General Risk Assessment for Climbing, Bouldering and Abseiling

General Risk Assessment for Climbing, Bouldering and Abseiling Activity: Climbing, Abseil and Bouldering Activity Session What are the hazards? Who at risk? What are the risks? Ankle injuries, head injuries and back injuries and fractures from falls during either climbing / abseiling or bouldering. Participants at height Uneven ground Unauthorised use, Malicious damage and vandalism Accessing and setting up, de-rigging Items falling from height on to participants / instructors Equipment failure Adverse weather including lightning / high winds and storms. Loose fittings on tower Staff, participants and members of the public. Existing safety measures/controls All equipment is checked before use and regular inspections carried out by climbing and ropes course instructors Equipment is replaced with the manufacturers recommendations Any equipment that is questionable is immediately taken out of action, put into the second opinion bin located in the ropes course shed and then the Senior Instructor is informed The tower is checked every morning before use, checking for malicious damage and vandalism/storm damage There is a minimum requirement of two instructors to be present during session set up and take down Access is via internal ladders. The instructor will ensure that every person on top of the tower has a safety lanyard attached to the tower and their harness. The gate will only be opened at the top when required. Instructors are trained in every aspect of the session, from set up to delivery as well as maintenance and inspections. Monitoring regularly by senior staff Soft ground covering around the base of the tower and bouldering walls. Anyone within the tower compound must be wearing a helmet except when they are under a shelter or a clearly defined safe zone. Bouldering is briefed by the instructor prior to starting. Participant s feet must stay below 1m from the ground. Participants are generally able to continue to boulder Likelihood Risk rating

Items falling on to heads causing impact injuries - from the top of the climbing tower or from adjacent trees Adverse weather conditions causing injury / illness such as lightning causing electrocution, wind and rain causing hypothermia following a briefing but must be supervised by a responsible adult willing to supervise and enforce the rules. Suitable fences and lockable gates around the perimeter of the tower. The gate is locked when the area is not in use. Open access to the Cafe Bouldering wallbut clear signage displayed. Internally accessing the tower is prevented with a lockable door. This is kept locked when not in use. The equipment shed is locked and alarmed at the end of the day. Participant s bouldering are encouraged to step down before they fall off the bouldering wall. Participants bouldering should be spotted Warning signs on the fence about unauthorised access All equipment is stored in the Ropes shed at the end of each day All instructors will have been trained, assessed and deemed competent to run sessions and will operate as per their training. Instructors will be observed periodically to ensure they are operating to procedures. This is recorded on Papertrail. Everyone within the tower compound is required to wear helmets- unless in designated safe area. Participants are asked to remove loose items from their pockets. Dead wooding is carried out on an annual basis There are annual inspections by the manufacturers or a competent person. Instructors set up and sign to say they have checked the tower before the first session takes place each day. They will ensure there are no loose items at the top of the climbing tower. Sessions cancelled in Force 7 and stronger winds (There is an anemometer available to check the wind strength- located in the Activities office and a weather station on top of the main house) Sessions stopped in lightning storms for 20 minutes. Guests are recommended to wear appropriate clothing, carry water and sun cream.

and very hot days causing hyperthermia. Harnesses / systems failing due to poor fitting There is shelter available for both rain and sun. In the event that the weather conditions get too much for groups/individuals, the sessions can be cancelled / postponed and the group sent off to get dry/ warm up or cool down. Water is available free of charge from drinking fountains and standpipes around the grounds. Instructors can stop a session if they feel the weather conditions are unsuitable and safety might be compromised. Instructors training and assessment covers correct fitting of equipment Staff are monitored and feedback is recorded and passed onto them A complete system check takes place prior to all accents/descents Instructors will double check equipment and that all active participant are ready before anyone leaves the floor. Reference to other manuals assessments: Avon Tyrrell reference and training folder UK Youth Health and Safety policy Avon Tyrrell - Climbing and Abseiling Training Syllabus When was the assessment reviewed and by whom? November 2017 Chief Instructor Date of next review and to be done by whom? November 2018 Chief Instructor

Abseil Risk Assessment Activity: Abseil Activity Session What are the hazards? Who is at risk? What are the risks? Slipping and falling from interior ladders. Falling from the top of the tower. Falls from interior ladders Entrapment hair/clothes/fingers in fig 8 Rope burns to hands Falling from the top of the tower Scraping body on descent Staff, participants and members of the public. Existing safety measures/controls Likelihood Risk rating All participants under 18 must be monitored as they climb up the ladders on the inside of the climbing tower. This can be done by the instructor or a responsible group leader. All participants climb to the top of a ladder and wait on the next platform until all participants are there as well as the instructor before moving up the next ladder. On the final ladder the instructor will ascend first in order to clip participants in to the safety lanyard as soon as they reach the top platform. The participants safety lanyard is short enough to prevent them falling down the access hatch The instructors safety line is short enough to prevent them from falling over the edge of the tower when the abseil gate is open There are electric lights inside the climbing tower. Surrounding the abseil platform is a permanent barrier with lockable gates. All gates are kept closed with the exception of the gate that participants need to go through to abseil. When abseiling, participants are tied in to the safety rope, and the instructor has full control before they are taken off the safety lanyard. Before stepping through the gate, all equipment, ropes and knots are thoroughly checked. Instructors are secured with their own independent safety lanyard. The abseil is to be set up as per their training

