Tumblehome and Prussik Ltd

There are several standards around at present which can be applied to adventure constructions. If your not a construction company, or haven't had the time to read through all of them, it's hard to know what applies to what!

We have set out below some précis to the currently most used standards in the UK. These précis are intended to be quick reference guide and nothing more.

NB!

Anyone can say that their construction complies to a standard in a very convincing way. That does not mean that it actually does!

ERCA is currently moving towards a system of accrediting companies that comply to the standards. If you have any doubts about what you are being told - including what is written on this website - please contact the UK ERCA representatives and ask them! They can be found on the ERCA website.

EN 15567 - Part 1

Full Title: EN 15567 Sports and recreational facilities - ropes courses - Part 1: Construction and safety requirements

No of Pages: 27

Description: The latest standard for ropes courses, both mobile and fixed. Still provisional - due to be available June 2008. (source BSI) Full of references, nomenclature, standards for materials, design requirements, safety requirements, descriptions of systems with guidelines for testing/verification and handover procedures/documentation.

Points of Interest:

Belay systems should be tested to 6 kN (611 kgs) without deformation with a safety factor of 3,0
Contains a very comprehensive list of procedures that construction companies must adhere to before handover
Contains a very comprehensive list of paperwork that construction companies must present to the customer
Contains a very comprehensive list of all markings that must be placed on the course
In order to comply - at present - the course must be inspected by a Class A type inspector. This means someone who is fully independent, who does not build or maintain ropes courses. ERCA is looking to provide this accreditation and is working on the standards currently

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EN 15567 - Part 2

Full Title: EN 15567 Sports and recreational facilities - ropes courses - Part 2: Operation requirements

No of Pages:

Description: The latest standard for ropes courses, both mobile and fixed. Still provisional - due to be available June 2008. (source BSI)

Points of Interest:

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EN 12572

Full title: BS EN 12575: 1999 Artificial climbing structures - Protection points, stability requirements and test methods

No of Pages: 11

Description: A short and easy to understand standard it lays outs, with the aid of diagrams and calculations, the design and test requirements to apply to an ACS (Artificial Climbing Structure)

Points of Interest:

This standard is primarily for climbing walls
The structure itself should be designed to be stable - meaning that it's no use having bomber anchors if the ACS is likely to fall over! So if you have a climbing tower you should have the engineers calculations which show that it conforms to the standard? Although this paperwork is not a requirement of the standard
All off ground belay/anchor points should be load tested to to 8 kN (815.77 kilos, 2185.64 pounds to be precise!)
All ground anchors should be tested to 4 kN (407 kilos)
There should be a plate or notice on the ACS stating amongst other things: name of manufacturer, date of installation, date of test, how many routes, how many routes can be used at the same time, max no's on the ACS
You should have been given a manual which: explains all the information on the marking plate and shows the position and type of the protection points on the ACS
If you have no manual, no plate it doesn't fully comply.
Any company worth their salt should give you the engineers calculations and design drawings.
You should have some evidence of the date and type of testing.

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European Ropes Course Association

Full title: Professional Standards for Mobile and Permanent Ropes Courses

No of Pages: Lots!

Description: ERCA have a very comprehensive set of standards which cover the following:

Code of Professional Conduct
Operational Standards
Installation Standards for Mobile Courses
Installation Standards for permanent Ropes Courses
Technical Inspection Standards
Training Standards

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Adventurous Activity Licensing Authority

Although not strictly speaking a Standard, AALA have produced a comprehensive Collective Interpretation for Ropes Courses which covers:

Ropes Courses and adventure activities licensing
Scope and range of activities
The risks
Construction and maintenance
Operation and Supervision
Cow tails and the 'multiple unclipping' problem

They can be found at this link:

http://www.aals.org.uk/guidance_details.php/pArticleHeadingID=78

We are informed that these interpretations are due to be revised in the next few months.

