Which action best ensures the security of rigging and anchor points before rappelling?

Which action best ensures the security of rigging and anchor points before rappelling?

• A. Confirm anchor point integrity.
• B. Confirm crew's favorite route.
• C. Verify rigging and anchor security.
• D. Ignore previous load plan.

Answer: (C)

Before rappelling, the safety focus is on the whole rappel setup: the rigging and the anchors must be secure and prepared to carry the load. This means confirming that the anchor points are suitable for the expected forces, correctly oriented, and not prone to slipping or failure, and that the rigging components—slings or webbing, knots, carabiners, belay devices, and connections—are properly tied, clipped, and free from wear or damage. By verifying both the rigging and the anchors, you ensure that the load path is solid, redundant where needed, and that nothing will shift or fail when weight is applied. Simply checking anchor integrity could miss problems in the rigging itself, while actions like focusing on a favorite route or ignoring the load plan introduce unnecessary risk.

Before rappelling, the safety focus is on the whole rappel setup: the rigging and the anchors must be secure and prepared to carry the load. This means confirming that the anchor points are suitable for the expected forces, correctly oriented, and not prone to slipping or failure, and that the rigging components—slings or webbing, knots, carabiners, belay devices, and connections—are properly tied, clipped, and free from wear or damage. By verifying both the rigging and the anchors, you ensure that the load path is solid, redundant where needed, and that nothing will shift or fail when weight is applied. Simply checking anchor integrity could miss problems in the rigging itself, while actions like focusing on a favorite route or ignoring the load plan introduce unnecessary risk.