Coming Down Before starting down the pole, you must release the body belt. Crook your left arm around the pole, and unhook the safety strap from the right D-ring with the right hand. Pass the end of the safety strap to the left hand, crook your right arm around the pole, and snap the end of the safety strap to the left D-ring. 129

Figure 4-79.- Working position. You are now ready to descend. Break out the left gaff by swinging the left knee out from the side of the pole. Step down with the left foot to a point about 12 inches below the right; stiff-leg the left leg, and bring your weight on it to sink the gaff. Then break out the right gaff by swinging the right knee away from the pole (fig. 4-80) and proceed as formerly with the left leg. Continue this stepping-down process until you have reached the ground.

Safety in Pole Climbing Never climb an erected pole until it has been plumbed, backfilled, and tamped. Before going aloft on an old pole, perform a butt rot test on the pole to assure yourself that the pole is strong enough to withstand your weight, and then carefully perform the previously described inspection of the body belt, safety strap, climbers, and other equipment. The body belt contains pockets for small tools. Keeping the tools in these pockets is important. Never use the center loop in the body belt for carrying a tool, however. In case of a fall, the tool may injure your tailbone.

If you try to climb with tools in your hands, your own balance on the pole will be unsafe, and you could drop tools on someone below.

The safety strap is used to secure you to the pole, leaving your hands free to work. As you go up, the safety strap is always fastened to a single D-ring on the body belt. For a right-handed person, it is carried on the left D-ring.

Never use an improvised safety strap, or one that has been lengthened by the addition of rope or wire. Never attach the strap to pins or to crossarm braces. Never put the safety strap around the pole above the highest crossarm if the length of the pole above the crossarm is short. The strap should never be less than 1 foot below the top of the pole.

Never wear climbers except for climbing. Be careful not to gaff yourself or anybody else.

Some precautions to keep constantly in mind are as follows:

NEVER carry tools or other objects in your hand when climbing.

NEVER trust pins, crossarmbraces, orguywires as supports.

If you are working with another person on the same pole and he or she goes up first, wait until he or she is strapped in the working position before you start up.

Do not depend on the snapping sound when you snap the safety strap to a D-ring. Look down to ensure that the snap is hooked on the ring.

If the top crossarm is near the top of the pole, do not pass the strap around the short length of the pole protruding above the crossarm.

Ensure that keepers on the snap hooks on the safety strap are facing away from the body.

Figure 4-80.- Descending. Protective Clothing and Equipment A lineman should always wear gloves or gauntlets when tending a reel for stringing conductors. Never work with the gauntlets of the gloves turned down Do not wear hobnailed shoes or shoes with metal plates. When trimming trees for pole lines, wear rubbers or rubber-soled shoes for climbing. Always test the safety strap and body belt before using them. Never wear a strap with stitching across it or one mended with tape. Make all the safety checks of climbing equipment every time you prepare to go aloft.

POLE-TOP RESCUE When a crew member working aloft is shocked into unconsciousness, there are several ways of performing pole-top resuscitation, depending on the prevailing circumstances. There are some basic steps that you must take when accomplishing a pole-top rescue. First, you need to

evaluate the situation; second, you should provide for YOUR safety; third, you have to climb to position where you can attempt the rescue; and fourth, you need to determine the seriousness of the victim's condition and take the necessary action to accomplish the rescue.