Climbing Briefing Sheet

Initial Instructor to Participants Brief and Demonstrations

• Ensure correct clothing and especially footwear
• Ensure that correct safety equipment as described in the Normal Operating Procedures relevant to the activity is carried and that all participants and any assisting staff are aware of it and its uses
• Brief all persons as to what to do in case of an emergency/accident
• Identify safe waiting areas and identify areas that are dangerous and as a result out of bounds
• Ensure awareness/knowledge of participants abilities
• Be aware of any recent injuries or medical conditions that might be affected by the activity
• Demonstrate correct wearing of harness and helmet and also use of karabiner
• Demonstrate how to clip on to the end of the rope
• Practice with participants climbing calls/communication
• Identify routes to be used and where is ‘off route’
• Ensure that all dangling jewellery and watches are removed
• Ensure long hair and loose clothing including draw cords are tied back or removed as to remove the risk of entanglement
• Brief group as to the process of unclipping at the top
• Ensure all participants and staff know the location of any safety equipment and how to use it and what to do in the event of an emergency/accident
• Identify clearly what the session will involve and when it will end due to either tide or time constraints
• Identify ‘safe’ route around crag and explain about not going near the edge
• Domestics—Toilets etc

Roles for Assisting Staff

Climbing will only take place with either two members of instructional staff or with the aid of a competent adult. A competent adult is someone who is confident and is familiar with the activity and has climed recently

• To assist with discipline as and where appropriate
• To reinforce the commands given during the session
• To act as additional eyes and ears for both the activity itself and also the immediate surroundings
• To help monitor the participants wellbeing
• To assist with any incident by facilitating the implementation of the Emergency Action Plan
• To be familiar with and know how to use any emergency equipment carried with the party
• To act as ‘bottom party’ to aid communication with the top of the climb
• To ensure that participants use the safe and identified route to/from the top

What Assisting Staff can expect from The Instructor

• Clear communication of intentions
• Positive activity leadership
• Care and monitoring of participants wellbeing
• Sessions run in accordance with the appropriate Normal Operating Procedure
• Positive a decisive action in the event of an emergency or incident
• Decisions made without the influence of bravado