Winch Operations: Part 1

RON MOORE Firehouse Magazine

SUBJECT: TOPIC: Winch Operations at Rescue Scenes ?Red Flag? Moments During Winch Operations Understand conditions and situations during winch operations that indicate unsafe acts OBJECTIVE: and/or diminished safety. These are referred to as ?Red Flag? moments. Based upon study of a real-world cable failure incident and past experiences, create a list of potential ?red flag? moments that can exist at TASK: any winch line operation. Develop operational winch guidelines to insure safe and efficient winch line operations at incident scenes. Sometimes, it takes a near miss to get you thinking just how close you came or just how little you know about something that could kill you. Such is the case after a tow truck winch cable failure occurred at a truck crash scene recently. In this situation, the cable failed violently and could have killed two people right before our very eyes. By relating this story to you, it is hoped that the next time you are present at a scene where a winch cable is being used under load, you?ll remember this story, set up a safe scene and avoid a near miss like we had. The vehicle that crashed was a 10-wheel truck outfitted with a tank to haul waste grease and oils from food establishments. At an expressway on-ramp, the driver lost control, rolled the vehicle onto its roof and slid to a halt in a ditch at the side of the road. Photo By Ron Moore Civilians removed the injured driver just as the first fire department units were arriving on scene. There was a small spill of fluids from the truck itself that were quickly contained by fire department personnel. The tank remained intact, although it was almost completely dislodged from the truck chassis. A local wrecker company was summoned by the police to recover the overturned truck. Rather than off-load the tanker, the tow truck operators decided to upright the loaded unit with a lowangle, dual-line pull off their heavy-duty wrecker while fire department personnel stood by. In the

process, one tow cable suddenly snapped in two and violently whipped around the scene, narrowly missing two tow truck company employees. The images contained in this installment tell the story of what happened and the lessons learned. The challenge to fire and rescue personnel who many times are standing by during these recovery operations is to analyze these images and identify the telltale ?Red Flags? moments that were completely overlooked or not respected by tow company personnel. Once you know where the dangers lie at the scene of a winch line recovery operation, decide what your course of action will be for your fire-rescue personnel. Photo By Ron Moore This is how first-due fire department personnel found the scene upon their arrival. Motorists who had stopped at the crash scene were pulling the injured driver from the cab through the open door. Note that the chassis of the 10-wheeler appears intact. Red Flag: The norm for this type of recovery is to pump off the liquid, called off-loading, to minimize the possibility of a spill of any liquids into a nearby storm drain during vehicle recovery. If nothing is leaking from the tank now, then nothing should be leaking Photo By Ron Moore from the tank once it is finally removed from the scene. A view from the rear shows the waste tank almost completely torn away from the chassis of the truck. The waste oil tank did not leak; only fluids from the truck itself had to be dealt with by the fire department. Red Flag: Note that the tank is resting on a short, but relatively steep downhill slope. An uphill pull to recover this fully loaded tank and truck will require greater effort and place more strain on the pulling system. The heavy-duty tow truck operators placed their 16-ton capacity unit at a 90-degree angle to the overturned truck. They hooked one winch line high on the front axle and a second line to the rear tandem axle and began pulling the loaded tanker. This image was taken just as the second winch line was being placed in service.

Photo By Ron Moore low-angle pull. The pull is now so extreme that the cab of the truck is actually being lifted off the ground. The resistance of the weight of the waste tank plus the holding strength of the one attachment plate bolted to the chassis is causing a winch overload situation.

Red Flag: Note that at this point, because the tow operator has decided to attempt to recover the loaded tank and truck, the resistance of the load being pulled has caused severe twisting of the truck?s chassis. This is not good. You don?t normally see heavy steel-frame rails bend to this extent during a truck recovery done by professional recovery personnel. This is a sign that a lot of energy is being put into this

Red Flag: This is truly a ?Red Flag? moment. Something is about to go wrong! Just consider the potential energy that is Photo By Ron Moore stored up in this system. The tow truck operator is literally trying to tear the truck away from the fully loaded tank. This is the scene from the opposite side just a few seconds before cable failure. The operator of the tow truck is at the rear of the truck. His partner is standing in the foreground with his back to the camera. As the stress of the pull became so great, the front wheels of the tow truck actually rose approximately 18 inches off the ground. Red Flag: Personnel standing too close to a working winch cable line is a bad thing. If a cable should fail or a hook or chain length fracture during the stress of a pull, the wire rope cable will whip about violently until it loses its stored energy. The area that the failed cables can slice through is equal to the distance from the tow truck boom to the crashed truck. A distance greater than this in all directions should be kept clear of all personnel during the pull, no exceptions. Tell the operator, ?I don?t care if that is your tow truck. You?re going to be killed if that winch line fails. I?m the fire department safety officer at this scene and I won?t allow you to stand there!? Anyone within the ?strike zone? is in great danger. Anytime the front wheels of a heavy-duty tow truck come off the ground, something is

