# How to Walk Truss



## Charc (Oct 11, 2009)

Well I thought we'd keep 'em coming.

I recently got to see someone walking truss (maybe it was more of a crawl), and it seems like a useful thing to discuss.

So the first point of clarification is the truss ladder, which one climbs up the side of, not straight on. I've got that down.

Now when it comes to the truss (regardless of being clipped in, this guy wasn't anyways), what's the technique here? Or is there none? I presume it's just palms on the truss, legs slightly diagonally across is, with the feet sliding against the side of the truss, to keep everything in position.

It get's problematic when you've got to focus. He was able to dip his foot down for some PARs, but the lekos required almost going down to the bottom of the box truss in some weird fashion I don't recall.

I'm not sure how this relates to TOS and such, I seemed to get some flak from my earlier ladder post. Regardless of being clipped in (I'd prefer to be, but it's not always an option, like in this situation), people are going to walk truss. No one is going to bounce focus 120k on chain motors.

So, I propose we discuss it. What tips and techniques do you have for walking truss?


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## gafftapegreenia (Oct 11, 2009)

How? Safely and with the proper training.


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## LightingPenguin (Oct 11, 2009)

gafftapegreenia said:


> How? Safely and with the proper training.



The only way anything should ever be done


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## Clifford (Oct 11, 2009)

Provided it's not deemed against TOS, I think Charc was looking for something more constructive than the above answers.


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## photoatdv (Oct 11, 2009)

Hum, I'd never really thought about how its done. That does seem to be an interesting challenge now that I think about it. I'm interested too . By the way, why do you climb the ladder on the side? 

Not for any practical purpose, I happen to be afraid of heights, so it's highly unlikely I'll be walking truss anytime soon (though I'm working on it... I managed a lift the other day)...


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## gafftaper (Oct 11, 2009)

Sorry Charc I think this one is out of bounds. CB staff is trying to allow topics to be carefully discussed and trusting you the members to not take them across the line. I'm going to leave it open for *careful* comments. If it strays far it will be shut down. 

As Greenia said, the answer is "safely with proper training" and the internet is not the place for proper training. To paraphrase a line What Rigger? recently used on me, "it's a 3-D world and the best pictures and descriptions just won't cut it. Once you have passed the basics you can't substitute for hands on training." I don't know where you are working my friend, but once again you have yourself in a dangerous position. Be careful. Don't use the rolling ladder. Don't climb without proper fall protection and/or training. Even if it's the coolest job in the world, it isn't worth risking your life. 

You know the old joke: "There are old riggers and there are bold riggers but there are no old bold riggers."


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## derekleffew (Oct 11, 2009)

Charc said:


> ...Now when it comes to the truss (regardless of being clipped in, this guy wasn't anyways), what's the technique here? ... Regardless of being clipped in (I'd prefer to be, but it's not always an option, like in this situation), people are going to walk truss. ...


Today, climbing without protection is absolute lunacy. One doesn't climb a wire rope ladder without proper fall arrest, including but not limited to, an ANSI-approved full-body harness and vertical lifeline. Period. One doesn't transverse horizontal trusss at height without proper fall arrest, including but not limited to, an ANSI-approved full-body harness and horizonatal lifeline. Period. Just as important as the hardware is proper training on its inspection and use, which one cannot receive over the Internet.

Use of fall protection was not commonplace in our industry in 1994, and I witnessed a truss spot op fall 30' off a wire rope ladder onto a concrete floor. He survived, barely, but will never be as he was before.

Over the past year approximately, I have personally known two people who died from falls; neither was wearing proper fall protection. Had they been, I am certain they would be alive today. Recently, there have been two other cases resulting in deaths where fall protection was used improperly.

Until/unless one knows ANSI/ASSE Z359-2007, one has no business discussing on the Internet the subject of working at height.


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## Sean (Oct 11, 2009)

I'll second (er, third, fourth, etc) what's been said about working at heights. There really is NO excuse for not using fall protection. If you rent wire rope ladders, most of the rental shops include a lifeline and harness for each ladder.

The reason for climbing the side: the ladder will bend away from you if the climb the 'front'. When all your weight is on the bottom foot, the ladder will be relatively vertical (but still bent away from you), as soon as you try to climb, your center of gravity will force the ladder away from you. It really is easier and safer to climb the side. And if you're doing that without a harness, I'll be blunt: You are just plain stupid. It's easy to slip on those ladders. 

