Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
- organisational procedures for safety and serviceability checks
- how the following factors affect selection of descent and ascent routes for caving environments:
- season of operation, weather and environmental conditions
- participant characteristics including age, size, weight, fitness and abseiling or climbing skill level
- group objectives and size
- environmental hazards specific to abseiling and climbing in caves and how these affect:
- safe access to and egress from the pitch
- choice of descent and ascent routes for safety of abseiler or climber
- positioning of top or bottom belay systems for safety of belayer
- features, functions, advantages and disadvantages of different types of anchors used in caves:
- fixed artificial:
- naturally occurring:
- trees
- in cave natural bollards and jug handles
- artificial removable:
- spring loaded camming devices
- nuts, wires and hexes
- pitons
- issues that are assessed when selecting anchors and likely impacts of poor condition on performance under load:
- wear and abrasion due to age and use
- corrosion
- decay
- dislodgment
- underlying stability of structural features and presence of:
- cracks
- deformities
- fissures
- meaning of the following terms, and principles which apply when rigging anchors and ropes:
- equalisation of load
- single point of failure
- anchor redundancy
- angle of separation
- shock loading
- cross loading and cyclical loading of carabiners
- miss-alignment of carabiners
- closing the system, including advantages, disadvantages and methods used
- types of forces (upwards, downwards) generated during abseiling, climbing and belaying, and how to calculate load on anchors and ropes for these circumstances:
- top rope top belay
- tope rope bottom belay
- bottom brake belay
- self-belay
- abseiler or climber descending under control
- abseiler or climber fall
- belayer arresting falls
- the effects of rope stretch during operations and implications if not minimised:
- abrasions
- rope bounce
- undue stress on the anchor system
- potential for abseiler or climber to impact with hazards, or become entangled
- features, functions, advantages and disadvantages of laddering, abseiling and belay equipment used in caves:
- abseiling, climbing and belay systems for:
- cave ladders
- doubled rope technique
- single rope
- releasable abseil line
- rope systems suitable for single rope techniques
- top rope top belay
- tope rope bottom belay
- bottom brake belay
- self-belay
- descending devices:
- assisted locking
- inline
- plate
- figure 8
- tubular
- improvised
- belay devices:
- assisted locking
- inline
- plate
- figure 8
- tubular
- improvised
- harnesses of different types
- carabiners
- maillon rapides
- static and dynamic rope and when each might be used
- rope protectors
- caving ladders
- tape
- sewn sling
- personal attachment systems, including cow’s tails
- Prusik cord
- foot loops
- mechanical ascenders
- how the following factors affect the selection and rigging of above equipment:
- site characteristics including position of rub points
- weather and environmental conditions
- participant size, weight, and abseiling or climbing ability
- belayer to climber weight ratio
- cumulative load for group size and number of abseils or ladder climbs
- abseiling and laddering techniques to be used
- distance, height and angle of anchor relative to abseil or climb position
- manufacturers' specifications for equipment use
- techniques used to establish belay systems for safety of belayer:
- rigging belays for performance of rescues
- attaching to anchor or self belay safety system
- techniques used to establish descending and ascending equipment for redirections and re-belays
- situations requiring back up belay systems
- when different knots are used, advantages and disadvantages, and how to tie them:
- fixed eye
- mid line tied in the bight
- end to end joining
- termination
- load control hitches
- slide and grip hitches
- types of safety checks completed for rigging of equipment
- how to care for abseiling and laddering equipment when rigging to avoid damage, and promote long lifespan
- potential environmental impacts of rigging for abseiling and laddering in caves and techniques used to minimise damage.