Books: ProGuides: Line Operations

ISBN 978-0-9560784-2-1
RRP £ 21.95

From the core skills of safe work at height, through rope access, hauling systems and advanced stretcher rescues, ProGuide Line Operations covers every aspect in clear, precise detail. An invaluable pocket reference for Fire Service and industrial rope rescue teams, cliff/coastguard teams, police and military responders and many more. If it's not in this book, you don't need to know it!

Each A6-size coil-bound ProGuide is printed on 100% waterproof paper, which can be repeatedly soaked, washed, scrubbed and sanitized without damage. Unlike many other 'waterproof' notebooks, ProGuide paper is produced from polymer film - it can be written on, is resistant to tearing, and will not stick together even after months in a damp pocket. The latest printing technology creates crystal-clear text and graphics that won't fade, scratch or wear away, no matter how much you try.

The book follows European (EN/CE) practices so is not suitable for territories with widely-differing methods and equipment, such as the USA.

• Emergency services, rescue teams and those working outside the UK should use this book.
• Professional rope access workers operating in the UK under schemes based on BS 7985 or ISO 22846 should use ProGuide Rope Access and Rescue.

Line Operations contains over 100 pages and provides a complete reference for everyone working at height - from the basic personal safety and access techniques used by all firefighters; the legal rules and risk assessment checklists for work at height and the associated hazards (such as RF exposure and confined spaces), use of PPE, knots and anchors, restraint and fall arrest techiques; to the skills needed for professional rope access rescue and stretcher hauling. We cover pulley systems and quadpods, shaft entry and leading edge work, advanced techniques for colleague rescue and highlines. The content is fully compliant with UK and European laws, standards and best practices, with detailed diagrams designed to be crystal-clear to understand, even in the dark and the pouring rain.

What standards and equipment does the ProGuide refer to?

We avoid brand-specific naming as much as possible, and refer to equipment via EN standards and generic design features. The legal aspects of work at height reference the UK laws (Work at Height Regulations and Confined Space Regulations), however the techniques and protocols described in the book are universally-applicable to teams using EN standards and European styles of work.

Is the ProGuide only for specialist rope rescuers?

No - the first half is designed to cover work at height from the introductory level (what a lanyard is, work in restraint, how to select an anchor point, etc.), and is intended for use by anyone with core work-at-height access skills, such as front line firefighters. The remainder of the book covers techniques performed by line rescue teams, but it can be beneficial for all those at the scene to understand what is happening and what support they can provide.

Why should I buy this instead of Rope Access and Rescue?

Rope Access and Rescue is aimed squarely at industrial rope access; it has much more content about personal rope progression, legal duties, rigging for "work", etc. whereas Line Operations is more wide ranging, covering "basic" work at height (fall arrest etc.) and team-based activities carried out by line rescue teams, but it does not cover the detailed ISO 22846 Safe System of Work or legal workplace duties. Members of "Public sector" rescue teams - Fire, Coastguard, etc. - should use Line Operations but teams can employ a subset of highly-trained rope technicians that go through industrial certification (ISO 22846, BS 7985) and they would benefit from the extra detail in ProGuide Rope Access and Rescue

Is the ProGuide a teach-yourself book?

No - it's a field reference for use by people who have been trained or are undergoing training, but does not constitute a training manual in isolation as clearly the skills required by a line rescue operative are wide-ranging and require extensive practical instruction.

Can we have our team logo on the front cover?

Yes, subject to minimum quantities or a small per-order setup fee. Contact us for details, describing how many you're looking to purchase and we'll explain the process and how to submit your logo artwork for printing. Typically, branded books have a 2 week lead time.

We aren't in the UK - is the book still suitable for us?

Although the ProGuide is aimed at UK Fire Service and associated emergency and industrial rescue teams (such as HART, MOD and Police), we have been careful to avoid too many equipment-specific notes and so the book will fit to any brands of equipment. Some of the initial management checklists refer to laws from the UK, though similar laws apply across the European Union. The book is not intended for markets following the OSHA/NFPA frameworks (USA, Canada, etc.), where equipment and techniques are significantly different.

If I use/tear out the notepaper at the back of the book, can I replace them or is the book wasted?

We've designed the book using a coil binding that can be unthreaded if necessary, and replacement packs of note sheets can be purchased - contact us for details.

Why the emphasis on Fire Services? The book doesn't mention fires!

Actually, it does... briefly! The reason is that in the UK, the statutory supplier of rescue at/from height is the Fire Service. They are often supported by other agencies (Police, Coastguard, etc.) and of course mountain/cave/mine rescues have specialist volunteer teams, but if you're stuck in a tree and call 999, you'll get a big red truck.

If you have any other questions, please contact us and we'll be happy to help!

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