2019 YWCH Event Organiser Handbook - Arco (ITA)

Printable version

Safety & Belaying


General

The Event Organizer shall be solely responsible for maintaining all safety and security precautions within the competition venue, in particular this includes:

  • The restricted (FOP, isolation / transit zones) and non restricted areas
  • All transportations required (i.e. between distant isolation and competition venue or hotels to competitions venues) and organised by the Event Organiser for registered Teams and Officials
  • Beverages and food provided at the competition venue or in other places (i.e. hotels, reception places) where registered Teams and Officials are present



IFSC Officials authority on safety

When appointed, the Jury President, in consultation with the Chief Route Setter, shall have the sole authority in respect to any question of safety within the isolation and Field of Play area - including declining to give permission to start or continue any part of the competition.

Any officials or other persons deemed, by the Jury President, to have infringed or, in his/her opinion, be likely to infringe safety procedures shall be subject to summary removal from their duties and/or dismissal from the isolation and Field of Play areas.

Every precaution shall be taken to ensure safety. Each route and/or boulder shall be designed to avoid the possibility of:

  • Injuring the athlete
  • Injuring or obstructing any other athlete
  • Injuring any person of the organization (Officials, volunteers, media)
  • Injuring audience

The IFSC Judge shall also decide, in the interest of safety and in consultation with the Chief Route Setter and with the approval of the Jury President, whether or not to have the climbing rope pre-fixed to the first (and, where deemed appropriate, other) protection points. Wherever possible, the design of the route should be such as to make such precautions unnecessary.



Drones and safety 

Please note that no filming drones flying above the FOP and the audience area are authorized. Eventually, the Event Organiser is responsible to get all the necessary authorization and make the procedures respected. The flight zones should be defined and agreed prior to the event



Noise level

Average noise levels at IFSC events may not exceed 85 decibels. Noise levels at IFSC events may never exceed 100 decibels anywhere at the event competition. The audience and participants may not be allowed within 3 meters of any loudspeaker. 

The IFSC Technical Delegate can also require to decrease the level of noise, even within the 85 decibels, if the volume is considered disturbing for athletes performance, or any other reasons. 



IFSC Standards (as per IFSC Rules 3.2.4)

Any technical equipment used in International Climbing Competitions must meet the relevant EN Standard (or comparable International equivalent) unless otherwise specified by the IFSC or, under exceptional circumstances, by the Technical Delegate and/or Jury President through the authority delegated to them by the IFSC. The relevant standards as at the date of issue for these documents are:

  • Individual safety equipment:

-             Belay Devices (Locking) EN15151-1

-             Belay Devices (Manual) EN15151-2

-             Climbing Harness EN12277:2007 (Type C)

  • Collective safety equipment:

-             Climbing Rope EN892:2004

-             Karabiners (Screwgate) EN12275:1998 (Type H)

-             Karabiners (Self-Locking) EN12275:1998 (Type H)

-             Quickdraw/ Tape Slings EN566:2007

-             Quickdraw/ Connector (Karabiner) EN12275:1998 (Type B, Type D)

-             Quickdraw/ Connector (Quick link) EN12275:1998 (Type Q)

  • Climbing walls and holds

-             Holds EN12572-3:2008

-             Walls and/or boulder structures EN 12572:1, 12572:2 and 12572:3.

Unless otherwise specified by the IFSC or, under exceptional circumstances, by the Jury President through the authority delegated to her/him by the IFSC.

The Event Organizer is the sole responsible to ensure that all the certificates are provided by the manufacturer and constructor, that the walls, climbing equipment and other equipment required for the good running of the event are built or installed in full compliance with the related EN standard, national or other local norms governing this kind of structure.

Under specific circumstances, the IFSC Delegate may be instructed by the IFSC to carry with him some technical equipment, providing the Event Organizer with that gear (certified quicklinks, ropes, etc.) which is not available in their countries. The IFSC will charge the cost of this gear to the Event Organizer 



Competition Operations 


1. Route Setting

The Event Organiser is responsible to provide elevating system to the route setting team that are in accordance with the international standards and shall provide an instructor or an operator if the system provided requires specific competences.

In addition the climbing walls shall be ready to receive public and therefore shall not be in a construction stage that endanger the route setting team

In case the Chief Route Setter estimate the safety conditions are not sufficient, he has he power to impose any required measure to the Event Organiser to restore the safety condition.
He may also report to the IFSC Sport Department and suggest an event cancellation.

Regarding rope access regulations:

The Event Organiser will be requested to inform the Route Setting team of the country regulation for all work in height regulations and if required provide the required equipment to protect them and the environment.

The IFSC route setting team will have to strictly comply with these regulations.


2. Pre-competition checks

Upon their arrival the IFSC Official might  require the Event Organiser to present all documents and proof regarding the compliance of the venue and FOP equipment (i.e Wall) with the local, international and IFSC safety requirements.

Immediately prior to the Event start and to any round, the Jury President, the IFSC Judge and the Chief Route Setter shall inspect each route and/or boulder in order to ensure the maintenance of safety standards.

The purpose of this check is in particular, to ensure that all safety equipment and procedures comply with IFSC standards and IFSC Rules. In case of failure or suspected issue they have the ability to impose any measure or contingency plan they feel necessary.

In addition, the Jury President shall ensure that appropriately qualified medical personnel and a competition event doctor are in attendance in order to:

  • Ensure a rapid response to any accident or injury to a Team member or Officials acting in the framework or its mission during the Event
  • Do a check-up of an athlete when the Jury President makes a request to the Event doctor

The IFSC officials and more specifically the IFSC Technical Delegate is requested to report to the IFSC Sport Department any matter related to the Event safety.


3. Belaying (if any)

Providing a safety belaying is a key promise to the participating team, the Event Organiser is fully responsible to provide it with the highest standard of realisation.

In addition belayers shall have a confirmed level of climbing and more specifically belaying elite sport climbers.

In general, belayers shall only use an approved single rope provided by the Event Organizer. 

The frequency with which the rope is changed shall be decided by the IFSC Judge.

The IFSC Judge has the authority to demand the immediate replacement of any belayer (if necessary stopping the competition and declaring a technical incident) and any other person he/she feels jeopardizes safety standards.