quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCaneman

It depends on the subject in question. When I worked at the club as a "safety dude" (we didn't really have titles for it), we'd keep an eye on the more risky scenes being played out. One guy was able to handle it for over four hours before he safed out, others could only handle it for a few minutes at the most. A lot has to do with the geometry of the overhead supports, upper body strength of the subject, and how they're fastened to the overhead ropes or chains. Never 'freehang', that is, make the connections while the subject is standing on something and then remove their support. Always use a pulley system with mechanical advantage to ensure a smooth and steady force rather than sharp jerks. Maintain eye contact with subject while performing the operation, or better yet, have a helper perform it. Make sure all hands know what the safe word is and the environment isn't too distracting that anyone involved loses focus.

I strongly agree with des to attend a workshop before attempting this, and the first few times only do so with experienced help and at least two big strong dudes to provide emergency support if things go wrong. You run the risk of soft tissue damage, strains, sprains, dislocation of the wrist, elbow, and shoulders, and even suffocation because the subject may not be able to breathe normally with their torso extended in this manner. The gentleman I mentioned before was in excellent physical shape and had trained his body to cope with extended periods of suspension. On the other hand, I witnessed kinky weekend warriors who safed out after a few seconds.

In any event, make sure your equipment has a weight rating at least three times the deadweight of the subject. TEST IT FIRST. Easiest way is to get an old Army duffel bag or two, get some of those tubes of playground sand, stick them in and you have a safe test subject for the rig. Any decent club with overhead gear will (or should have) performed proper safety testing beforehand, and the advantage there is that you'll have a ready source of skilled assistance standing by, either in the form of staff or patrons. NEVER attempt this alone the first time. Remember, Murphy's Law is always in effect when doing this, cross your t's and dot your i's.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MariaB

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCaneman

It depends on the subject in question. When I worked at the club as a "safety dude" (we didn't really have titles for it), we'd keep an eye on the more risky scenes being played out. One guy was able to handle it for over four hours before he safed out, others could only handle it for a few minutes at the most. A lot has to do with the geometry of the overhead supports, upper body strength of the subject, and how they're fastened to the overhead ropes or chains. Never 'freehang', that is, make the connections while the subject is standing on something and then remove their support. Always use a pulley system with mechanical advantage to ensure a smooth and steady force rather than sharp jerks. Maintain eye contact with subject while performing the operation, or better yet, have a helper perform it. Make sure all hands know what the safe word is and the environment isn't too distracting that anyone involved loses focus.

I strongly agree with des to attend a workshop before attempting this, and the first few times only do so with experienced help and at least two big strong dudes to provide emergency support if things go wrong. You run the risk of soft tissue damage, strains, sprains, dislocation of the wrist, elbow, and shoulders, and even suffocation because the subject may not be able to breathe normally with their torso extended in this manner. The gentleman I mentioned before was in excellent physical shape and had trained his body to cope with extended periods of suspension. On the other hand, I witnessed kinky weekend warriors who safed out after a few seconds.

In any event, make sure your equipment has a weight rating at least three times the deadweight of the subject. TEST IT FIRST. Easiest way is to get an old Army duffel bag or two, get some of those tubes of playground sand, stick them in and you have a safe test subject for the rig. Any decent club with overhead gear will (or should have) performed proper safety testing beforehand, and the advantage there is that you'll have a ready source of skilled assistance standing by, either in the form of staff or patrons. NEVER attempt this alone the first time. Remember, Murphy's Law is always in effect when doing this, cross your t's and dot your i's.

I think a lot of your advice is sound but I have highlighted your final paragraph because I fundamentally disagree with what you are suggesting.

The whole structure is only as strong as its weakest link and that's why in commercial applications and rigging made for climbers, the safety margin is usually a factor of ten for a static load.

BDSMers have been testing rigging like this for years, the fact is, its not a good enough test and the numerous reported accidents are proof to that. No health and safety executive would pass an instillation tested in this manner and personally I wouldn't trust my life to someone who tested something this way.

If you are going to set up a suspension system you need to ensure that every single component is suitable for the job. Use components that come with proper safety specifications and use them in the way they are designed to be used.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCaneman

I phrased it that way to take into account it would probably be a 'home-made' rig. 10X is ideal, especially for a commercial venue that can expect to be used on a regular basis, but 3x should be good enough for an amateur rig. Not discounting your concerns or experience, but a lot of people here either don't have access to pro-grade gear or commercial clubs. Some simply prefer to make their own gear or want to do their thing at home. The greater weight rating the better, but not too many people are going to spring for that kind of expense.