The HSE have release a report on a fine they imposed on a school for failing to safeguard youngster on a climbing wall. There is a full report on the incident on the HSE website. It seems like an interesting case that we should learn lessons from.
The school was fined it seems because the instructor wasn’t qualified to teach lead climbing. It was when one youngster attempted to make his first lead that the accident happened. In particular though the instructor used another student to belay the climber.
I guess not having the right qualifications meant that he might not have been aware of the difficulties in teaching young people to lead and belay a lead climber for that matter. I feel sorry for both the belayer and climber who will both be traumatise from this incident which was no fault of their own.
I guess the keys points are:
- Be qualified to do what you do.
- Be current with accepted practice.
- Beware of peer belaying, whether lead climbing or top roping.