CTSP CTSP Tree Climbing and Rigging Safety 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When using a friction hitch to ascend a rope, which condition most significantly reduces its holding ability?
- Wet or icy rope surface (Correct answer)
- Using a thicker diameter hitch cord
- Applying three wraps instead of two
- Attaching the hitch below the climber's center of gravity
Correct answer: Wet or icy rope surface
Wet or icy rope surfaces reduce friction dramatically, causing friction hitches to slip and fail under load.
Question 2: A climber needs to redirect a rigging line through a natural crotch. What is the primary concern with this technique compared to using a block?
- Natural crotches cannot support dynamic loads as predictably as a rated block (Correct answer)
- Natural crotches add too much friction making lowering impossible
- ANSI standards prohibit natural crotch redirects entirely
- The rigging line must be doubled when using a natural crotch
Correct answer: Natural crotches cannot support dynamic loads as predictably as a rated block
Natural crotches are unrated and may fail unexpectedly under dynamic loading, unlike certified rigging blocks with known working load limits.
Question 3: What does the term 'running bowline' refer to in arborist rigging?
- A bowline tied around the standing part of the rope to form a sliding loop (Correct answer)
- A bowline tied while descending a rope under load
- A bowline used exclusively with a running block system
- A bowline attached to a moving vehicle for log extraction
Correct answer: A bowline tied around the standing part of the rope to form a sliding loop
A running bowline forms a noose-like loop that tightens under load, commonly used to capture brush or limbs during rigging.
Question 4: During a descent on a single rope, a climber notices the rope beginning to spin. The BEST immediate action is to:
- Stop descent, allow the rope to detwist, then continue slowly (Correct answer)
- Increase descent speed to outrun the twist accumulation
- Switch to a mechanical ascender immediately
- Release the descent device completely to let the rope unwind
Correct answer: Stop descent, allow the rope to detwist, then continue slowly
Stopping and allowing the rope to detwist prevents kinking and potential hitch failure; rushing or releasing the device creates additional hazard.
Question 5: Which factor is MOST important when selecting the size of a rigging ring (port-a-wrap ring or friction device ring)?
- The ring's working load limit must exceed the expected load from the piece being lowered (Correct answer)
- The ring diameter must match the diameter of the rigging rope exactly
- The ring must be aluminum to reduce weight aloft
- The ring color must match the rope manufacturer's color coding system
Correct answer: The ring's working load limit must exceed the expected load from the piece being lowered
The rigging ring's working load limit must be rated to handle the maximum expected load to prevent catastrophic failure during lowering operations.
Question 6: A 'dead crotch' or dead branch attachment point is identified in the tree a climber intends to use for an anchor. The correct response is to:
- Select a live, structurally sound anchor point elsewhere in the tree (Correct answer)
- Test the dead crotch with a sharp tug before committing body weight
- Use the dead crotch only if it is at least 4 inches in diameter
- Wrap the dead crotch with rigging tape to reinforce it before use
Correct answer: Select a live, structurally sound anchor point elsewhere in the tree
Dead wood is structurally unreliable and can fail without warning; climbers must always select live, sound wood for climbing anchor points.
Question 7: When two climbers are working in the same tree simultaneously, the essential coordination requirement is:
- Continuous verbal communication so neither climber is below the other's work zone (Correct answer)
- Both climbers must use identical climbing systems and equipment brands
- One climber must remain stationary while the other moves
- Both climbers must tie off to the same anchor point for equalized load sharing
Correct answer: Continuous verbal communication so neither climber is below the other's work zone
Continuous communication prevents one climber from working above the other, which creates a struck-by hazard from falling tools, limbs, or equipment.
CTSP CTSP Tree Climbing and Rigging Safety 4
When using a friction hitch to ascend a rope, which condition most significantly reduces its holding ability?