Entrapment of fingers/clothes/ hair in the figure of 8 on descent of the tower. Scraping body on descent Rope burns Participants descending to quickly, hitting the floor resulting in impact injuries Unauthorised use of the tower during abseil sessions The system is explained to participants before they start their abseil and they are told to keep their hands away from the figure of 8. Hair should be tied back or bunched under the helmet to avoid it coming loose and getting tangled in the system. Lose clothing should be removed or secured beforehand. If there is a case, of entanglement all instructors are trained in rescue procedures and the abseil is releasable. Instructors brief participants on proper abseil position ensuring that feet have contact with the wall but not the rest of the body. Instructors coaching throughout and in constant verbal contact. The instructor monitors the speed of descent and will slow down the descent if participant is going too quickly using the safety rope. Participants briefed how to use the Figure of 8 Device, including keeping a steady speed. A safety line will be attached to the participant and if necessary the instructor will control their descent Proper instruction and explanation will be given to the participant Instructors externally assessed for their competence no entry area marked at the base of the tower in the landing zone All bouldering activity to be undertaken under instructor s supervision or with direct supervision from a responsible group leader to ensure rules are enforced. The Instructor on the ground must be aware of participant numbers, carry out random head counts and be aware of where each member of the group is at all times. Group leaders are required to assist in group supervision while on abseiling sessions and will be asked to do so at the start of each session. The access door to the tower will be locked and the key will be with a trusted person- or in the Ropes Shed.

Reference to other manuals assessments: Avon Tyrrell reference and training folder UK Youth Health and Safety policy Avon Tyrrell - Climbing and Abseiling Training Syllabus When was the assessment reviewed and by whom? November 2017 Chief Instructor Date of next review and to be done by whom? November 2018 Chief Instructor

Climbing and Bouldering Risk Assessment Activity: Climbing and Bouldering Activity Session What are the hazards? Climbing holds coming loose Trapping fingers in holds or bolt hangars Scraping body on descent Bouldering wall Falling from height Who is at risk? What are the risks? Staff, participants and members of the public Existing safety measures/controls Likelihood Risk rating Climbing holds coming loose leading to falls by participants or injuries to the people below. Trapping fingers in holds or bolt hangers causing entrapment, dismemberment or crush injuries. During the descent, the participant can scrape themselves on the wall or on climbing holds. Slipping and falling from the bouldering wall resulting in injury All holds are regularly inspected and if any start to come loose during sessions, this is noted and they are tightened up at the earliest opportunity. Participants are always attached to safety systems, so that if a hold comes loose they will be supported in their harness. There will be good communication with the instructor on session. All participants wear helmets and nobody is directly beneath a climber, therefore should not be hit by a falling hold. Warnings are given to participants- told not to use the bolt hangers as climbing holds This is monitored by instructors to ensure that these instructions are adhered to. All holds are monitored and regularly checked to ensure there are no sharp edges. Loose items of jewellery, rings and clothing should be removed. Participants are lowered under the control of qualified instructors. Participants are briefed on good body positioning for descents. If a participant has difficulty, their descent is slowed or stopped until they are in the correct position again. Participants are told to keep their feet below 1m above the ground (thus ensuring they are unable to climb on top, or over the wall)

Falling from height due to improper use of Gri Gri / belay device Climbing grips are set out so there is a big gap between hand and foot holds reducing the temptation to move their feet above the 1M line Participant are briefed to step off the wall if they feel like they re going to fall Participants will be supervised by an instructor or a responsible group leader that is prepared to enforce the rules and directly supervise the participant s bouldering. The instructor must feel confident that the leader will supervise the participants and the instructor will check on the bouldering throughout the session. If it is the group leader doing the supervising, only the stand-alone Bouldering Wall can be used (not the bottom of the climbing tower. Loose items of jewellery and clothing should be removed/secured, long hair tied back and items from pockets taken out. Rings should be removed. Appropriate footwear should be worn, open toed or loose fitting shoes are not allowed Gri Gri used as illustrated in the most current operation manual from Petzl Gri Gri operation must be under the control of the instructor: o One hand on the inactive rope and ready to arrest a fall by pulling on the rope or o Back up knots tied regularly Instructor must have a hand on the inactive rope during any lower offs. Before any descent, the instructor must ensure the participants full weight is loaded on to the rope. If wet conditions, a Belay Plate can be used but this is not suitable for Bell Pull. Belay Plates can be used by participants on skill based courses/training. Instructors must be in full control for descents (same as Gri Gri) and should be used as taught.