Rescue Equipment for the Technical Rope Rescue Professional

Maintenance of Carabiners
Keep carabiners dry and clean. Protect carabiners from corrosion. Do not store in humid or salty air, with damp clothing, or near corrosive chemicals. Do not file, engrave, etch or modify carabiners for any reason. Sand any burrs with 220-400 grade sandpaper. If this does not remove the burr, destroy the carabiner.

If a carabiner gate sticks, use an air hose to blow grit out of the mechanism, wash it in warm, soapy water, rinse thoroughly and lubricate with dry graphite around the hinge area, inside the spring hole and locking mechanism. Perform the 3 step inspection process outlined below before each use. Please remember that some environmental effects such as salt water can shorten the life of your carabiner and cause premature failure.

Inspection of Carabiners
All carabiners should be closely inspected

1. at purchase
2. before each use
3. after dropping or shock loading.

There are 3 simple steps for inspecting carabiners before each use:

1. All surfaces of the carabiner should be free of cracks, sharp edges, corrosion, burrs, or excessive wear.
2. Gate opening and closing should be quick and easy. Be sure the gate and any locking mechanism closes freely and completely.
3. Rivets should not be bent, loose or missing.

If your carabiner does not pass the above inspection, remove it from service and destroy it.  A carabiner is a life support product!

Limitations and Proper Use of Carabiners

All carabiners are designed with specific applications in mind. Many factors are taken into consideration during the design such as technique, environment, load directions, safety and performance. Please be aware of the designed use, load limitations and proper technique. Do not overload a carabiner. Carabiners can and will fail under improper use such as cross loading, edge loading, gate open loading, loading from more than 2 directions, etc. If you are not sure of proper application or technique, seek proper training in carabiner use and technical rope applications.

Information provided by Omega Pacific, Inc.

WARNING!
Technical Rescue and Safety is potentially hazardous. Any person using equipment sold by RESCUE TECHNOLOGY in any manner is personally responsible for learning proper techniques involved, and assumes all risks and accepts full and complete responsibility for any and all damages, including death, which may result from the use of any equipment sold by RESCUE TECHNOLOGY. The tensile strengths listed are for a new products. Tensile strength may decrease depending upon use or storage conditions.

Rescue Technology
251 Beulah Church Road
Carrollton, GA 30117
800-334-3368
770-832-9694
770-832-1676 FAX
www.rescueTECH1.com