USE, CARE & MAINTENANCE
We hope you find the following information helpful. It is your
responsibility to learn and understand the capabilities and limitations
of this rope before using it, and to use it properly and wisely.
USING YOUR ROPE:
Any system incorporating these ropes should include a reliable
anchorage point, above the user, and any slack in the rope between
the user and the anchorage point should be avoided.
There are no special transportation requirements for these ropes.
However, exhaust fumes from motor vehicles have been known to
discolor (or “yellow”) white nylon. For best results, PMI recommends
that your rope be stored for transportation in an appropriate rope
bag to protect it from dirt, debris, accidental cutting and abrasion,
exhaust fumes, heat, sunlight, etc.
Perform a visual and tactile inspection on your rope before each use.
(see ‘PMI ROPE INSPECTION PROCEDURES’) and ensure that everyone
using the rope has the proper training and knowledge to do so and
fully understands its performance capabilities and limitations as they
relate to your application.
PMI ropes may be terminated using accepted life safety knots such
as the figure 8, figure 9, bowline, and alpine butterfly. Users must be
trained and proficient in the use of knots in order to use them safely.
Keep in mind when calculating and using system safety factors that
knots reduce the strength of the rope to some degree, usually by 25-
40% depending on the knot.For PMI Classic ropes, PMI offers swaged
or sewn rope end terminations that are stronger than any knot. These
must be installed at our facility. Contact PMI for details.
Protect your rope from anything that might damage it, such as
abrasion, heat, and chemicals. A metal roller, cloth pad, or other
item should be placed between the rope and any sharp edge. Avoid
contact between moving textiles (rope or webbing) and stationary
textiles. Friction between textiles can quickly melt through the fixed
part.
The diameter of the rope you have selected will affect not only the
minimum breaking strength, but also abrasion resistance, handling
characteristics, weight per meter, and what auxiliary equipment you
may be able to use. Be sure that any equipment you intend to use with
this rope is compatible. Equipment designed for larger diameters may
not grip or provide adequate friction; equipment designed for smaller
diameters may jam or render the system unusable.
A wide variety of accessories may be safely used with these ropes.
DO NOT USE any accessory with these ropes if you are not certain
that it will be safe. Users should first seek out equipment that is tested
and labeled to appropriate criteria including ANSI, NFPA, CE, UIAA,
etc. Proper training and practice using the items on the rope in a safe
environment is essential.
Always work within an appropriate safety factor. Keep in mind that
individual safety factors for individual pieces of equipment are
different than a system safety factor. Applying a 600# on a 9000#
capacity rope may be translated to represent a 15:1 component
safety factor, but when the rope is rigged into a system with knots,
bends, and other equipment the system safety factor should be re-
evaluated, taking take into consideration the weakest point in the
system.
Training, education, and experience are essential to calculating and
using appropriate safety factors and to using equipment safely.
WARNING
Special Training and knowledge are required to use this rope. You must
thoroughly read and understand all manufacturers instructions before
use. Use and inspect this rope only in accordance with the manufacturers
instructions provided here. Save these instructions.
Establishing and evaluating the safety factor will differ with every
situation, and even throughout a given rope operation. It is your
responsibility to acquire the appropriate training and learn such
subjective information through appropriate apprenticeships.
UNPACKING YOUR ROPE:
* Open the box carefully, so as not to damage the rope.
* Inspect your rope right away. Make sure that it is exactly what you
ordered and that it is in the same excellent condition as when PMI
shipped it.
* Remove the coil from the box and unroll it. Unwrapping coils from the
sides will introduce irreparable kinks into your rope.
* Take a moment to familiarize and educate yourself about your rope.
Note such things as strength, diameter, working elongation, length and
fiber.
* Use some means of identifying the rope, such as a PMI Rope ID Kit,
and begin a rope log for it (we provide one with every rope). Keep
this and all of the instructions and paperwork which came with the
rope in a safe, conspicuous place where all potential users will see the
warnings and information prior to using the rope. PMI rope bags have
see-through windows for this purpose.
* Contact PMI IMMEDIATELY if you have any questions or concerns
about your rope!
MAINTAINING YOUR ROPE
Maintain a Rope Log for each individual rope and review it regularly.
Include information such as date placed in service, dates and
conditions under which rope is used, results of rope inspections, and
other information specific to your application.
Keep your rope clean, using the guidelines provided in this technical
notice. Dirt rubbing into and against the fibers of your rope will
deteriorate it.
Store your rope in a clean, dark, dry environment, not on a cement
floor, and away from exposure to chemicals, noxious fumes or other
harmful agents. We recommend use of a PMI Rope Bag or Rope Pack.
RETIRING YOUR ROPE
RETIRE IMMEDIATELY any rope whose strength may have been
compromised during use.
RETIRE IMMEDIATELY any rope which is subjected to uncontrolled or
excessive loading.
RETIRE IMMEDIATELY any rope which is greater than 10 years old,
regardless of history and usage.
RETIRE IMMEDIATELY any rope whose history and past usage you are
uncertain about.
RETIRE IMMEDIATELY any rope that has been exposed to heat, direct
flame or excessive abrasion.
CUT RETIRED ROPE into short lengths which will discourage future
use - or discard it entirely. A retired rope should not be stored, kept
or maintained in such a way that it could inadvertently be used as
a lifeline. In some cases, when only a single point or a small area of
a rope has been damaged and the rest of the rope is still in good
condition, the user may elect to cut that section out of the rope and
continue to use the shorter rope(s) in lifeline applications. This is a
judgement call and such a decision is left to the users’ discretion.
