Integrated fall protection and safety strap

Abstract

An integrated fall protection safety strap device comprises a conventional climbing strap apparatus and a modified secondary positioning lanyard permanently attached to the one side of the climbing strap apparatus. When in use, with one end of the secondary positioning lanyard secured to one of the body belt attachment members of the climbing strap apparatus, the secondary positioning lanyard is generally carried as an attachment to the climbing strap apparatus. When a secondary safety is needed to pass an obstacle on a pole being climbed, the user can then encircle the pole with the secondary positioning lanyard and, as the body belt attachment member of the climbing strap apparatus to which the secondary positioning lanyard is not permanently attached is disengaged from the body belt, secure the end of the secondary positioning lanyard to the body belt at the same location from which the climbing strap apparatus was disengaged.

1 . An integrated fall protection and safety strap device, comprising:
 a climbing strap apparatus having a first strap attachment end and a second strap attachment end, wherein said first strap attachment end and second strap attachment end configure the climbing strap apparatus to attach to a body belt for climbing poles;   an auxiliary positioning apparatus defining an elongated member having a first terminal end and a second terminal end; and   wherein said auxiliary secondary positioning apparatus is configured to permanently attach to said first strap attachment end at the first terminal end and said second terminal end includes an attachment member configured to enable to the second terminal end to attach to the body belt for climbing poles at the same location as the second strap attachment end.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated fall protection and safety strap device of  claim 1 , wherein said auxiliary positioning apparatus is configured to permanently attach to said first strap snap hook at the first terminal end through an attachment ring. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated fall protection and safety strap device of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment member defines a snap hook. 
     
     
         4 . A method of employing an integrated fall protection and safety strap device to climb past obstacles on a pole, comprising the steps of:
 providing a conventional climbing strap apparatus and secondary positioning apparatus;   said climbing strap apparatus having a first body belt attachment member and a second body belt attachment member, wherein said first body belt attachment member and second body belt attachment member configure the climbing strap apparatus to attach to a conventional body belt for climbing poles;   and said secondary positioning apparatus defining an elongated member having a first terminal end permanently attached to the first body belt attachment member and a second terminal end having a secondary attachment member;   disengaging the second body belt attachment member from a conventional body belt worn by a user; and   attaching the second terminal end to the conventional body belt at the location from which the second body belt attachment member was removed.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said secondary positioning apparatus is permanently attached to said first body belt attachment member at the first terminal end by an attachment ring. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said secondary attachment member defines a snap hook.