INDUSTRY PRACTICE CHECK - ROPING SKILLS

This Industry Practice Check (IPC) has been brought to you by the Incident Response & Risk Management Committee of Outdoors NSW & ACT.

There has been some discussion in the industry around the appropriate use of bottom belaying. This IPC is aimed to encourage conversation around the standard operating procedures of activity providers and remind leaders about the risks they are mitigating and when it is suitable to conduct bottom belaying.

1. The operator and/or guide should be confident they have mitigated the following risks:

   1. Reduced redundancy in the abseil line if it is a single rope system - see this article

   2. Potential for a participant to be entrapped in the abseiling device

   3. Belayer being threatened by rockfall

   4. The risk of insufficient or miscommunication between the dispatcher and belayer

   
   

2. Bottom belayed abseils should have these attributes:​​​​​​​

   1. Compliance with the AAAS and Abseiling GPG 

   2. A second rope for rescue located at the top of the cliff

   3. Line of sight and the ability to communicate effectively between the dispatcher and belayer

   4. Braking the abseiler will not pull the participant in such a way that they are endangered

   5. No sharp edges that cannot be protected

   6. A good reason not to Top Belay