Worn Webbing

A master rigger took these photos of a worn leg strap and sent them to the rig’s manufacturer, Rigging Innovations, for an opinion as to whether the strap needed replacement. (This type of damage often occurs when harnesses come into contact with asphalt or other abrasive surfaces during less-than-graceful landings.) The manufacturer recommended grounding the rig until the strap could be replaced because the damage went over the selvage edge (the edge of the webbing that is woven in a way that prevents it from fraying or unraveling). If the damage had not gone over the selvage edge, the strap would not have needed immediate replacement and the manufacturer would have recommended that the owner simply keep an eye on it.

Photos by Rory Corrigan.