How safe is safe on adventure experiences?

[Satsuma]

Things like zipwires, GoApe/treetop rope walks, climbing etc.

Just how much are they over-engineered above the stated max loads?

Is the max load "it" - 1kg over and it'll give?
Or is it more like "we made it to take double the weight but are just being careful"

TIA
Sats

[Markab01]

I do not know adventure experiences but in certain industries the safe (or normal) working load would be calculated as 20% of the breaking strain of the equipment.

The odd kilo is not going to make much difference. However , elf and safety and therefore the suppliers insurance would state that the safe working load is not to be exceeded at any time ( unless it is an emergency).


Markab01

[UncleIan]

Just how much are they over-engineered above the stated max loads?

They are definitely over engineered for what they're doing, i.e. saving a person.

Static (non-stretchy) rope used in caving has a rating of 2200kg. Or 1500kg for 3 minutes if it has a knot in it.

Climbing ropes are stretchy and don't have a fixed weight rating but it's all to do with the number of falls there have been on them.

I think carabiners are normally rated at 2000kg.

Go ape and such are using wires to clip into so I'd guess they'd have a massive safety margin built in too.

Basically, if they were cutting it fine, they wouldn't be able to get insurance. And they are safe, as long as you follow the instructions.

[UncleEbenezer]

I'd be much more concerned about maintenance than original strength. That rope bridge over the deep ravine was ample when it was first put up. But now those ropes are weathered and visibly frayed, with stretches missing ...

Surely the essence of anything adventurous is that it's not entirely in human control? Your canoe may be completely robust to shoot the rapids, but that's not relevant when you've fallen out or capsized. Your boots and crampons may be the best, but the avalanche will still get you.

[UncleIan]

I'd be much more concerned about maintenance than original strength. That rope bridge over the deep ravine was ample when it was first put up. But now those ropes are weathered and visibly frayed, with stretches missing ...

But the likes of Go Ape will have inspection routines and monitoring, essentially to try and remove as much as possible any accident being their fault.

[Satsuma]

Many thanks to you all for the information, much appreciated.

Sats

[AF62]

I wouldn't have any concerns about the hardware, my concern would be from the staff. Probably minimum wage, zero hours contract, just enough training, little experience, etc.

[didds]

I wouldn't have any concerns about the hardware, my concern would be from the staff. Probably minimum wage, zero hours contract, just enough training, little experience, etc.

Other than to add that such staff are usually mad keen on the subject so have a personal interest in it all I'd say AF62's points are pretty valid. Its their inate keeness that would hopefully (!!!!!) keep them alerts and atuned to stuff.

didds

[Itsallaguess]

I wouldn't have any concerns about the hardware, my concern would be from the staff.

Probably minimum wage, zero hours contract, just enough training, little experience, etc.

That certainly wasn't reflected in my recent experience with a tree-wire-climbing activity last year.

Each of the relatively young staff were professional to such a degree that I actually spent quite a lot of time admiring how good the interview process must be to end up with the batch of people taking charge of us that day...

First and foremost at all times was the safety aspect of the activity, but in addition to that, they carried out the whole process with a level of humour that I really did admire, especially given the public-facing aspect of the jobs, along with the inherent stresses that some of the public find themselves under during the climbs.

In fact, three places 'in front of us' on the tree-wire-climbing activity, one lady froze with fright at the start of the final zip-wire, and the way she was dealt with in such a calm and caring way, and in a way that actually enabled her to ultimately complete the course by flying down the zip-wire itself, was a joy to behold.

It really did refresh my faith in the younger generation, to know and see that these people cared so much about what they were doing, and how important the safety aspect of the activities was, so whilst I acknowledge that this is only a single anecdotal sample, I'm not buying the proposal that these activities are staffed by people with the types of problems you've tried to paint them with on the evidence that was presented in front of me that day.

Regarding the OP's concern over the margins built in to the equipment used, I'd say that the vast majority of any real risk during these types of activity is contained in the person taking part in them, rather than the actual equipment being used. Most of the steel-wiring and shackles that I saw looked very similar to those used in some of the lift-maintenance work I used to carry out - they really were that robust....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[csearle]

Regarding the OP's concern over the margins built in to the equipment used, I'd say that the vast majority of any real risk during these types of activity is contained in the person taking part in them, rather than the actual equipment being used.

Absolutely. There was a guy accompanying two boys (I'd guess 14 yr-olds) in front of me last time I went. He always went first and paid scant regard to the safely of his charges. At several stations (trees) I saw moments when one of these boys unclipped both lines whilst moving around the narrow platform. It made my legs even more wobbly than they were anyway.

Chris

[Urbandreamer]

In the words of the Hymn,

"The cairfull textbooks give it in tables at the end".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57LxbIBcTjE

Seriously today they take school children to Dysney land, not to enjoy the rides, but to learn the engineering involved. While things can go wrong, you tend to be looking at cutting edge (bleeding edge) stuff and a single individual such as Micheal Lush's death in 86.