Last spring, a student fell from the Rams Head Recreation Center climbing wall, severely injuring her lower body and legs. Naturally, such a dangerous fall led to the closing of the wall, and to an investigation.
What must be kept in mind is that the student who fell last year was alone when the accident occurred.
But after the fall, the University’s Department of Environment, Health and Safety conducted an internal review of the climbing wall program’s safety anyway. The department recommended nine changes, all of which will be implemented upon the reopening of the climbing program.
Now, nearly a year later, the climbing wall is about to reopen. The equipment has been checked out, employee training has been expanded and there are new practices in place to improve record-keeping of who uses the climbing wall.
These recommendations are all excellent in theory, but they must be implemented thoroughly and carefully.
The new recommendations and policies will mean nothing if the students and employees in charge of the wall do not follow these procedures. Procedures and rules have their place, but individual responsibility must also play a role in creating a safe environment.
And though the wall was closed for almost a year, there is some comfort in knowing that the Department of Environment, Health and Safety took the time to make sure that students could safely use the wall. That peace of mind was worth the wait.
