Climbers - Do You Know Your Margin Of Safety?

Well, do you? Just what is a climbers margin of safety? In simple terms it is the protective buffer that an experienced climber keeps between what he or she knows to be the limit of their ability, and what they actually try to climb. Sounds simple right? And it is, but how does a climber know their limit of ability?

You learn your margin of safety by climbing near ground level, or by being tied to a rope and belayed by an experienced climber above. Climbing first on the easy holds, next on the more difficult holds, and finally on more and more difficult pitches until you reach your limit of ability. You should calculate your margin of safety not only for the pitch immediately ahead, but also for the entire climb. Thus avoiding situations that are beyond your abilities. When you are team leader in a climb you should know the abilities of each team member, and make allowances for their limitations.

Climbing is of course an inherently dangerous sport, and this is part of it's attraction to some. However, the sensible climber will always strive to minimise danger wherever possible. The following few tips are well worth bearing in mind to make your climbing safer and enjoyable.

Wear a helmet with chin strap fastened when climbing on loose rock. Keep the soles of your boots clean and dry where possible. Always clean boots before a climb by kicking against the rock, clean out the cleats with a stick or other pointed object. Avoid lunging or jumping to reach a hold. Carefully check all hand and footholds before use, making sure they are not loose.

Never dislodge loose rocks carelessly or intentionally. If a rock does become dislodged, warn climbers below immediately by shouting "Rock." Use the same warning for any falling object, except for a falling climber, when you should shout "Falling." Do not look up when you hear a warning from above. Instantly seek shelter, or flatten yourself as much as possible against the surface.

Tie into the climbing rope on all exposed areas, and anchor all belay points. Remove rings, watches, and other jewellery from the hands before climbing, they can cause severe injuries when stuck in cracks etc. Use care and common sense when climbing on wet rock. Some types of rock become extremely slippery when wet.

If vegetation must be used as a hold, test like any other handhold, they will invariably have shallow roots. Avoid using your elbows or knees, this causes a ballbearing effect on the rock, which causes imbalance. Moreover, these joints may slip and cause severe body damage.

If you are unfortunate enough to fall, try to remain under control both mentally and physically. Retain proper body position and try to avoid excessive contact (hands and feet only) with the rock. In initial training, or when trying difficult moves close to the ground, use a "spotter" to assist in breaking your fall.

Finally, tempting as it may be, do not use gloves while training or whilst climbing on rock. They decrease the feel for the rock, and increase the chance of slipping.