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Construction - Design - Inspection - Maintenance - Training

info@tpsafety.com             0044(0)7710124553

'Pi' Linear High Ropes Course

Ropes Course Useful Information - Under Construction!! - 23.9.08

The information on this page serves two purposes.

Firstly it is intended to be used a reference point for those new to  the Adventure Constructions.

Secondly it is here to help T&P with complying with BS EN 15567.  This standard requires us to provide our Adventure Construction customers with operating procedures/inspection manuals for their equipment. To save us from producing reams of paper, customers can print directly from this page. When we upgrade information this can be selectively printed - which helps save time, money and paper - not to mention our overheads/office time - keeping us competitive and efficient!

Please use the links below to view our Adventure Construction information.

Generic Adventure Construction Risk Assessments

Daily - Monthly Inspection Procedures

Adventure Construction Operating Procedure - Jacob's Ladder

Working at Height

On-line Information - Useful Websites

Other Risk Assessments

WARNING: We do our best to ensure that the information on this page is up to date and accurate.

However DO NOT take anything as completely definitive - we ask other Adventure Construction professionals and technical advisors to check that what we are saying is correct, and  seek advice/information from many other sources.

But just like anything else it's not perfect - so we regard this page as a working document - meaning it's regularly reviewed and updated it as we learn more - or are given new advice.

Inevitably someone you know will tell you we're talking rubbish, or we haven't covered this or that. If this is the case please do contact us- or ask them to - the more feedback we get the better this information page will be - meaning it will be better for everybody!

Generic Adventure Construction Risk Assessments

Risk Assessments - or the words 'risk assessment' - have become standard fare for all of us over the last 10 - 15 years. There are many types of risk assessment ranging from looking both ways when crossing a road to a  full and formal risk assessment will involve the identifying the hazard, risk, likelihood, consequence and control.

The tables below are specific and generic to Adventure Constructions. They are based on a hazard - risk - control model.

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Daily - Monthly Inspection Procedures

Your Adventure Construction is formally handed over initially when it is built and then annually after external inspection. At this point it will be in condition to be used for a year. It is then the job of the centre to inspect it prior to each usage, monthly - and make a record of these inspections -  and organise the annual external inspection.

At the handover someone from the Management Team as well as the person in charge and inspecting instructor/facilitators should be present. The constructor/external inspector should run through all aspects of daily/monthly inspections.

Once this has been done the daily inspections are basically looking for signs of change.

The monthly inspections are looking and feeling for signs of change, wear, movement and deterioration and checking with the aid of simple hand tools the tightness of connections.

Important aspects of inspection  are

• Carried out by the same people - not person - meaning that they will develop a 'feel' for the construction and will quickly notice changes.

• The results are recorded - leaving an information trail

• If in any doubt immediately call the construction company

The tables below is an example of what needs to be inspected and what to look for. (NB these tables are written for T&P Adventure Constructions)

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Adventure Construction Operating Procedure - Jacob's Ladder

Operating Procedures are simply an written statement as to how things in a business/centre/session will be run. They can be as simple as 'Employ suitably qualified staff' to complicated large volumes detailing every aspect of every operation in precise detail. Both methods will hopefully achieve the same result - the professionally safe   delivery of a product.

Most of us want to keep things as simple as possible - the following is a very basic model of how to begin:

• Decide exactly what activities you are going to run

• Perform a risk assessment for all aspects of all activities

• Decide what you need to do, from your risk assessment, to minimise the possibility of people getting hurt.

• Write down what you are going to do and how you are going to do it - these notes will form the foundation of your operating procedures.

• Look at all the 'associated' requirements to run your activates - recruitment, training and reviewing

• Get a professional person/organisation to validate that what you are doing adheres to 'current best practice'

Probably the most useful thing that you can do before you embark on anything is to go to the Adventurous Activity Licensing Service website (link at bottom of page) and do some extensive reading.

Below is an example of an Operating Procedure for a Jacobs Ladder. It assumes that -

•  Instructors/Facilitators will have gone through a recruitment process which involves references and CRB check

• Instructors/Facilitators will have gone through a training course which covers as a minimum Centre Health and Safety Policy, Centre Operating Procedures, Centre Risk Assessments, Child Protection, running sessions etc - if they have not done this they will have proven experience which shows this training is not required

• Instructors/Facilitators have the knowledge to correctly fit PPE and inspect PPE prior to use.

• Instructor/Facilitators have completed a training course specific to Jacob's Ladders

• Instructors/Facilitators are aware of how to control a group.

• Instructors/Facilitators are briefed on weather conditions.

• Instructors/Facilitators will be first aid trained and will be informed of any specific participant’s medical needs.

• Instructors/Facilitators will be trained on how to complete a basic daily pre use inspection.

Basic Operating Procedure for 4 Person Jacob's Ladder

Qualifications:

Technical Advisor:  MIA or above with proven High Ropes Course experience

In Charge at Centre:  SPA with proven High Ropes Course experience or Technical Advisor approved

Instructors:  Technical Advisor approved

Ratios:

Every session should always be overseen by a supervisor, who is always at/near the ladder whilst the session is running.

Plus 1 instructor/facilitator to every 12 participants with a minimum of 2 instructor/facilitators per session

A Maximum of 4 participants climbing on the ladder at one time.

