CTSP CTSP Tree Climbing and Rigging Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A climber is using a mechanical rope-grab ascender. At what point is it MOST dangerous to weight this device?
- When the rope is kinked or folded back on itself at the device cam (Correct answer)
- When the rope is dry and has a high coefficient of friction
- When ascending at a rate faster than 20 feet per minute
- When the device is clipped to a locking carabiner instead of a screwgate
Correct answer: When the rope is kinked or folded back on itself at the device cam
A kinked or back-folded rope can prevent the ascender cam from seating properly, causing it to fail to grip under body weight.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a 'redirect' in a climbing system?
- To change the direction of the climbing line to improve positioning or reduce swing potential (Correct answer)
- To increase the mechanical advantage of the climbing system
- To lower the climber's tie-in point to below their center of gravity
- To attach a second safety rope to an independent anchor
Correct answer: To change the direction of the climbing line to improve positioning or reduce swing potential
A redirect repositions the climbing line's angle of pull, improving the climber's body position and reducing dangerous pendulum swing potential.
Question 3: When inspecting a wire-core rigging sling before use, which defect requires the sling to be immediately removed from service?
- Broken wire strands exceeding 10% of total wires in any rope lay (Correct answer)
- Surface rust that wipes off with a dry cloth
- Minor abrasion of the outer jacket with no wire exposure
- A slight spiral set from storage on a reel
Correct answer: Broken wire strands exceeding 10% of total wires in any rope lay
Broken wire strands exceeding 10% of total wires in any lay indicate significant structural degradation and the sling must be removed from service per industry standards.
Question 4: The ANSI Z133 standard requires that when working aloft, a climber must maintain a second point of attachment before cutting their primary tie-in. This practice is called:
- Work positioning with a secondary lanyard or the two-attachment rule
- Redundant anchoring or double-rope technique
- Continuous attachment or the never-off-rope rule (Correct answer)
- Progressive tie-in or advance-and-secure method
Correct answer: Continuous attachment or the never-off-rope rule
The ANSI Z133 continuous attachment rule requires that at least one attachment point be maintained at all times, so the climber is never completely off rope.
Question 5: A ground worker is tailing a lowering line on a port-a-wrap. The piece being lowered suddenly drops faster than expected. The safest immediate action is to:
- Add additional wraps to the port-a-wrap to increase friction and slow the descent (Correct answer)
- Release the tail completely to prevent rope burn and re-engage after the piece lands
- Run away from the drop zone while maintaining grip on the tail rope
- Signal the climber to cut more wood to reduce the piece weight
Correct answer: Add additional wraps to the port-a-wrap to increase friction and slow the descent
Adding wraps to the port-a-wrap increases friction to slow the load; releasing the rope creates an uncontrolled drop and staying in position maintains control.
Question 6: Which knot is specifically recommended by ANSI Z133 for tying the climbing line to the climber's saddle when using a bowline-on-a-bight configuration?
- The knot must include a secondary locking mechanism such as a safety or stopper knot (Correct answer)
- A figure-eight on a bight is the only ANSI-approved knot for saddle attachment
- The bowline must be tied with a minimum of four tucks for compliance
- ANSI Z133 prohibits knot connections directly to the saddle bridge
Correct answer: The knot must include a secondary locking mechanism such as a safety or stopper knot
ANSI Z133 requires that any knot used for tie-in incorporate a locking or safety backup to prevent accidental capsizing or untying under load.
Question 7: During a crane-assisted tree removal, the arborist on the ground is responsible for:
- Directing the crane operator with standardized hand signals and maintaining the drop zone (Correct answer)
- Operating the crane controls while the climber attaches the rigging
- Selecting the crane hook capacity based on visual estimation of log weight
- Bypassing signal protocols when the crane operator has line of sight to the load
Correct answer: Directing the crane operator with standardized hand signals and maintaining the drop zone
The ground arborist serves as the signal person directing crane movements using standardized signals and is responsible for controlling the drop zone to protect workers and the public.
CTSP CTSP Tree Climbing and Rigging Safety 5
A climber is using a mechanical rope-grab ascender.
At what point is it MOST dangerous to weight this device?