UPDATES
A question has been asked about the back-up method with a choker yoke when applied to a swaged ferrule on a cable and a thimble eye bolt. The method featured in the video and shown below, photo 1a, shows how to back-up the cable of an element. This practice only provides a back-up for bolt failure and may be used to back-up an element such as High Bosun Chairs, High Multiline Traverse, Postman's Walk Hand Lines, or other element that if the bolt failed, the element may cause injury during its fall.

Photo 2a is a close-up version of photo 1a taken on a different background.

Photo 3a shows a close-up of a choker yoke applied on a double swaged cable used for belay / safety lines. The second ferrule acts as a back-up to the first ferrule in the event the first ferrule was to fail. The choker yoke still acts as a back-up in the event of bolt failure. This is the EBL prefered method of belay back-up when a choker yoke application is used on swaged belay cable terminations. There are however, other methods of back-up which may be applied.

Questions:

1. I am unclear of the purpose of the video tape. I saw a lot of data on utility poles, but as the taped progressed, I found less detail surrounding technical information later presented. What was the rational?

   Answer:
   Excellent question! There are a few reasons. First, the tape was only meant to be a basic introduction to ropes courses. There is no way in a 60 minute tape we could reference all the data currently circulating around common practices. The fine details should be questioned and may be appropriate for your current ropes course vendor or for you to attend a workshop which would allow for more detailed dialogue.

   Secondly, the tape was to represent more than one way of doing things. We didn't want the tape to come across as an "EBL is the greatest..." tape. Rather, we only wanted to increase awareness and encourage questions such as this one.

   Thirdly, the tape is meant to reach an audience that either cannot or would not normally seek a ropes course vendor for say a small project, such as a Mohawk Walk. While the element of choice is a low element and the risk of injury could be perceived as low, the reality is that extreme forces are generated. An improperly constructed wire or a backwards clamp could cause failure, thus causing an injury. Therefore, we want to raise awareness that there are ways to construct AND safer ways to construct the same element. If nothing else, it provides a basis for quality hardware through the examples shown.

2. Question:
   What ropes course standards does EBL adhere to when constructing a ropes course?

   Answer: EBL follows the rigorous standards set forth by the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA). These standards outline minimum, better, and best practices in many cases and EBL feels they represent the latest in industry safety issues.