Rope handling and maintenance

Information on how to handle fibre rope, including: unreeling, avoiding abrasion and storage.

Unreeling new rope

When unreeling new rope, remove rope properly from reels to prevent kinking. The rope should be removed by pulling it off the top while the reel is free to rotate.

To proceed in any other manner may cause kinks or strand distortion. Never unreel rope from the outside of the coil, always from the centre.

Handling

Never stand in line with rope under tension. The areas marked in orange in the image below are considered the danger zone:

Danger zone when rope is under tension

Abrasion

Avoid fibre rope products coming into contact with:

• sharp edges, or
• unpolished or corroded steel surfaces.

Damage due to abrasion can be reduced by:

• the fitting of heavy duty Polyester, HMPE or other materials of plaited or tubed webbing to provide eye or body protection
• avoiding the use of soft or loosely constructed ropes to prevent snag or strength loss.

All rope will be badly damaged if in contact with rough surfaces or sharp edges. Keep winches, drums and other surfaces in good condition and free of burrs and rust.

Pulleys must be free to rotate and should be of proper size to avoid excessive wear. Do not drag rope over rough ground. Dirt and grit picked up by rope can work into the strands, cutting the inside fibre.

Storage

Always keep fibre ropes as clean and dry as possible.

Store fibre ropes:

• away from heat sources
• away from chemical contaminants
• out of direct sunlight
• on a rack.

The image below is a good example of a rack that provides ventilation and ease of inspection:

An example of a rack for rope storage