CONSIDER THE CARABINER
RESCUE/EMS
Fire and rescue personnel may find a carabiner to be faster and easier to use than a knot, especially when the knot needs to be fastened and unfastened a number of times.
The fire service has traditionally been a stable and slow-changing organization. But when a good idea or product comes along it is quick to adopt it for its own. Maybe the carabiner s time has come.
Carabiners are known by many names: biners, snap-links, snap-gates, crabs. But whatever name, they can be a useful tool to the fire service. Originally, the carabiners were developed for mountaineering in the late 1900s by European Alpine climbers. They used it to attach themselves and ropes to the eyes of pitons, steel spikes driven into rock. The climbers found it faster and easier to snap on a carabiner rather than threading and tying a rope.
Selection
Today’s modern aluminum or steel carabiner is a relative newcomer that has evolved gradually over the years. The construction of the carabiner is relatively simple. It has a gate opening where the rope can pass through or the carabiner can pass over objects. It has a keeper that opens inward and is spring-loaded so that it snaps shut. This prevents the rope or carabiner from losing its hold. For fire service use it should have a screw-sleeve that can be run up on the latch. This will positively lock the gate shut. The latch should be constructed with a notch cut into it and the keeper mated with this notch. This is for added gate strength when the carabiner is under heavy load.
Carabiners should meet the U.I.A.A. standard (Union International Association of Alpinistes) recommended for carabiners: major axis loading to 2540 pounds with keeper open, and loading to 4820 pounds with keeper closed; minor axis loading to 1320 pounds and for minimum impact resistance if dropped. Most carabiners today meet this standard. But beware of carabiners without a brand name on the major axis, and avoid the old military units at surplus stores. These old military carabiners, vintage 1941-1946, were manufactured by the thousands and rated at a little over 2000 pounds.
When choosing a carabiner consider these factors:
Shape: Carabiners come in many shapes: “D,” oval, kidney and offset. Offset and “D” shapes are structurally stronger than ovals. The load of a fall is taken on the continuous side or the major axis This transfer of the load is always away from the gate opening, which is the weakest point.
Cate: The gate should be able to open under body weight so you could attach other ropes or slings while hanging (as in a rescue). As noted earlier, the gate should have a screw-sleeve to prevent accidental opening. The gate should open as wide as possible, approximately ¾ to 1-inch minimums.
Materials: There are currently two materials being used for carabiners. Aluminum alloy and steel alloys both are exceptionally strong if correctly processed. The quality of the metal is of more importance than the weight of the carabiner. Some heavy carabiners are among the weakest, and very light ones may be the strongest. For instance the steel Stubai model 85 has a tensile strength of 4800 pounds and weighs 7 ounces, whereas the aluminum SMC locking ”D” has a tensile strength of 6000 pounds and weighs less than 3 ounces. Both are excellent examples of carabiners.
Uses
The carabiner can be used in many ways; one of its best usages is its ability to substitute for a knot connecting rappelling hardware to seat harnesses. The carabiner is often used as a friction brake in lowering heavy loads. It can also be used in securing bends and knots.
In general, carabiners should be used in the rope circuit when slings or ropes need to be fastened and unfastened a number of times. A good example would be a rescue of more than one person.
Safety
Keep in mind some of these safety rules when using carabiners in rope circuits. Beware of linking three carabiners together because the twisting action can put undue force on the gate. Always have the sleeve screwed home so it cannot open accidentally. Do not put a three-way load on a carabiner. The major axis is the load bearing part only. Do not face the gate toward objects because this may cause the gate to work open. The life expectancy of a carabiner is unlimited with proper care, but should you drop one from a significant height, do not rely on it for safety. The impact can cause hairline fractures.
It is only a matter of time for the general acceptance of the carabiner. The fire service, has only started finding new and innovated uses for it.
