Outdoor activities take place in an environment where risk can be managed through good practice, experience, fitness and skills. However, no outdoor activity can ever be 100% safe.
Mountaineering Scotland has a succinct statement on this:
Mountaineering Scotland recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.
The safety of the group (including my own) is paramount in whatever activity is being undertaken. If completed participation forms are asked for, please complete these with any information that might impact your participation.
The above excerpt from his DLOG confirms that Al holds the Summer Mountain Leader Award of Mountain Training UK. The Mountain Training Association requires that Al must follow Continuing Professional Development and log his activities. Mountain Training UK also requires that he keeps up-to-date on best practice. In addition to these technical qualifications, Al has been an expedition supervisor or assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh Expedition section at all levels.
Al also holds a Cycling Scotland Cycle Ride Leader qualification. You can verify the qualification through Cycling Scotland.
Al also has completed part of a modular course for the Cycling Scotland Cycle Trainer Assistant (CTA) that enables him to deliver Bikeability Level 1 (traffic-free environment) and will consider work delivering Level 1 training, so long as a Cycle Trainer has completed a static site assessment for the proposed training area.
Before ANY activity, Al will have considered the risks and how to deal with them. A short document for everyone to consider at the start of the activity will be read out and available. However, conditions and circumstances can change during an activity or trip, requiring the re-assessing of risk throughout the course of an event. As a group leader, Al reserves the right to:
- Alter a route or curtail an activity for the safety of the group or individuals within the group.
- Exclude someone who does not comply with safety instructions, is inadequately equipped or is impaired by drugs to an extent that they are judged to be a risk to themselves or the group.
- Require, without exception, that anyone under 16 is accompanied by a responsible adult over 18.
Insurance
Hills of Hame is insured by Bluefin through the Mountain Training Association members’ group policy.
Main elements of cover
- Professional liability up to £5M
- Public liability up to £5M
First Aid
Al holds a number of first-aid qualifications (see below) and also works as a first-aider at outdoor events for Rescue Medics. Al carries appropriate kit to provide first-aid to clients. Mountain Training (and all national governing boards qualifications) require that an appropriate first-aid qualification is maintained. Al has also completed additional training in the management of catastrophic bleeding and principles of haemorrhage control.
Please remember that if you need any medications, this should be declared on your participation form and you MUST carry your own supplies of medication and a medi-alert tag, wristband or screensaver on your phone.
Hills of Hame 