ASTM_F_1740_-_96_2012.pdf

Designation:F174096(Reapproved 2012)Standard Guide forInspection of Nylon,Polyester,or Nylon/Polyester Blend,orBoth Kernmantle Rope1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1740;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide covers procedures to assist in the manage-ment and care of kernmantle nylon,polyester,or nylon/polyester,or both kernmantle ropes by rescue personnel.1.2 This guide provides information intended to assistqualified,experienced personnel in establishing procedures fordetermining whether a rope should be placed into or returnedto service.Such procedures may be used to assist in determin-ing serviceability of used rescue ropes.Other factors whichmay not be included in this guide may also need to beconsidered when evaluating ropes.NOTE1Interpretation of the terms“qualified”and“experienced”when referring to individuals inspecting ropes may be debatable.Becauserope evaluation is a subjective practice,it is in the best interest of the userto clearly define the needs of the user,and then to train personnelaccording to those needs.Needs and priorities may vary greatly betweenusers.1.2.1 A rope which has been used in any manner should notbe returned to service without first undergoing a thoroughinspection to include rope log review,visual inspection,andtactile inspection.1.2.2 It is the responsibility of the user to understand thatevaluation of a used rope is a subjective process.Due to thestrength and longevity of kernmantle ropes presently used inrescue operations,it is perfectly reasonable,and evenadvisable,for these ropes to be reused on future operationsunless the rope is physically compromised in some way.If theuser chooses to reuse ropes,then the user should also establishspecific guidelines,including and possibly in addition to thoseset forth in this guide,and provide training for personnel whowill be responsible for examination of ropes.1.3 This standard does not imply approval of any specifictype of rescue rope,nor does it purport to ensure the ability ofany rope to function as desired.The information included hereis not to be considered the only criteria for evaluating theserviceability of rescue rope.1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Terminology2.1 coreinterior(kern)of a kernmantle rope.The coresupports the major portion of the load on a kernmantle rope.2.2 in-servicea rescue rope is considered to be“in ser-vice”if it is available for use in life safety applications.2.3 kernmantlea rope design consisting of two elements:an interior core(kern)and an outer sheath(mantle).2.4 rescue roperope which is used for rescue purposes.2.5 retirepermanent removal of a rope from service suchthat it is no longer used for life safety purposes.NOTE2When a rope is retired it should be cut into short lengthswhich will discourage future use.It should not be stored,kept,ormaintained 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 beendamaged and the rest of the rope is still in good condition,the user mayelect to cut that section out of the rope and continue to use the shorterrope(s)in lifeline applications.This decision is left to the users discretion.2.6 rope loga written reference kept separately for eachrope.Arope log should contain pertinent information about therope and conditions under which it was used.2.7 sheathouter cover(mantle)of a kernmantle rope.Thesheath serves to protect the core of a kernmantle rope and mayalso support a portion of the load.2.8 useone or more individual applications during thecourse of an operation.2.9 usermay be an individual,a department,a team,orany other entity using the products discussed herein.3.Significance and Use3.1 The purpose of this guide is to assist the user indeveloping procedures to determine the serviceability of ropebased upon visual and tactile inspection of the rope and therope history as documented in the rope log.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F32 on Search andRescue and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F32.03 on Personnel,Training and Education.Current edition approved July 1,2012.Published August 2012.Originallyapproved in 1996.Last previous edition approved in 2007 as F1740 96(2007).DOI:10.1520/F1740-96R12.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.2 This guide is intended for use by experienced personneldeemed qualified by the user to asses