Safety

Safety

Statement from Mo Walker, RMC President from 2025

“This is important work (the incident card I carry myself) but the club has limited capability to act to protect you, the members. Climbing is a ‘personal risk assessment’ task with serious consequences so please seek out the more experienced members, ask and share and don’t feel shy.

There are very few old bold climbers…”                       

Safety is paramount in all forms of climbing. Ultimately, each member is responsible for their own safety, not other members and not the club. This may sound harsh, but it focuses the mind.

At all times, please feel free to sensitively challenge others and be challenged yourself in the name of safety.

Resources

Some resources to assist with safety are listed below. All members should be familiar with these:

- New Joiner Pack;

- Safety Best Practice Guidelines;

- Incidents and Key Learnings;

- Recommended Outdoor First Aid Course;

- Recommend First Aid Kit; and

- RMC Incident Cards:

- Minimizing Incidents;

- What to do when an Incident occurs; 

- What to do, and not to do, after and Incident. 

You should have the Incidents Cards to hand if coming on a RMC meet. We are printing water-resistant hard copy of the What to do when an Incident occurs and will distribute. You can print your own copies of the other 2 or store them on your phone although the display on a phone is small and can be problematic. 

BMC Participation Statement

Finally, bear in mind the BMC Participation Statement at all times “Climbing, hill walking and mountaineering can provide life-long physical, social and mental health benefits through exercise and adventure in amazing environments. The BMC recognises these activities involve a risk of personal injury or death. Participants should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.”

Please take the above as positives; safe climbing!