Photo By Ron Moore

probably wrong, as it was in this case. At that moment, the cable closest to the camera violently failed. The failure occurred about four feet beyond the pulley block at the top of the tow truck boom. The 35 feet of broken wire cable shot like a bullet toward the overturned truck, slamming into the undercarriage. This failure location actually saved lives. If the cable had failed closer to the damaged truck or if the hooks or chain had fractured, the cable would have whipped backward toward the tow truck. The tow truck operator and his partner were both within the strike zone of the cable had the failure occurred at this location in the line. A closer look at the end of the tow cable shows the tremendous, almost explosive result of sudden cable failure. The stored Photo By Ron Moore energy built up within the cable is instantaneously released. It is that release of energy that creates the winch line ?flying cable? potential. The line failed several feet from the tow truck boom. Because of that failure point, the free end of the cable traveled away from where the two tow truck personnel were standing. Had the failure been at a different location, the results would have been fatal. The challenge is to develop guidelines describing what we could do at a future incident anytime a winch cable is being used at an incident scene. Ron Moore, a Firehouse? contributing editor, is a battalion chief and the training officer for the McKinney, TX, Fire Department. He also authors a monthly online article in the Firehouse.com ? MembersZone? and serves as the Forum Moderator for the extrication section of the Firehouse.com website. Moore can be contacted directly at Rmoore@corp.firehouse.com.

Winch Operations ? Part 2

RON MOORE Firehouse Magazine
SUBJECT: Winch Operations at Rescue Scenes Things You Ought to Know About Using a TOPIC: Winch at Rescue Scenes OBJECTIVE: Understand the safety concerns and critical

TASK:

operational features of a winch when used at a rescue scene Using the winch and accessory equipment operated by your agency, develop operational winch guidelines to insure safe and efficient winch operations at incident scenes.

Photos by Ron Moore The ?wraps? of wire rope (commonly called ? cable? by fire/rescue personnel) create the multiple ?layers? on the drum of this rescue vehicle?s winch.

This article could actually be titled ?Things You Probably Don?t Know About Winches.? Each of the items listed is an important safety or operational point for any agency to consider when performing equipment maintenance, conducting hands-on training, or operating a winch system at a rescue incident. Although not a complete listing, these items are some of the more critical elements of winch systems. Further details are available from sources such as winch system manufacturers and heavy rescueoriented training programs. Before we get started, some winch terminology must be understood:

Wire rope ? Often called ?cable? by firefighters and rescue personnel, it consists of many thin steel wires grouped into bundles to form strands. Multiple strands of wire are then twisted together around a core to form a complete wire-rope assembly. Wrap ? A single coil of wire rope wound on the drum of a winch. Layer ? All wraps of wire rope around a winch drum that are on the same level. Item: The capacity of a winch decreases as more layers of cable wrap around the drum. Every winch has a rating; a maximum load that it can pull with its line. For example, yours may be rated at 8,000 pounds or 20,000 pounds. But do you know what that

Photos by Ron Moore The only time a winch will exert its rated capacity is when all cable is off except for the first layer. Each additional layer of cable decreases pulling power 10% to 12%. Pulling with a full drum, as shown, would be at only 50% of the rated winch capacity.

really means? All winch ratings are actually ?first- layer? ratings. This means that the maximum pulling capacity of a winch is only at the first layer; when all cable is off the drum except the very first layer of cable. The capacity of a winch decreases as more layers of cable wrap around the drum. For example, a typical fire department 8,000-pound winch using three-eighths-inch wire rope has actually five ratings, depending upon which layer of cable is doing the pulling: 1st layer ? 8,000 pounds 2nd layer ? 6,700 pounds 3rd layer ? 5,700 pounds 4th layer ? 5,000 pounds 5th layer ? 4,500 pounds

As a rule of thumb, for each layer of wire rope on the drum, deduct 10% to 12% off the rated line pull (http://www.innovation-engineering.co.uk/theory.htm). Generally, when all the cable is on a winch, the pulling capacity is only one half (50%) of its full rating. The change is due to the cable that is pulling the load actually getting farther away from the axis or center drum of the winch ? a good reason to pull off lengths of wire rope and rig up a pulley system with your winch. The mechanical advantage can double your pulling power and get the pull closer to the first-layer winch rating. Also notice as cable builds up layers on a winch drum, the speed that the line moves increases to nearly double the first-layer speed. Photos by Ron Moore Two safety problems are evident as this tow operator attempts to right a side-resting pickup truck. First, he is standing in the line of fire if the winch cable would fail. Second, with the Always leave a minimum of five wraps of wire rope on the drum at the bottom layer to back of his hook facing up, the hook would go airborne right toward his position if it were to achieve a rated load. This is a safety feature fail. that keeps the line from pulling completely off the winch drum. Five layers on the drum is the minimum! Item: You have to always leave some cable on the drum. Item: There are good reasons to place a heavy canvas or duck tarp over winch lines. Part 1 of this series described an actual incident where the failure of a tow truck?s cable under load instantly caused 35 feet of broken cable to release uncontrollably. Winch operators should always make sure that everyone keeps well back and away from any winching activity. It is good practice to use a heavy blanket or heavy weight tarp over the wire rope during a pulling set up. In

