14 Jul OLD GEAR, NEW GEAR
Old Gear & The Emotional Bond
People fall in love with their gear. Sounds strange, but there can be an emotional attachment created by using a particular piece of life safety equipment day in and day out. Many climbers refuse to replace harnesses and positioning devices based on a self perceived notion that the equipment has been in the trenches with them. Inspection oversight or complacency can often be attributed to the familiarity with the equipment, counting on it to perform as it has in the past, without proper regard for the condition and wear and tear that it may have been subjected to. I myself have even fell into this trap!
Hand Me Downs
We have probably all experienced some sort of hand me downs in our lifetime. Sometimes some of our most prized possessions can be those items that our father or a father type figure has given to us. Often it accompanies a rite of passage and contributes again to this peculiar bond we feel to an inanimate object. Tools are certainly one of these items, and for the most part there is not much risk involved. But never fall protection equipment. Everyone loves the gear they first learned on, just like everyone loves the memory of their first car. The unfortunate truth is they should probably be at the same place…the junk yard.
For Whom The Bell Tolls…
Want to know the lifespan of your equipment? Contact us at Safety One Training!
Brian Bourquin
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