Management Responsibilities

1.     Jacob's Ladders not be used in electrical storms or very strong winds. Management will advise staff accordingly on the day.

2.     The Jacob's Ladders should be inspected by an ‘external’ inspector at the start of the second year of the ladder's life and yearly thereafter.

3.     The Jacob's Ladders should be inspected fortnightly by the person in charge of the Activity in accordance with the High Ropes Inspection Manual.

4.     All high ropes ‘climbing’ equipment should be ‘marked’ and an accurate record will be kept in the centre’s equipment testing records.

5.     Only U.I.A.A / C.E.  Approved equipment should be used.

6.     All equipment should be used in accordance with manufactures’ guidelines.

7.     The Jacob's Ladder (T&P type) should not be used by persons weighing more than 100kgs.

Instructor/Facilitator Responsibilities

1.     A visual inspection should be made, before the start of each session, of the following:

• Lines, helmets, harnesses, karabiners, belay devices, slings etc to make sure that there are no signs of excessive wear and tear

• All aspects of the high ropes course as per the visual aspects found in the High Ropes Inspection Manual 

2.     All instructors going aloft on the course should adhere to Working at Height Regulations.

3.     A safety brief/demonstration should be given to all participants before going onto the course to include the following:

·         How to put on the body harnesses

·         How to climb ladders, poles and elements

·         How to put on a helmet

·         When/if participants fall/jump off an element they should watch out for other participants/elements and be prepared extend their arms/legs to ward off/cushion impacts

·         Not to grab lines for any reason

·         Not to hold on the elements of the course if they cannot support their own weight

4.     All participants should be instructed to put on helmets as they enter the ‘area’ of the high ropes course, and not remove them until exiting the ‘area’.

5.     All those going aloft should be directly belayed ‘into’ the ground anchor which should always be backed up with an instructor/participant ‘in’ the system

6.     All lowering of participants from elements should be performed/supervised by instructors. Belay devices should always be used according to manufactures guidelines.

7.     Personal clothing must provide protection from the harness.

8.     Instructors should take to the course:

• First Aid Kit

• Appropriate Fluids

• Participant Names list

• Emergency Contact List

9.   Instructors should check the helmet, harness and figure of eight knot attachment to the harness before each participant ascends any element.

10.   Participants will never be forced to do something they do not want to.  All should be encouraged to do their best and no more.  Participants who do not like heights can be asked to climb as high as they can manage to improve their confidence.

11.   If participants ‘freeze’ whilst on an elements they should be talked down.  If this is not possible the second instructor should climb up to assist, and they should descend in the following manner:

·         Both instructor and frightened participant must always be lowered down by the instructor on the ground.

·         The instructor on the ground can move between the participants’ and instructors’ belayers.

·         The rescue instructor should be given enough slack to descend to the 'rung' below the frightened participant

·         The frightened participant will then be allowed to climb down to the rescue instructor.

·         This process will continue until they both reach the ground, the line of the person not descending being tied off.

12.   When participants are belaying each other instructors/facilitator must ensure that:

·         Participants will use 5 point belaying system

·         Participants will have back up belayers to hold and control the ‘tail’ of the line on the ‘dead’ side of the belay system.

·         When participants who are belaying are ‘left’ with a person aloft the dead line will be tied off.

·         Particular care must be taken when the instructor/facilitator takes over the belaying/lowering role from the participant that the dead side of the line remains firmly gripped at all times

13.   Anyone who is aloft should have their ground anchor belay point backed up by a participant clipped into the belay system. This will generally be done by the use of an adjustable sling allowing the belay device karabiner to connect to the participants harness belay loop at waist height. This sling will need to be adjusted to take into account the different heights of belaying participants

14.   All karabiner screw gates used in the belaying system should be gravity positioned so that the screw device, on the keeper, is closed in a downwards direction.

15.   When belaying instructors will take the following into consideration:

• All possible slack in the line will be taken up at all times

• Participants will always be lowered in a slow and controlled manner

• New lines are much smoother than those that have been worn in, so extra care must be taken until lines have been worn in.

• Wet lines swell and do not run smoothly through belay devices, extra care should be taken

• Before participants go aloft instructors should check that lines from the shear reduction blocks are not twisted around them selves

16.   In the extremely unlikely event that instructors become trapped/unconscious at height then the second instructor must ascend and try to help the trapped/unconscious instructor.  If they cannot sort out the problem in a safe manner then the emergency services should be called.  The second instructor must stay aloft to ensure that the trapped instructor’s airway remains open till the emergency services arrive.

17.     The course should be left secured against casual access when not in use. 

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On-line Information - Useful Websites

Please use the links below to access huge amounts of useful information!

Adventurous Activity Licensing Scheme - 029 2075 5715

http://www.aals.org.uk/index.php

Probably the best place to start any search for information regarding Adventure Activities. Although they do not, at present, cover Adventure Constructions it is very easy to read what they do cover and transfer the information to Adventure Constructions.

Health and Safety Executive - 0845 345 0055

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf

This file is an excellent place to start for those who do not have experience of risk assessments.

Institute of Occupational Safety and Health - 0116 257 3165

http://www.iosh.co.uk/index.cfm?go=courses.managingSafely

Excellent starter course in risk assessment.

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