Security and Emergency Plan

In commercial situations it will generally be appropriate to have a policy on ratios, maximum group size, use of staff/assistants, etc. This should take account of management difficulties on particular elements. There should be sufficient security of the whole area to ensure that only personnel under suitable supervision are able to use the facility.

There will be a need for checking any conditions that requires a participant to receive special attention, or who may be excluded from the activity. If this is the case this will call for additional personnel to be there and will need to be an appropriate system for making them available.

In addition to normal first aid facilities it may be appropriate to include scenario-based training, using actual elements, so staff can identify the problems as well as the solutions particular elements may present.

Participants not involved in an element may be harmed in a variety of ways. For example, participants 'waiting their turn' can wander off into the surrounding natural areas.

In the event of an injured person within the Rope Bridge, there should be an immediate assessment by the staff as to the ability of that person to be guided and instructed to exit the walkway. If they are unable to be guided across then the staff will need to enter the walkway. All relevant staff should be fully trained and familiar with access into the walkway. It may be that necessary first aid or treatment is administered within the walkway or support is given for exit of the facility. The whole area should adopt a non-smoking policy.