CABLEWAY SAFETY TRAINING CLASS:

PRE-USE INSPECTION

U. S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigations Report 99-4038 by C. Frey and K. M. Nolan

INTRODUCTION

Occasionally people are involved in  accidents while operating cableways. Most of these accidents are relatively minor, like muscle stains, bruises, etc., but cableway use can result in a major accident. Most accidents could be avoided if the safety of all cableways had been assessed prior to use and if all safety rules were followed.

This class is designed for all cableway users. The class describes :

  1.  Basic cableway nomenclature and operation: A description of all major cableway components  and the forces in action during cableway use,
  2.  Inspection procedures required before operating a cableway, and
  3.  Rules for safe cableway operation.
Cableways are inspected annually by a trained inspector. This class describes how to inspect a cableway before it is used. The procedure described in the pages that follow should be followed prior to each use of any cableway.

Although cableways are inspected annually by trained personnel, vandalism or natural occurrences, such as as trees falling on the cableway or heavy rains that cause washouts around anchors and footings can render cableways unsafe for use. These are the major features this class is designed to identify.

The class should not be used as the sole basis for training personnel responsible for annual inspections. Personnel performing annual inspections require a higher level of training.

The agenda in the left frame allows students to navigate between major sections of the class.

Acknowledgements: Gary Gallino, Russ Wagner and Tom Edwards provided much needed field and office support for this project.

URL for this document is http://wwwrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov/sws/cableways/frintro.htm
Public home page for this site is http://wwwrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov/
If you have any questions or comments about this document contact kmnolan@usgs.gov
Last modified: March 15, 2000