--Sean


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## mstaylor (Oct 11, 2009)

I am an old school never used harnesses, but I do now. I agree that proper training for all aspects of stagehanding is important but anybody that works in heights it is paramount. I went to a rigging class where the instructor used the Oh **** method. If you see something that makes you say it fix it. Very good advice. Watch any high wire artist and they all climb wire ladders from the side. Always use a vertical arrest system and a horizontal while climbing the truss. Dual lanyards are best so you can be attached to both vertical and horizontal when making the switch from one to the other. As far as the truss itself, most climb directly on top along the length as apposed to front to back. The latter method makes the truss too unstable. Sometimes you can walk the lower back truss rail but it takes longer. To reach the lights you can sit inside the truss. 
None of this should be done without the knowledge of how to use all the parts of the safety gear and how to inspect it. There is another aspect of the safety question. None of my riggers are allowed to climb unless they are in their personal gear. The thought is they know the history of the gear and the inspection history. Some road shows require you to wear only theirs for the same reason. I personally will not use road gear unless it is new and unused. I give my guys the option to wear road gear but fully back them if they refuse.


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## Charc (Oct 11, 2009)

It seems like some people have lost the point of the thread here. It is not a discussion of climbing or traversing sans fall arrest.

I admit that I value my well being too much to do that. The question here instead discusses how to traverse truss in a good manner. The alternative could be someone clipping in, and feeling all safe, but not knowing what to do once they get in the air.


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## gafftapegreenia (Oct 11, 2009)

There are several reasons why we can't do a "how-to" of truss walking.

1) Each situation is unique. There are many different types of trusses that can be configured in many configurations in numerous types of venues. To provide method on each one is daunting.

2) We are not capable of training people in proper fall arrest systems. 

3) Even assuming one is properly harnessed in, that still means CB is liable as we have now published a guide for working at heights on truss. Someone could come along, think "well this place on the Internet has told me how to work on truss, and since I'm smart, and won't fall, I don't need to clip in, since I've just read how to climb truss".

The first step on climbing truss is to do it SAFELY. So as much as I'd like us to be able to make a "how to climb truss" guide, I'm afraid our best advice is to keep yourself as safe as possible and get your questions answered on the ground by the professionals who know their truss. The best way to walk truss is carefully. I'm not sure what else to tell you.


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## LightingPenguin (Oct 11, 2009)

Charc said:


> It seems like some people have lost the point of the thread here. It is not a discussion of climbing or traversing sans fall arrest.
> 
> I admit that I value my well being too much to do that. The question here instead discusses how to traverse truss in a good manner. The alternative could be someone clipping in, and feeling all safe, but not knowing what to do once they get in the air.



But the problem is when someone reads the advice about walking truss and thinks "I dont need a harness, that doesn't sound too hard" and they die, thats our fault. 

An assumption that they're going to wear a harness is not good enough. Thus it is better to leave that topic untouched, for the safety of others. 

And if someone gets in the air with a harness and is traversing, I assume they're not the only ones there. Which means someone could show them how to walk, FIRSTHAND, how to do it and be there incase something bad happens


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## mstaylor (Oct 11, 2009)

Charc said:


> It seems like some people have lost the point of the thread here. It is not a discussion of climbing or traversing sans fall arrest.
> 
> I admit that I value my well being too much to do that. The question here instead discusses how to traverse truss in a good manner. The alternative could be someone clipping in, and feeling all safe, but not knowing what to do once they get in the air.



I thought I explained both the safety aspect and how to actually transverse a truss. I also think every response has stressed the need for the use of safety gear and the need to get local training before doing so. The other important thing to remember is most fall arrest equipment is a one time fall for one person. Two people should never use the same fall arrest. Also, once a fall has happened it needs to be sent to the company for resert or replacement, depending on what type it is. Again this is something that has to learned locally. 
I personally have installed many horizontal lifelines in permanent installations and conducted the training for it's use. I would never attempt to explain on the internet how to do install or use any equipment. Too many variables and too much liability. It is the same as ttrying to explain how to rig or how to wire circuits. I have a large amount of experience in both but won't explain how to somebody I have never met in a space I have never seen.


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## Footer (Oct 11, 2009)

Closing this one down folks. 

If you want to learn to walk truss, climb steel, or climb a circus ladder best practice is to learn from someone who is experienced in doing it and can guide you through it. Truss can be walked safely with the proper precautions in place, but that goes beyond the scope of what we can discuss on CB. The stakes are simply too high....


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