RISK ASSESSMENT Outdoor Climbing Wall

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1 GENERIC X SITE SPECIFIC OTHER DATE OF ISSUE 1 st September 2016 REVIEW DATE 31 st August 2017 VERSION 1.0 NO OF PAGES 6 PRODUCED BY Danny Griffith AUTHORISED BY: Andy Howard DEFINITION: Rock Climbing is defined as the sport or activity of climbing mountains or cliffs TECHNICAL ADVICE: Danny Griffith Dannywg1@googl .com SUPERVISION RATIOS: 1 Lead instructor to 10 students or 16 with assistant instructor QUALIFICATIONS: Lead instructor must hold SPA with internal familiarization. The Lead instructor must ensure the assistant is competent in belaying and procedures of climbing. 1

2 What are the Hazards? Staff Competency Incident / injury occurring due to staff decisions/ actions. Who might What control measures are already in place? be harmed All All instructors delivering Ground Belay Activities must be NGB qualified (SPA or higher) and have completed the Myddelton College climbing induction. All instructors must have their first session observed. As per observation standard. What further action needs to be taken to control risk? All instructors are required to maintain their skill level and keep and up to date log book / DLog. All instructors will be subject to on-going session observations by more senior staff All instructors will have an annual review of their performance and to insure they are aware of all updates to risk assessments, policies & procedures and accident records. Existing injuries / medical conditions or behavioural issues Weather Inability to belay competently due to excessive heat, cold, rain, sunlight Participants Group medical information must be checked by the delivering instructors prior to the activity commencing. The instructors per session brief should include asking groups if they have, or have had, any injuries / medical conditions. Detailed weather reports to be checked before leaving Myddelton College. Incorrect Rigging / setup Only using experienced NGB instructors Site specific risk assessments. Anchor failing All Instructors to use experience to select appropriate anchors. Minimum of two Bombproof anchors to be used. Act upon this information accordingly Instructors and participants shall wear appropriate clothing for the prevailing weather conditions i.e. sunglasses, gloves, thermals or waterproofs where appropriate. Each NGB instructor must check their rigging is correct and in line with the systems they have been trained and assessed to use. 2

3 Incorrect Belay Setup Participants Only using experienced NGB instructors Site specific risk assessments. Each Instructor must check their belay setup is correct and in line with the system they have been trained and assessed to use. The second instructor must see this check and be able to confirm a check was carried out. Poor Group Control / management Participants Only using experienced NGB instructors The instructor must o Brief the group on the location of the safety area o Set boundaries for the group o Focus on the active participants they are the primary concern. Incorrectly fitted equipment All Having a range of equipment that is adjustable To enable the instructor to concentrate on the active participant they must ask the visiting member of staff to assist in the supervision of the group whilst waiting for their go. Instructor must brief the group on how to fit their helmets and harness. Instructor must brief the group to not play with the equipment after it has been fitted An instructor must check both the belayer and climber for correctly fitted harness everytime, before the climber is allowed to climb. Unsecure attachment to safety rope Participants Only using experienced NGB instructors Only a re-threaded fig8 with a stopper knot should be used to attach climbers. Students should be briefed to buddy check. An instructor should check the buddy check has happened and re check the knot, every time, before the climber is allowed to climb 3

4 Impact with ground or other obstacle / fall from height Participants All novice groups to have suitable supervision by an NGB instructor. Group management Helmets fitted Briefing and supervision by instructor First aid kit to be carried Belay correctly as trained and keep the rope snug to the climber whilst they are close to the floor. Only lower the participant at an appropriate speed. This should be slow and controlled. It is the lead instructor s responsibility to decided if and when students are capable and responsible enough to belay and/or lower a climber without a physical backup. If you are peer belaying ensure you are supervising and maintaining control of the group and the safety of the climber and are in a position to intervene immediately with ropes you are supervising. Entrapment All Brief and check the participant has tucked away and secured any loose or baggy clothing. Brief and check the participant has removed any large or dangly jewellery. Brief and check the participant has tied back / secured long hair The instructor must check themselves for the above as well Objects falling from height All Helmets to be warn at all times (Unless in safety area designated by lead NGB instructor). Brief to cover Below Call Helmets to be worn by participants and instructors. Instructor should be vigilince that group keep their helmets on and no one enters the safety area without a helmet 4

5 Suspension injuries / Stuck Climber / refusal to lower Participant Due to the nature of the climbing wall and the way Myddelton College operate a genuinely physically stuck climber is extremely unlikely. Should such a situation occur: REFUSAL o To minimize the chance of a refusal to lower the instructor should approach the session in a progressive manner and consider practice lower offs near the ground. o Select appropriate routes for the group in question. o Use friends, teachers or another instructor to climb (belayed) to the climber to talk them down. STUCK / SUSPENDED o Belayer to take as much weight as possible on the rope and attempt to talk the climber out of the situation. If above does not work then assistance should be sought via the second instructor. (each centre must ensure adequate communication is available to attain assistance, this could be via phone radio or having other instructors programmed nearby) When assistance arrives a suitable person should be belayed by a qualified instructor as trained to the participant to offer assistance and free them from their position. Muscular / tendon injury Participant Full and appropriate warm up before all sessions Full and appropriate cool down after all sessions Teaching students not to close crimp Limiting the number of attempts students have on crimpy routes No training or small muscle groups (Fingers etc) 5

6 General public All Group management by instructor 6