Safety and Management Considerations
This page outlines Safety and Mangement practises that will help ensure a safe, enjoyable, and well managed cimbing unit.
Safety Expectations
Students should always climb supervised. This might mean an adult supervisor at all times or designated intermediate peers who have been trained in all safety expectations and procedres.
Students should always climb with a spotter.
"Challenge by Choice" ensures that no student is asked to do more than they personally feel comfortable to. It also encourages goal setting and responsiblity.
Climbers should not climb above the designated height. This can be marked with tape and can vary depending on the age and competence of the students. It can also be adjusted as students become more skilled and responsible.
Permission forms and waivers will be necessary for all students to climb. These forms should be present when students are climbing.
Students should not walk underneath other climbers as they are climbing.
Ensure students do not crowd eachother on the wall by designating how many students can be on the wal and instructing students not to crowd each other as they climb.
HANGING UPSIDE DOWN IS NOT RECOMMENDED ON THE WALL! There are some activities in student's climbing literature that encourage students to hang on the wall with their feet above their heads. We DO NOT recommend this. If a students feet fall forward they will push the students arms off the wall and the student is likely to land on their head. Feet should ALWAYS be below the studnets head on the traverse wall.
Shoes should be worn at all times. Climbing walls are abrasive which is a safety concern as well as a sanitary concern.
The area around the wall should be an enthusiastic but relatively quiet and calm area. Students will be exerting themselves mentally which effects their physical success, a supportive but calm atmosphere will help students to focus and manage their own safety.
Clothing and Footwear
All jewelerry and accessories should be removed prior to climbing.
Soft, sticky tennis shoes are ideal if climbing shoes are not available. Regular runners will work, but students should avoid hard stiff soles and any heel.
*Climbing shoes can be purchased for children from $54.75 - Mad Rock Flash Climbing Shoes
Bulk orders may also be available. * 8 pairs of shoes would be sufficient since only a handful of students can climb at a time on a Traverse Wall
Loose comfortable clothing that allows full range of motion
Spotting and Communication
It is important that the teacher builds trust between students and climbing partners. It is also important that the teacher trusts their students to spot and manage their own safety. This can be done through the various spotting activities outlined in the Task Progression. Additional off-the-wall trust activities are recommended to help build a strong group dynamic. It is the responsibiity of the teacher to determine when and if students are ready to spot one another and manage their own safety.
Communication is essential to climbing. Before a climber can mount the wall they must communicate to their spotter that they are doing so. We suggest the climber says, "Climbing," with the spotter confirming with, "Climb on." If the spotter does not respond the climber must wait until they do so. They climb is prohibited from mounting the wall with out communicating "climbing," and recieving the appropriate response.
Other language can be agreed upon with the class depedning on your classes langauage needs, so long as it is explicity outline and practised.