The GRIPPS® methodology
CATTE: tool tethering in five easy steps
CATTE is the GRIPPS® methodology for tool tethering and dropped object prevention. A clear, consistent method every worker at height can remember, follow and rely on, to secure tools and protect the people below on any worksite.
- CConnect
- AAnchor
- TTether
- TTransport
- EEncapsulation
The methodology
What is CATTE?
The GRIPPS® CATTE methodology is a framework for safe tool tethering and dropped object prevention. The name stands for Connect, Anchor, Tether, Transport and Encapsulation.
Buying the right equipment is one part of drop prevention. Everyone working at height also needs to understand how to use it. CATTE gives workers a straightforward approach that any of them can follow.
Five steps
The five steps of CATTE
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C
Connect
Match the connection point to the tool and the task.
Attach a connection point to the tool. Choose one with a load rating that matches the tool and suits both the task and your work environment.
View tool connectors -
A
Anchor
Choose an anchor suited to the weight of the tool.
Identify an anchor point that is securely fastened and suited to the weight of the tool. Options include a load-rated work belt, wrist anchor or tool bag with dedicated tether D-rings. Many GRIPPS® bags also have handrail mounts. You can also anchor to the structure or equipment in use, provided it offers a suitable anchor point.
View tether anchors -
T
Tether
Select a tether for the load, length and task.
Choose a tether with an appropriate load rating and length, suited to the task at hand. The tether links the connection point to the anchor and keeps the tool secure if it slips.
View tool tethers -
T
Transport
Plan how tools move across the project.
Identify how you will transport tools and equipment throughout the project. Certified tool bags and pouches reduce the risk of dropped tools on site.
View transport & storage -
E
Encapsulation
Seal off voids so nothing can fall through.
Encapsulation seals off voids to prevent dropped objects, so gaps in flooring, around handrails and at pipes do not put people or equipment at risk. GRIPPS® matting and handrail barriers are simple to install and reusable.
View the encapsulation range
Why it works
View compliance information
Every step counts
Each step of CATTE addresses a different way an object can fall. A tool on a tether still falls if the anchor fails. A secure anchor does not help if the tool travels untethered. A void left open lets objects fall through.
Used together, the five steps give your worksite one clear method to learn, apply and repeat.
GRIPPS® products are certified wherever possible to ANSI/ISEA 121-2023.
Put it into practice
See CATTE on your worksite
CATTE is a method you apply on site. GRIPPS® offers three ways to bring it to your worksite.
-
1
Worksite audits
A GRIPPS® audit looks at how tools and equipment are secured on your worksite, step by step through CATTE. It leads to clear solutions: a picture of where drops can occur and practical actions to address them.
Audits are scoped to each site, so the work reflects your tasks, your equipment and your people.
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2
CATTE Education Walls
Education Walls are custom awareness and training installations for your worksite. They put the CATTE method in front of your people, where the work happens.
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3 Coming soon
Tool Boards
Tool Boards will be available to purchase very soon. Register your interest and we will be in touch when they are ready.
Built for the whole team
One method, every role on site
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HSE managers and advisors
Build a drop prevention program your crews follow.
CATTE gives you one standardised method to specify across tasks and sites. GRIPPS® products are certified wherever possible to ANSI/ISEA 121-2023, and the equipment is practical to use, so the program works on the worksite as well as on paper.
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Shutdown and turnaround managers
Plan drop prevention into your shutdown window.
CATTE gives your team five clear steps to plan equipment around, so connecting, anchoring, tethering, transport and encapsulation are settled before mobilisation. Talk to us early so the right equipment is ready for your scope and timeline.
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Construction and HSE superintendents
Make drop prevention something your crews want to do.
GRIPPS® equipment is developed with trade professionals, so it is practical and comfortable to use at height. CATTE gives your crews one method to learn and follow, so using it becomes the natural way the work is done.
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Site and project managers
Keep the site safe and the schedule on track.
One method across tasks and crews makes drop prevention simpler to implement and manage, with solutions that fit your existing workflows. A worksite audit shows where drops can occur and the practical actions to address them, so you can plan with confidence.
For workers at height
Frontline workers at height
Tool tethering does not have to be complicated.
GRIPPS® understands the critical risk of working at height, and the day-to-day challenges of getting the job done: wind and weather, tight access, awkward positions and the need to keep both hands free. CATTE gives you five easy steps to follow, the same on every worksite, so you, your colleagues and the bystanders below all go home safely.
- Easy to remember: Connect, Anchor, Tether, Transport, Encapsulation.
- Easy to follow: the same five steps on every task and every worksite.
- Hands free: tools stay secured, so you can keep both hands on the job.
- Protects those below: helps keep tools where they belong, not falling onto the people below.
Next step
Stop the drop at every step
Talk to GRIPPS® about applying CATTE on your worksite.
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