RAMS - Abseiling
Potential Risks (the things that could go wrong)
- Head/neck/spinal injury
- Break/sprain
- Death
- Medical emergency
- Loss of self-esteem/confidence
- Lost students
- 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