safety on steep ground - mountain skills · 2016. 11. 30. · phone +353 83 8000452 / +353 1...

SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUNDDefinition, risks of steep ground, ways to avoid it…

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DEFINITIONSteep ground has a more angular slope or pitch that is too steep towalk comfortably on but not steep enough to require a rope.

Rugged ground has a rough irregular surface.


LIKELIHOOD & CONSEQUENCELikelihood of slipping, and consequences of that slip:


LIKELIHOOD & CONSEQUENCELikelihood of slipping, and consequences of that slip:

SLIP INJURY

• SLIP < 10% • CONSEQUENCE < 10%• = SAFE

• SLIP +70%• CONSEQUENCE +70%• = UNSAFE

You can have a high probability of a slip with a near zero probability of consequence. You canalso have a very low probability of a slip with a very high consequence of possible death.

Please use your own judgment before taking risks.


SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUND1. LOOSE ROCKS

RISKS

• Dislodge a rock can be easy if we don’t payattention and it can cause serious injury to otherpeople, whatever the rock size.

HOW TO REDUCE RISKS ABOUT LOOSING ROCKS?

• If you make a rock fall, you must shout « BELOW! »so the other persons can escape the rock. Thewhole group has to know what to shout and what itmeans.

• To avoid rock fall, you can test rocks before puttingyour weight on.


SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUND2. FALSE PATHS

RISKS• A false path is a path you would walked onto without

breaking stride because it seems to be the right andthe easiest way to travel until where you want to go.But this false path exists because a lot of hikersbefore you made the same mistake, because theirboots trampled out the path.


• To avoid walking on a false path, pay attention ofwhere you are. Even if many itineraries are possible,the best is to follow the one you planned so youwon’t go on false paths and won’t take useless risks.


SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUND3. WET GROUND

RISKS

• There are a lot of mountain rescue call outs toattend to people who have slipped on wet ground,especially wet grass. The quality of footwear isvery important to insure security.


• Zig-zag across the slope to lower the angle andreduce potential for a slip

• Place feet in a diagonal or sideways (to slope)position

• Pay attention that the rock in indeed embeddedand not just resting on the grass


SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUND4. WET ROCKS

RISKS• Wet rocks are dangerous for the walkers. You can be

hurt if you slip, but the slippery depends on thegeology of the rocks.


• Avoid stepping on flat rocks that slope away from you• When a flat rock slopes towards you, transfer weight

gradually to avoid a slip• If there are lichen, moss or other greens on the rocks,

it means that all the rocks around are more slipperythan normal, requiring extra care

• Place your foot so that it rests against a second rock,meaning that it cannot slip anywhere


SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUND5. SCREE SLOPES

RISKS

• Scree is an accumulation of loose rock that can bedangerous to walk on, depending on the size ofrocks. More the rocks are large, more the scree is

dangerous.


• You should avoid planning a route that descends ascree slope because you could damage theenvironment by causing cascade of rocks, whichdestroy fragile habitats for rare plants. Also,walking in a scree slopes increases the risks ofinjuries like twisted ankles or falling.


ADVISES ABOUT SAFETY ON STEEP & RUGGED GROUND

Route Planning: When you’re planning your day in the hills, pay attention about if the itinerarycrosses contours that are closer together (more it is close, more it is steep). Make a mental note andindicate on the map where the steep ground occurs.

Ascending: When you’re going up-hill, it is possible to see the steep ground so it’s easier to avoid it.If you can’t take another path, walk in zig-zag to lessen the direct angle of the steep, it will help youto progress. Be sure that you are on the correst slope because if it is not the case, you could strayonto a slope which becomes more steep or which leads to precipitous obstacles, especially in poorvisibility.

Descending: The descending is the most dangerous bevause you can’t really anticipate in advance ifthere is or not a steep ground. In this case, you should find a safer ground to find another way to godown-hill. The weather, type of slope, conditions underfoot are all factors that will affect the safety ofthe situation.

safety on steep ground - mountain skills · 2016. 11. 30. · phone +353 83 8000452 / +353 1...

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