Category: Safety
The ABC has recently published the new Operational Guidelines Part 3: Safeguarding. This forms the newest part of the ABC Operational Guidelines, which are produced to support an excellent and consistent level of operational safety across the climbing industry.
In response to member feedback and growing demand within the industry, the ABC has worked with partners including the BMC, Mountaineering Ireland and Mountaineering Scotland to publish this set of guidance, which is informed by relevant legislation and expert organisations such as the NSPCC.
Safeguarding children and adults at risk is a fundamental part of running any climbing wall facility. Getting safeguarding right will enable wider participation and ensure safe access for everyone.
To meet ABC safeguarding standards, all members should follow these guidelines and have the relevant documents and processes in place, examples of which are provided for you within the guidelines and as separate downloads.
You will find all Operational Guidelines within the Member Downloads section of our website.
Your Questions Answered
You are invited to join Dean Straw, ABC Board Safeguarding Lead and members of the ABC team for a Safeguarding Guidance Q&A on 26th June, 10-11.30am (drop in).
We welcome all questions, clarifications and suggestions on the guidance and ways that we can develop it in future iterations. Please send any questions in advance to [email protected].
Autobelay Safety
As you will be aware, the use of auto belay devices has grown in the last few years and accelerated during the pandemic. We have been seeing an increasing number of accidents on auto belay lines which are gaining the attention of H&S and Environmental Health.
We at the ABC, and our partners in the UK and beyond, have seen developing evidence that climbers (often but not exclusively experienced ones) are at risk of not clipping in on auto belays and causing themselves severe injury when they fail to do so.
We have collaborated with a number of key partners both here and in the US to create a consolidated set of new and specific guidelines for auto belay usage which you can download below. We feel it is important that walls roll out these upgraded guidelines as soon as possible.