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Health and Safety Executive

Although not strictly speaking a Standard HSE have produced two information sheets. They are:

1. Supervision of ropes courses

2. Maintenance of ropes courses

1. Supervision of ropes courses covers the following:

Who is responsible for safety
Supervision of Activities
Leader competence
Identification of group competence
Medical conditions and\or disabilities
Group sizes
Briefings
Supervision between activities
Normal operating procedures
Technical advice
First Aid

2. Maintenance of ropes courses covers the following:

Who is responsible for Safety
What could go wrong
FAQ's
Inspection Regime
References

They can be found at these links:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/etis14.pdf

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/etis15.pdf

We are informed that these sheets are due to be revised in the next few months.

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Tumblehome and Prussik Standards

We try very hard to exceed ALL of the safety standards. Below are two examples of ways in which we exceed them. We apply these principals to all aspects of our adventure constructions

T&P Wire Testing

Every time we use a new type of wire or ferrule we get Certex to do a destruction test on a sample swaging

Test 1 is a destruction test of a 12mm wire termination, without thimble, to assess the Safe Working Load. Generally the SWL (Safe Working Load) is obtained by dividing the breaking load by the particular industry standard figure. Industries vary - for example the offshore oil industry requires a safety factor of 8. Meaning if they want something to lift a ton the test piece must hold 8 tons before it breaks. Given the weather conditions in the North sea this very high requirement is no surprise.

EN 15567, for example, requires a safety factor of 3. The load test figure is 6kN (611 kilos) which is multiplied by 3 to give a required SWL of 1.83 tons. Meaning that it must hold at least 5.49 tons before breaking

EN 12572 requires a load test of 8kN with a minimum breaking load of 20kn ( 2039.43 kilos)

Our 12mm test piece broke at 12.52 tons (11367.02 kilos)

Test 1

Test 2 is a stainless steel wire swaged with a copper ferrule. The stainless steel is necessary for adventure constructions close to the sea to slow down the corrosion process. Copper ferrules are used to prevent the galvanic corrosion that would be caused if an aluminium ferrule was used.

This test piece broke at 10.2 tons. The wire snapped before our swaging moved at all!

Test 2

Test 3 is a wire join. We would never do this ourselves. We found a joint like this on course we were inspecting. So out of curiosity we made one up and had it tested.

It held at 10 tons so technically it is OK however it looks awful!

Test 3

T&P Anchors

There are two main types of anchor. Guy wire anchors and assisted belay (bottom rope) anchors. At one end of the construction market lengths of timber pole and small 'platypus' anchors are used to make these anchors. Neither are easy to inspect, both are cheap, both will fail at inspection sooner rather than later. Then the phrase 'cost of ownership' will rear it's ugly head!

We have taken a decision to install easy to inspect, robust, long lasting, more expensive anchors which conform to adventure construction standards. You get what you pay for!

Guy Wire Anchors

For most adventure constructions guy wire anchors need to rated to 1 ton. This is equal to approximately a cubic meter of concrete. We insert a 25mm bent steel bar - which has been galvanised - into a 1M x 1M x 1.2M hole and then fill it up with FND2 - a sulphate resistant concrete. In the event of a long term problem a 20mm stainless 'through-bolt' can be drilled/placed into the concrete to replace/backup the bar. Inspection is easy. These anchors last for many years.

Anchor Bar

Squatter - removed!

Anchor Complete

Assisted Belay Anchors - Ground Anchors

EN 15567 asks for a test load of 6kN per anchor. This is equal to 611 kilos. With a safety factor of 3 meaning that the system should be capable of holding 1833 kilos.

EN 12575 ( Artificial Climbing Structures) ask for a load test of 4kN on ground belay points.

Our ground anchors weigh 500 kilos each. By the time they have been buried and compacted they will easily withstand either test. They are made in the same way as our guy wire anchors. Easy to inspect, easy to maintain, easy to re-drill in the future. These anchors last for many years.

1x 25 mm steel bar

1 x plastic barrel

1 x 500 kg Concrete

Easy to Inspect

Easy to Maintain

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