the junction sews on a new srt harness in 3 weeks on expedition when the mud was really aggressive. You could only see it after pulling the pieces of web apart and looking at the sew threads between the layers. About a third of the stitch pattern had broken up.
In summary- take care of your equipment and it will take care of you! And manufacturers expiry dates whilst being relatively arbitrary are designed to protect you.
Ah. I was at Parthian Harrogate.Parthion, Manchester told my husband last weekend his harness was too old was 6 years, mine still has a year left. Never used to be checked but seems health and safety is more of a thing now. However, they were good enough to lend him a climbing center one free of charge at-least for that session.
So 5 years seems to be the limit there, for future reference.
They didn't give a maximum age if I remember correctly. But when asked (while I was belaying someone) I said how old I thought it was, approximately, and the man said something like "That is dangerous, it will fail, you need to remove it and destroy it." It's over ten years old, but I can't remember when I got it. It's probably 12 or 13 years old. It shows almost no signs of wear and I assumed that was fine but I guess I'm wrong. I'm going to get a new one anyway.@ Hannah. What age did they state was thier maximum? Or were they looking at the original instructions for that model? Just wondering.
That's more or less how I've proceeded until now.I suppose manufacturers have to try and give some indication of expected safe lifespan. But it will always be arbitrary. The main variable they can't take into account is how the harness is used. It might become utterly unsafe after less than a year yet an owner may be blissfully unaware and assume it's got several more years of useful life. It may still be perfectly safe after 10 years.
As the user is the person who best knows how the item has been used and stored, there is an argument that (s)he is in the best position to make the judgement. Guidance from manufacturers should be welcomed; an arbitrary "rule" is perhaps a step too far. We shouldn't just accept such things being inflicted on us without at least asking for reasons why.
Ah. I was at Parthian Harrogate.