RAMS - Caving
RAMS - Caving
Death – drowning
Hypothermia and or fatigue
Loss of self esteem/confidence
Break/sprain
Damage to environment
Medical emergency
Lost
Hazards caused by people
Risks not known
Instructions not followed
Inability to swim
Poor instruction/group management
Preexisting medical condition
Phobias of small spaces/anxious participant
Tied, wet and cold
Hazards caused by equipment
Inadequate safety equipment
Clothing not fit for purpose
Students lack of respect or understanding of
importance of gear
Lack of first aid
Hazards caused by the environment
Heavy rain/deep water/Caves prone to flooding
Poor Cell phone coverage
Dark/wet/cold/small spaces
Uneven/Rocky /steep/slippery surfaces
Fragile formations
Eels, cave weta, koura (fresh water crayfish) living in
caves
No toilets at cave site
Hazard management strategies
Brief students on risks
Students to follow all instructions
Ensure that all students are competent swimmers, put non swimmers near trip leaders
Communication systems to be established before entering the cave with a leader and tail end Charlie being
identified and the understanding that we are to always stay together
Time allowed for brief and debrief
Pre trip medical form to be completed by each participant and any medical conditions to be made know to
instructors by head teacher prior to entering the cave. Personal medications to be taken
Challenge by choice philosophy, allow students to choose which passageways they would like to go through
Brief participants on what they are about to experience before they enter the cave and give them the opportunity
to disclose any fears/issues before entering the cave so that the leaders can better support them
Give participants time to a just to the darkness when they first enter
Instructors to set an achievable walking/crawling pace for the level of groups fitness
Instructors to carry spare warm clothing
Hazard management strategies
All students issued with helmets, waterproof lights, caving overalls, & caving gumboots
Remind students to bring a warm clothing, not to wear any cotton
Educate students on correct use of equipment. All students to be fitted with helmet and head lamp and briefed
to wear it at all times when inside the cave
Instructor to check first aid kits are replenished and packed prior to trip
Hazard management strategies
Instructor to check weather leading up to trip and check water levels before trip, if there has been rain.
Postpone trip if water levels may be too high.
Activity leader to be aware of areas where cell phone coverage can be established
Participants’ to be briefed on what they are going into. Issued with lights. Students bring thermal wear.
Brief to include the need to take your time, only walking in the caves and letting each other know where the
ground is uneven, unstable or slippery
Before entering the cave brief the participants why and how we respect the cave environment
Brief students of all the creatures found in caves and talk about it before entering
Notify students that there is no toilet on site prior to leaving school so that they can best plan/take care of business
Risk
1. Hypothermia and or
fatigue
Loss of self
esteem/confidence
Break/sprain
Damage to
environment
Medical emergency
Lost
Procedures to deal with emergency
Group to stop and instructor to put extra thermal clothing on casualty, if needed get group to
gather around casualty in a huddle to warm up. Access patients' abilities and proceed to exist
keeping out of water as much as possible
Take time to stop and debrief the group and individual, comfort
and assess. Once the group has finished trip make sure head teacher is aware of the situation and
that it is followed up
Stop group and apply first aid. Assess the ability of the injured person and where possible continue
as a group. If the injured person cannot continue and the group is unable to assist them out of the
cave, if possible get them out of water, keep warm and send one instructor to get help
Assess the damage and make sure the group understands any effect this
will have to their safety and/or the long term effects this will have on other groups coming through.
If the damage is a safety issue notify Whangarei District Council asap
Apply first aid. Call for help.
Established who is lost:-
1. You as a whole group = try to establish where you have gone wrong and correct it, follow the
stream to the exit.
2. Individual = establish who is lost and when they were last seen. Stay as group and back track to
the last point where they were seen. If you are unable to locate the lost person, instructors to take
rest of group out of cave and raise the alarm to get assistance from search and rescue
Emergency gear required
Thermals, emergency blanket
Nil
First aid kit
Phone, Whangarei District Council
Ph: 430 4200
Personal medications, antihistamines,
adrenaline
Map, phone, whistle