that way, if a rope failure should occur, the weight of the tarp will act as a damper and help minimize the whipping of the broken cable. For operator safety, raising the vehicle?s hood can also give some protection should the rope break. Also, during winching, the tarp acts as a visual warning to rescue personnel, preventing them from walking into or tripping over the wire rope. Item: When a rescue hook fails under load, it moves in the direction of the back of the hook. In the event of a hook failure under a load, the broken hook will move violently in the direction of the back of the hook. Winch operators must remain within the working load limits of their equipment. Secondly, operators must make sure the hook is in the correct winching position. The hook should always be placed so its back is either facing the ground or facing away from the winch operator (http://wreckmaster.com/World/Recovery12.htm). Item: Winch cable on an electric-powered winch should have slack in it when you first start to pull. An interesting procedure that I believe very few fire/rescue winch operators are aware of is the ? slack in the line? rule for electric winches. As stated in the Army?s official HUMMER training manual (Army HUMMER training manual TM 9-2320-280-10 2-134.2), operators are advised to allow one foot of slack in the winch cable prior to start of winching operations. This allows time for the electric winch motor to get up to speed for maximum pulling power.

Item: Winch cable too small in diameter or too large for your winch is unsafe. It is important for safe operations that the diameter of the winch line is proper for the winch you are using. There is a formula for determining if your winch has the proper diameter cable. The largest recommended wire-rope size should be no larger than one-eighth the cable drum barrel diameter (http://www.innovationengineering.co.uk/theory.htm). Check it out with your winch and cable. See if they match. Item: Wire rope is identified by two numbers.

Photos by Ron Moore The weight of a heavy tarp placed over winch cables during a pull will act as a damper and help minimize the whipping of the cable should a cable or hook failure occur.

Two numbers, such as ?6 x 19,? are used to classify the construction of all wire rope. One number indicates the number of individual wires that make up a strand. The other number indicates the number of strands wrapped around a core to make up the complete wire rope. For example, a winch cable may be described as ?6 x 19 wire rope.? This popular rescue winch wire rope, also used by many tow agencies nationwide, consists of 19 individual wires twisted into each strand of cable. The number 6 indicates that a total of six strands are then twisted together to form the wire rope. Item: Some wire rope or cable on a winch isn?t actually all steel. It is possible that a steel winch line can have a natural fiber comprising center core. Referred to as a fiber core wire rope, it is composed of wire wrapped around a fiber or man-made center. The fiber core can be manila, jute, sisal or more recently, man-made polypropylene, offering better resistance to rotting, drying out and other forms of deterioration. Fiber core ?cushions? the steel strands during operation. As the core is usually impregnated with lubricant before manufacture, it continues to act as an internal lubricator during the operation of the rope. Fiber core is less violent than steel core as it recoils after failure (breaking).

Item: A winch cable must be inspected, lubricated, and properly maintained. On aircraft carriers, a 20-ton airplane hits the deck at 120 mph. It is brought to a halt in a short 200 feet when it hooks one of the four cables stretched across the carrier. Each catch wire is used exactly 100 times before it is replaced. That?s preventative maintenance at its best (?Aircraft Carrier,? Nova. Airdate: Jan. 7, 1997).

Photos by Ron Moore This winch system is ?out of service? or should be. Among other problems, the wire rope is damaged in several spots and the cable layers are all tangled on the winch drum.

Fire/rescue winch cables aren?t replaced after 100 uses; many aren?t even inspected or maintained properly after each use. There are some common-sense things to do regarding maintenance of your winch line. Visual inspection for the first appearance of ?fishhooks? in the wire, stretching, kinks or flattened sections provides a good indicator of wire-rope damage. The line should be lubricated on a regular basis. Recommended lubricants and proper application are a must. Wire rope manufacturers can provide specific details. Winch line should be cleaned with a wire brush, compressed air, or steam in conjunction with application of a recommended cleaner-solvent to remove old lubricant and debris. It is better to lubricate lightly and frequently than it is to apply heavy doses of lubricant on an infrequent basis. You can also reverse the cable on the drum periodically. Item: Wire rope stretches and gets thinner as a load is placed on the line. All steel wire ropes will stretch during their initial use. This is known as ?constructional stretch? and is caused by the tightening of the wires and strands into their respective cores. An approximate elongation of six inches per 100 feet can be expected in a six-stranded rope. Excessive stretch beyond this should be cause for replacement. Also, inspect your winch line for any lengthening or reduction diameter. These are signs of severe stretch, which occur as a result of overloading or due to loss of strength as the cable approaches the end of its life cycle. Authorities report that for diameters up to and including wire rope, there can be as much as three-64ths of an inch of reduction. A reduction in diameter of up to one-16th of an inch is acceptable for wire-rope diameters of seven-eighths of an inch to 11?8 inches.