RAMS - Abseiling

Potential Risks (the things that could go wrong)

  1. Head/neck/spinal injury
  2. Break/sprain
  3. Death
  4. Medical emergency
  5. Loss of self-esteem/confidence
  6. Lost students
  7. Hypothermia

Causal Factors

Management Strategies

Hazards caused by people

Risks not known

Instructions not followed

Personal medical conditions/special needs

Students too far out of their comfort zone

Lack of skill - instructors/teachers

Students leaving abseiling area/wandering off

Silly behaviour

Incorrect abseil technique

Not paying attention

Straying from the track

Moving too close to the cliff unprotected

Hazards caused by equipment

Damaged rope

Inappropriate footwear

Lack of toilet paper/sanitiser

Insufficient safety gear

Damaged hardware

Clothing not suitable


Hazards caused by the environment

Rain

Cold weather

Loose rocks

Bee/wasp/insect stings/bites

Dirt floor contaminating rope

Weather bomb or extreme weather

Hazard management strategies

Brief students on risks

Students to follow all instructions

Medical information obtained and understood by trip leader. Students to have their medications on hand

Encourage challenge by choice

Instructors/teachers to have sufficient knowledge, skills, and experience to lead the trip

Clear boundaries set out at the abseiling area

Explain expected behaviours

Teach students correct technique at school, reinforce at the site

Remind students about the dangers and the need to focus on what they are doing

Stick to defined tracks

Stay well away from the cliff until clipped onto a safety line


Hazard management strategies

Check all ropes prior to trip, teach students how to check ropes

Everyone to wear climbing shoes supplied by the school

Bring hygiene supplies

Students issued with helmets before departing school

Hardware checked prior to use

Issue students with a gear list


Hazard management strategies

Bring appropriate wet weather gear

Bring suitable clothing

Check cliff for loose rocks before climbing, wear helmets

Bring appropriate medication

Use tarps to put ropes on

Postpone trip

Emergency Protocols (if management strategies fail and an incident happens)

Risk

1. Neck/spinal injury

2. Break/sprain

3. Death

4.. Medical emergency


5. Loss of confidence

6. Lost students


7. Hypothermia

Procedures to deal with emergency

Stabilise patient, call for an ambulance, apply first aid

Stabilise effected area, call for an ambulance, apply first aid

Cover body, remove students from area, contact school and emergency services

Give medication, call for an ambulance

Coach and support student, remind them about "challenge by choice" to empower them

Student to stay where they are and call for help, activity lead to assess situation and take actions to

find the student; whistle blasts, call out, send for help, notify police/search and rescue

Remove student from cold environment (bothy bag), feed them, evacuate to the van

Emergency gear required

Cell phone

First aid kit, cell phone

Nil

Personal medications, antihistamines,

adrenaline

Nil

Cell phone, whistle


Tarpaulin