Safety at the Gyms

While it's true that the gyms provide a much more controlled climbing environment than what one would find outside, nonetheless, there are still hazards of which we should all be aware. This is especially true for new climbers. So, keep the following in mind when you're at any of the indoor climbing facilities:

1. Move slowly and look around. It's best to be purposeful and relaxed in your movements in a gym. The gyms can often become crowded, and fast movement through a crowded bit could result in a belayer losing control of their belay.
2. Look up! This is climbing, after all, which means there are likely bodies above you, some of which may be coming down either slowly or quickly on top of you. When you pass through openings in particular, before you clear the opening, look up, and make sure there isn't a climber about to drop on you.
3. Give lead belayers room. Lead belayers need room to play out rope and react quickly to their lead climber. For them to be able to do that so that they don't compromise the well-being of themselves or their climber, they need space. So, do your best to not go too close. If you imagine a circle of about three feet out from the belayer, that's a good distance to stay away, giving them room to maneuver. And, always be aware around lead belayers. Things can change suddenly, and you may need to move out of the way quickly.
4. NEVER go between a lead belayer and the wall. When a lead climber falls, the belayer gets pulled up and into the wall. If you're between the belayer and the wall when that happens... well... let's just say, it's gonna hurt! Always walk to the outside of the lead belayer, never between them and the wall.
5. Try to keep the volume down. It's important for climbers and belayers to be able to communicate with each other, and to do that, they need to be able to hear each other. While we can all get excited over accomplishing a climb, and while we want to encourage our friends, a lot of loud voices puts other climbers at risk, so try to keep the volume down.
6. Keep your pockets empty. Anything you carry up with you on a climb should be securely fastened to you, so that nothing can fall out while you're up there. Falling bits pose a clear hazard to everyone below. So, if you do have to carry things, make sure they're in pockets that have a zipper or can otherwise be secured from falling out. And, if somehow something comes loose and falls, as soon as you know it's going, yell, "ROCK!". All experienced climbers know what that means — something is on it's way down... fast!
7. If you hear, "ROCK!", don't look up! Someone yelling, "Rock!" means something has fallen. Don't look up. Best to move as close as you can to a wall, duck and cover your head, and wait until you hear the thud.
8. Leave the mobile phone in the locker. Given the last two, you clearly don't want to be taking a mobile phone up a climb. And, given as a belayer you're supposed to be paying attention to your climber, and not on a call as you're belaying, the best thing to do is leave your mobile phone in your locker or other secure place, and return calls after you've finished climbing.
9. Check your tie-ins. You'll be taught this in any introductory course you take in climbing by a qualified instructor, but it still needs to be emphasised. I've heard far too many stories of climbers getting part or all the way up a climb, sitting back on the rope, only to discover far too late that there was a problem with their tie-in. And it's a long way down!

   If you're a climber, double-check yourself that you've passed the rope through both the leg and waist loops of your harness, you've completed the double-figure-eight knot, you've nicely finished it off with a double-keeper knot, and that all your harness buckles are properly threaded and double-backed. If you're the belayer, it is your responsibility to ensure the climber you are belaying has done all that right! So make sure you check. And, if when you ask yourself, "Did we do that?" you cannot immediately respond, "Yes," then do it again, even if you think you might have.