PLANNING OFF CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

Bouldering – TCIA Top Rope/Abseiling Instructor or Multi-pitch Guide, or equivalent.
Top rope climbing – TCIA Top Rope/Abseiling Instructor or Multi-pitch Guide, or equivalent Pitch –
TCIA Multi-pitch Guide, or equivalent.
Abseiling – TCIA Basic Abseiling Instructor, or equivalent.
Equipment
All gear such as ropes, harnesses, belay devices should meet UIAA standard or CE standard.
Locking karabiners should be used for all connections when belaying and abseiling and the rope
must also be tied into the harness when climbing or when used as a safety-rope/belay.
Helmets must be worn while climbers are actively involved in abseiling, belaying, top-roping or whist
near any cliff.
Emergency equipment including a First Aid kit communication equipment, an additional rope and
relevant ascender/descender equipment must be readily available. Appropriate footwear must be
worn.
Venues
Many outside venues for bouldering and rock climbing have access restrictions: for example, in the
case of White Water Wall in the Freycinet National Park only one group is allowed at a time with a
maximum of twelve persons with two adults.
Leaders should familiarise themselves with the regulations or licensing requirements that cover any
public land which they may use.
Wherever necessary, permission should be sought from the relevant land owner or management
agency.
Ratios
Ratios will vary according to, for example, venue, skill, age of participants, time of year, program,
weather and qualifications of the leaders.
There must be a minimum of two leaders/adults present for all outside climbing activities with a ratio
not exceeding one to ten.
Bouldering – normally a maximum of 10 climbers per instructor.
Top rope climbing/abseiling – normally a maximum of 10 climbers per instructor.
With experienced climbers in suitable locations the ratio for climbing, using bottom belays and a
backup belayer, might be increased to twelve to one, using four ropes.
While single bottom belayers are to be used, they must be adequately trained and no more than three
ropes should be used (six to one).
When using top belays, a back-up belayer should be used and the ratio kept to six to one.
Please refer to the online copy of this document (TASED-4-1765), located on the Tasmanian Department
of Education’s website to ensure this version is the most recent. P a g e | 72