Climbing Walls

Climbing walls are becoming more popular with schools who wish to broaden their PE provision

There are a number of schools who have their own climbing walls on their premises, either indoors or outdoors. Generally, they are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled into it.

Manufactured steel and aluminium have also been used. The wall may have places to attach belay ropes but may also be used to practice lead climbing or bouldering.

Health and Safety Law

In line with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the ultimate responsibility for health and safety for any adventurous activity lies with the school or academy. This includes duties to:

• Have a written health and safety policy that is effectively Implemented and regularly reviewed;

• Create a safe environment for working and learning for both staff and pupils; and

• Assess and manage the risk of all activities; and Inform employees of safety measures and provide appropriate training and supervision.

Staff must follow and apply the policies and procedures put in place by the school or academy. Ignoring these may result in the employee becoming individually responsible.

Only competent climbers should be allowed to use the climbing wall. A test for confirming competency should be devised and the results kept on file. Students who are authorised to use the equipment should then undergo a safety induction.

For more information on climbing walls please read:

HANDSAM QUICK GUIDE: PEG08 Climbing Walls

HANDSAM QUICK GUIDE: RAS52 Climbing Walls: Risk Assessment Template

Code of Practice

The Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC) have devised a ten point code of practice which aims to indicate a minimum standard for all climbing walls. The code, which has been approved by the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) states:

• Walls must be fit for purpose;

• Walls and PE equipment must be maintained and inspected;

• All users must be made aware of and accept risks before using the wall;

• The operator must have risk assessments for all activities;

• Only competent users should use roped walls. unsupervised. Novice climbers must be supervised by a competent person;

• Novice boulderers must receive a safety induction or be supervised by a competent person;

• All bouldering walls must have impact surface fit for purpose;

• All work at height including setting, instructing and maintenance of the walls must have emergency procedures and employ safe working practices at all times;

• Instruction must be carried out by an appropriately qualified instructor; and

• Operators must take steps to ensure that the general use of the wall and the points above must be monitored and reviewed regularly.

Rules and Regulations

Whilst all rules and regulations set out by governing bodies of sport must be followed, there are also guidelines for safe practice that should be considered. Rules and regulations should be noted and applied where practical and workable within the context.

In most cases, the policies, procedures and guidance of a school or academy are drawn from reputable national guidance, such as that issued by the Association of Physical Education (afPE). It must be noted that guidance issued by a school or academy must always take precedence over any national guidance.

Staff should ensure that:

• Appropriate risk assessments are conducted to ensure that safe practice requirements are proportionate to the risks of an activity;

• They are aware of their legal duty to be proactive in establishing and maintaining a safe learning environment;

• They understand that the existence of risks and exposing someone to those risks is sufficient for liability to be established and that injury is not a necessary outcome in health and safety law;

• They initiate and take part in any appropriate professional learning or training; and

• The installation must comply with EN 15567:2015 – the standard for the installation and operation of new and existing ropes courses.

The decision to wear helmets for climbing varies depending on the setting. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) suggests that staff should assess the wall and make an informed decision. If they feel unable to do so, they should seek guidance from other appropriately trained professionals.

The necessary level of competence to carry out inspections will vary according to the type of equipment and how/where it is used. The nature of these inspections does not have to be determined by the same person who undertakes them, provided the person determining them is competent.

BS EN 1176 suggests a more rigorous approach to the inspection of outdoor fixed-play equipment, recommending recorded visual, periodic and annual engineering inspections by a competent person.

BS EN 1177 concerns safety surfaces around fixed-play equipment that should be checked as part of an inspection of the equipment itself.

An annual inspection of school PESSPA equipment should include, as appropriate:

• Gymnastic equipment;

• Trampolines and trampettes;

• Fitness equipment - multi-gyms and free weights;

• Indoor and outdoor adventure play equipment;

• Indoor and outdoor sports posts, nets, goals and tables;

• Indoor and outdoor cricket nets;

• High-jump landing modules;

• Parkour equipment;

• Adventurous activities facilities-climbing towers and climbing walls;

• Fixed-play equipment and safety surfaces; and

• Ball courts.

In an 'inspection', contractors check the equipment and produce a report indicating all the minor and major work they have identified as being necessary.

In a 'maintenance inspection, contractors check the equipment and carry out any minor repairs at the same time, plus provide a report on more extensive and expensive repairs that are advised. 'Same day' minor work to bring slightly faulty equipment up to an acceptable standard may be negotiated as part of the basic contract or costed separately.

Many schools combine inspection arrangements and maintenance provision into one contract for convenience. Others may require separate inspection and maintenance provision as part of quality assurance.

Guidance has been produced by the Association for Physical Education to support schools in ensuring appropriate standards are met when physical education, school sport and physical activity equipment is inspected and maintained.

Safe Practice

In line with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the ultimate responsibility for health and safety for any adventurous activity lies with the school or academy. This includes duties to:

• Have a written health and safety policy that is effectively Implemented and regularly reviewed;

• Create a safe environment for working and learning for both staff and pupils;

• Assess and manage the risk of all activities; and Inform employees of safety measures and provide appropriate training and supervision.