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Safety
WARNING: ROCK CLIMBING IS FUN! (but hazardous)
Climbing is a dangerous sport. There are a number of hazards that can make a climb perilous; many of these are concerned with you falling off things or things falling on you. A sensible climber minimises the danger of these hazards by taking reasonable precautions. Below is a list of the sort of things you should be checking:
- Check your knots and harness buckle
What harness? What knots? - Inspect your gear and replace if necessary
What's wrong with my 1950s karabiner? - Know your partner and their habits
Well... he smokes, he drinks, and he's a right old slob... - Check your belay - are you sure you're on?
On for what? - Read all warnings - they can save your life
Yeah, like "Warning: Falling Climbers"... - Fixed gear is unreliable- back it up if possible
Gear? - Keep an eye on the weather
A little rain never hurt anyone... - Rock breaks - check your holds
Just use the rope. - Always double check your rappel / abseil system
Once you've fallen? - A helmet can save your life
Well, it can save your head... - Always take a headtorch with you
Climbing after sundown is a guaranteed epic
IMPORTANT
There's far more to learning to climb safely than following a check-list like this one. Listen to the advice of your climbing partners and friends, and if you're not certain you can climb safely without professional instruction, get some! The club committee members can advise you about finding a course, and most climbing walls run safety sessions. Oh, and a note to the humourless (apologies, but it's best to play, um, safe where safety's concerned) - the opinions expressed in italics above are jokes, and adopting that attitude will probably kill you.