Safety advantages of high-performance synthetic rope in mining

Carroll Technologies Group, looking to promote the benefits of high-performance synthetic rope to the US mining industry, recently became a distribution partner for Samson, the leading manufacturer of high-performance synthetic ropes.

Regional sales manager Donna Poll said: “Samson is excited about the partnership with Carroll Technologies Group. They are safety-based, and the products we make can significantly contribute to safer mining operations.”

Samson has been manufacturing rope for over 140 years and creates its rope from multiple fibres, including high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE), such as Dyneema® by DSM, which is among the strongest fibres in the world.

A key selling point for high-performance synthetic rope over wire (or metallic) alternatives is that synthetics are the same strength but only about one-seventh the weight for equivalent diameters. That makes synthetic rope safer to handle, and increases efficiency related to time to rig and personnel required.

Describing the safety improvement for miners, Poll said: “When wire rope breaks there’s a danger of damaging the surrounding area and people. Synthetic rope has much more predictable recoil properties.”

Synthetic rope safety advantages

Synthetic rope can be more expensive than steel, initially, but, as Poll puts it: “The cost advantages realised with increased efficiency and the safety factor cannot be discounted. You can’t put a price on safety.”

Working together, Carroll Technologies Group and Samson provide a complete solution for customers, as well as strong after-sales support.

Poll said: “We have a team of engineers who help support the sales effort. There’s a synergy with Carroll’s solutions-based approach.”

Samson is particularly pleased to be working with Carroll Technologies Group on continuing to expand the use of synthetic rope in the metal and non-metal side of the mining industry in the east and southern basin of the US, having already seen widespread adoption of the product in the coal industry.

Asked what the main benefits are of synthetic rope, Poll says: “It’s safer, lighter, faster and easier.”

The safety benefits are two-fold: first, because synthetic rope is so much lighter, there is less likelihood of sprain and strain injuries for those handling it. Second, recoil (what happens when a rope breaks) is more predictable.

Polls said: “When wire rope breaks, it snaps back in an uncontrolled manner and creates metal shrapnel that can damage or destroy anything that gets in its way. Due to its inherently torque neutral construction and low stretch, a high performance synthetic rope allows for a more controlled and predictable release of energy should it part.”

Using synthetic rope leads to overall savings because it is so much lighter than wire. “If you are recovering a piece of equipment that’s stuck and weighs 300,000 pounds, the wire rope required is going to require a few people and a small crane to get in place. Synthetic rope is much faster to get into place, so downtime is reduced. It’s also easier to use so it improves your efficiency.”

President of Carroll Technologies Group, Allen Haywood, said: “We are excited to be starting this partnership with Samson. It is a unique safety product that fits in well with our focus on safety and enhances our offering.”

View Carroll’s range of Samson rope products in our Online Store.