The Bush Club, bushwalking in Sydney, Bush walking

Bush Club Abseiling and Canyoning Policy

This policy covers all abseiling activities undertaken by members on Club events. The policy is deliberately conservative because of the potential for injury or death in the event of an accident and the relative inexperience of the vast majority of members in abseiling.

Leaders will adhere to the Club’s abseiling guidelines while conducting the activity. These guidelines are based on the Bushwalking NSW guidelines.

Requirements for a Club abseiling or canyoning activity

  1. The Club will only undertake abseiling activities rated 1 to 4 using Rick Jamieson’s rating system in his book Canyons near Sydney (4th Edition). That is the abseils will be EASY to MODERATE. This rating system only covers abseils in canyons but it is a useful guide for non canyon abseils.
  2. Participating members must be able to demonstrate to the leader that they have abseiling experience and/or have completed at least a basic abseil training course with a professional abseil training organisation. Prospective members can participate in abseiling activities provided they can satisfy the leader that they have appropriate skills and experience.
  3. Participants must wear protective helmets. They help protect against falling rocks, ropes and to some degree falling water.
  4. Ropes used in abseiling activities require regular cleaning, inspection and replacement. Where ropes used in the activity are supplied by the leaders a rope levy of $5 per person will be charged to help contribute towards replacement costs.
  5. The leader of the activity must have extensive abseiling experience and/ or has completed an abseil leaders course with a professional abseil training organisation. It is expected that a 3 day training course would be the minimum training requirement. Leaders of abseiling activities must be approved by the committee.
  6. The leader must have an assistant leader on the activity who must also have the experience and /or training as outlined above. The assistant leader must also be approved by the committee.
  7. Participants must complete the Club’s specific waiver form for abseiling activities.

March 2008

Download Abseiling Report and Risks Waiver form

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