My sentiments exactly! How OSHA allows that free climb amazes me. Regardless of the climbers experience shit happens. Any slip ,hand foot bird crap dew gust of wind etc etc etc he's gone! There is no second chance!
Takes to much time to use some type of safety tether? I'll tell you what he'd be dead a lot longer then the climb with a safety rope.
They could have had rings welded or even a permanent cable with a sliding catch like cliff or rock climbers use. Sounds simple enough to me.
x2 they deff could have planned better for having to service those.