simonsi

Man Falls at Tree Adventures Course

Very sad. We have always found it very safe on our 3 visits with a good safety brief/test before climbing and I haven't spotted any issues with the wires as I've gone round. When we have been there we have always at some point heard instructors shouting at someone who had inadvertantly become unclipped from anything (momentarily you have to hope).

GoingIn2011

I did the hard ones last December. Safety is entirely in your own hands, once you have been briefed. It did occur to me at the time that surely not everyone is going to always remember to do the two clips at all times rule. I would like to see them revisit the possibilities of improving their safety measures; rather than them being closed down (unless there was negligence at play).

simonsi

Yep, agree with that.

AndyEvs

I have cold sweats now about the fact that we let our 2 kids do it down at adrenaline forest in Wellington. As you say, safety is completely in your own hands, there is nothing to stop you unclipping both clips any time you forget. There must be a better solution. When my youngest did the (minimal) training, it was me who spotted he had both clips detached, not the (frankly, uninterested) teenager running the session.
We want our kids to do stuff like this and they loved it but I'd think twice now which makes me very sad.

simonsi

All three times we have done Tree Adventures the instructor has been just that, fitted the harnesses, did the instruction and checkout and all three were professional climbers (one was having a break from hi-rise construction rigging work for example), none remotely fell into the "bored teenager" category - I was quite impressed TBH.

Just hope the "better solution" isn't simply "don't do it". We should remember that people travelling to these activities possibly die on the roads in greater numbers than at the activities themselves...

janeyk

My Son has undertaken these in Oz, UK, France & Canada as well as CCh and Auckland at every place we have been safety has been utmost important regardless of how many courses DS has done each place always insist on safety and go through the rules, also on all the courses I have seen instructors watching set areas and shouting at clients who do not undertake the courses safely. We have even seen one person removed from a course in France for not listening I am most if this was not a climber error!

zaras dad

My wife works with his wife. Its a very very sad time. I met him on a few occasions at the work do's. A quiet chap who was always pleasant.

Liz has come out and said she doesnt blame the company and that their safety briefing was sufficient.