The latest draft of the HSC’s Work at Heights Regulations was published in early December and despite over 2 years of consulation with HSC by representatives from the Adventure Activities industry.

The regulations address none of the concerns raised by those within the industry. As they stand the regulations will have a major affect on everyone instructing mountaineering, climbing and caving. The regulations will pass through Parliament on July19 and the industry therefore has only a short time in which to ensure that the best practice developed within the sector is endorsed. On 15 January 45 representatives from across the Adventure Activities Industry met at Plas y Brenin to examine the current situation and develop a unified response to the HSC’s consultation. The following is a summary of the key points of that meeting and highlights the main areas of concern within the regulations. More Information is available here

The BMC and the Training Boards have over the years developed best practice advice and well-respected and nationally accepted schemes of training and assessment to promote leader competence. What signal does it give out to new members to the sport if regulations dictate that instructors are unable to use the same techniques themselves that they are teaching newcomers as best practice? The BMC would urge everyone concerned with the potential impact of these regulations to lobby government through their members of parliament pointing out these areas of concern and highlighting the contribution made to the countries health and wealth by adventure activities and the threat that the draft regulations pose. These regulations were quite clearly designed with industry in mind and cannot be applied in the same manner to a sport pursued for leisure purposes. A sport, that by its very nature has an element of risk and where being at height is fundamental to the essence of the sport.

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