Safety Policy

This is the safety policy of the Club, which is designed to show the various safety procedures incorporated into the planning and execution of a club trip. This policy will be made available to all members to make them more aware of the Club's position and responsibility regarding safety.

1. Destinations for trips are chosen appropriate to the time of year (both academic and calendar) - thus the first trip of the year is to the smaller hills of the Peak District, when most new members will be going. In winter locations will be chosen to give options of easier walks which the conditions may necessitate. Visits to Scotland take place only in the summer vacation. Any other vacation trips involving club members are arranged by specific invitation, and involve no club organisation or financing.
2. When booking for a trip, details are given about the nature of the area, terrain, likely walks, possible weather conditions and equipment/experience that would be advisable. Those lacking items of equipment or with questions concerning the nature of the walking are strongly advised to contact a committee member (particularly the safety officer or president).
3. On a commitment to the trip, members are required to sign a disclaimer form, acknowledging individual responsibility for their actions and the clubs inability to act as a qualified instructor. Failure to do so may result in the committee refusing to allow involvement in the Club's activities.
4. Members going on trips are asked to fill in a questionnaire before the trip detailing their experience and giving home and college contact numbers. These should be made available to those on walks, so they are aware of the individual capabilities of their group.
5. On a trip, there should be a choice of walks to suit varying standards e.g. inexperienced, competent, experienced. Walks are devised with the overall experience of the party, the weather, the terrain, and the season in mind.
6. Group size should be from 4 to 7, the ideal being 4, with at least 1 person of known experience. Those members of the club who have undertaken MLTB training courses will be expected to play a large role here. However, the club generally attracts walkers with some experience, rather than total novices.
7. Route cards for each walk should be filled in properly and left with the youth hostel warden or in the minibus at the start/finish of a walk. Route cards should include route, estimated time and distance, escape route, details of club equipment (both joint and individual).
8. Walks are altered, changed, or abandoned according to changing conditions on the day - inclement weather, fatigue or injury.
9. Nearly all club members have navigation skills. Those that haven't are encouraged to acquire some on walks; there is ample opportunity for this to take place.
10. Although the club encourages people to have their own equipment, it does have some to lend out - head torches, first aid kits, compasses, whistles, survival bags, maps and ice axes. Each group must be carrying equipment in case of emergency (survival bags, torches, first aid kits). The committee reserves the right to refuse people with inadequate equipment or experience to undertake walks.
11. The club has a set of guidelines to be issued to novice walkers, with common sense advice to them (knowledge that is often not immediately obvious, but can be life-saving, e.g. not wearing jeans). These will be issued to new members at the beginning of the academic year and to new members who join throughout the year. However, these guidelines cannot be definitive; an aspect which should be stressed.

In summary, it is a question of common sense over taking safety precautions at each stage, to ensure that trips suit the experience of the members and the prevailing conditions at the time, and that they have adequate equipment. The club role is one of advisor, but not instructor.

Last modified: Wednesday, 25 April 2007, at 19:59 (BST)