Use of Petzl Tandem Speed Trolley on Aerial Adventure Courses
Technical Bulletin: Use of Petzl Tandem Speed Trolley on Aerial Adventure Courses
ACCT TIRE Committee
March 23, 2024
This notice addresses recent discussion in our field regarding the use of the Petzl Tandem Speed trolleys on Aerial Adventure Courses, including Zip Line Tours, Adventure Parks, and other Challenge Courses worldwide.
In November 2021, Petzl issued a Tech Tip addressing the Tandem Speed trolley commonly used in our field. Members of the TIRE Committee recently met with Petzl USA’s Technical Information Manager to clarify issues raised in this Petzl notice. The findings from this meeting were written up and shared with our Petzl contact to ensure accuracy prior to releasing the statements below:
- This is not a stop-use directive.
- This pulley continues to meet the requirements in the ANSI/ACCT 2019 Standards, Chapter 1: Design, Performance and Inspection I.3.7, however it does not meet the newer EN standards referenced in the Petzl statement.
- Petzl no longer recommends the use of the Tandem Speed trolley on cables as a rolling trolley on Aerial Adventure Courses globally.
- If owners/operators choose to use Tandem Speed trolleys on the cables of Aerial Adventure Courses, it is imperative that they acknowledge Petzl's revised recommendation. Particularly, caution should be exercised when there is a risk of participant's fingers being in contact with the trolley or if it may be inadvertently dropped. Owners/operators bear the responsibility for the continued use of the Tandem Speed as a cable trolley.
- Use of the Tandem Speed trolley as a pulley in rope rigging systems on Aerial Adventure Courses remains a recommended application by Petzl.
- For future acquisitions of cable trolleys, it is advisable to consider alternatives to the Tandem Speed that do not carry the same usage limitations.
Use this link to view the Petzl Tech Tip:
https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Operators/Using-the-TANDEM-SPEED-trolley-on-cable?ProductName=TANDEM-SPEED.