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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Helmets are now compulsory 20-Jan-2004 At 6:41:11 PM Cliffhanger

Message

Don't laugh about climbing helmets indoors....

Cliffhanger and HardRock have both lobbied Insurance Companies very heavily on climbers behalves. About 2 years ago, all premiums issued automatically contained a clasue that said "helmets on particapnts compulsorary". Not Negotiable.

It took a lot of educating to explain to Insurers that climbing helmets, unlike bike helmets, were for things falling on your head, not your head falling on something! As noted in a recent US climbing accident (Kelly Tufo and Dave Kellogg) in California where they both fell around 300-400 feet - the helmet split in 2 and they both died.

In a climbing gym, you only chance of getting hit on the head is by a broken hold, of which it is a fairly rare occurance, yet not unheard of. Most gyms should have a policy and register on tightening holds and monitoring breakage etc.

The convincing worked and this was all good up to November 03, when in the USA a girl died on a climbing wall from a head injury.

I expect come June/July 04, premiums will go up yet again and the helmet issue will raise it's ugly head indoors again!

From a personal perspective, if you have family or a partner, then i feel you have a duty to them to come home alive! So therefore i wouldn't insult my partner by not wearing one outdoors.

Also, if you do have Private Health Insurance that actually covers climbing, then it will probably specify that you wear one.

The VCC's PLI will not cover your personal injuries on a trip, it will cover the VCC and it's officers and trip leaders if an injured party decides to Sue. So you should have your own persoanl accident insurance, trauma insurance or private health cover with extras for climbing, even in a gym!!!