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Climbing Registration Form

If you are new to EICA Ratho you must register as a climber by completing the below form. All new climbers will be asked to complete a competency test upon arrival.

Climbing registration form

Participation Statement

“The British Mountaineering Council 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.”

If you are not a competent climber and belayer DO NOT fill in this form! Please book yourself on a Start Up course with us.

If you are under 18 years of age DO NOT fill in this form. Under 18s should be accompanied by a competent adult climber who can sign term in as a guest. For very experienced climbers and belayers under the age of 18 please contact us via this form to arrange an assessment to use the centre independently

Emergency Contact Details

**UK postcodes only, all other postcodes must complete form on site.

Your privacy is important to us.

Edinburgh Leisure is the Data Controller and we will only use your data to enable us to deliver and improve our service to you and process your payments. We will never sell your data and we will only keep it for as long as necessary to deliver our services and processes. Whether you choose to be contacted with marketing information or not we will continue to send you important operational issues. This can include class cancellations, venue closures or membership issues.

There’s more detail in our privacy notice here

Manage Preferences

Conditions of Registration

You must answer the following questions by either “Yes” or “No”. Only climbers who give satisfactory answers to the questions will be registered and allowed to climb unsupervised.

Have you watched the bouldering induction video?        Click here to watch.

Have you watched the autobelay video?        Click here to watch.

Risks

All climbing and mountaineering activities carry a risk of serious injury or death. Participants in these activities must be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement

Although the climbing centre is an artificial environment, the risks involved are no less serious than when climbing outside on a crag or mountain. There is an additional risk that bolt-on holds can spin or break.
THE SOFT FLOORING DOES NOT MAKE THE CLIMBING ANY SAFER. Broken and sprained limbs are common in this type of activity despite the soft landing. Uncontrolled falls are likely to result in injury to yourself or others.

Climbing beyond your capabilities on any wall is likely to result in a fall. Any fall may result in an injury despite the safety systems in place to avoid it. You must make your own assessment of the risks whenever you climb.

When moving around the centre you must be aware of the location of other climbers and their landing zones and avoid obstructing them. Get into the habit of looking up. Climbers may not always be visible, doorways, arches, corners may obstruct your view. Proceed with caution when moving around the centre.

Conditions of Use

You also have a duty of care to act responsibly towards the other users of the centre. Statements of ‘Good Practice’ are posted around the centre adjacent to relevant facilities. These describe the accepted methods of use and the way customers would normally be expected to behave towards each other

Registering for activities in the centre
It is your responsibility to ensure you have completed the appropriate forms for the activity you wish to undertake. This may be checked by our staff at any time.

Unsupervised Climbing. Before you climb without supervision the centre expects you to be competent in the use of a safety harness, a suitable knot to attach a rope to the harness and a belay device to secure a falling climber or lower a climber from the wall using a rope. You are required to register to say that you know how to use the equipment, that you are prepared to abide by the Rules below and that you understand the risks involved in your participation. Anyone who has not registered is classed as a novice and must not climb without supervision.

Unsupervised climbing is just that! Staff will provide whatever help and advice they can to ensure customer safety, but instruction in the use of equipment or climbing techniques will only be provided where it has been booked and paid for in advance. If you are not confident in the use of any climbing equipment or technique then do not attempt to use it without the supervision of someone who is competent to do so.

Supervised Climbing. An adult who has registered at the centre may supervise up to two novice climbers as long as they are prepared to take full responsibility for the safety of those people. Groups of three or more novices must only be supervised by an instructor holding the relevant Mountain Training NGB qualification, a valid first aid certificate and appropriate insurance.

Supervising climbers. Only climbers with a Roped Climbing Registration can supervise novices climbing; Bouldering Only members may not supervise novices. A maximum of two novices may be supervised at any one time. A novice supervision form must be completed prior to supervising any novice. Novice climbers and their supervisor must report to reception on each visit.

Children. All children in the centre must be supervised by an adult at all times even if they are not climbing, unless they have been assessed by an EICA climbing instructor and registered for unsupervised climbing. For 14 to 17 year olds assessments are available by advanced booking only.

Personal Property. EICA accepts no responsibility for any loss of or damage to customer’s personal property whether they are in lockers or not. Customers are advised that they use the bike park and car park at their own risk.

The Rules

The rules of the climbing centre set out below are not intended to limit your enjoyment of the facilities. They are part of the duty of care that we, as operators, owe to you, the customer. As such they are not negotiable and if you are not prepared to abide by them then the staff will politely ask you to leave.

General Safety

  • Report to reception or scan in, before you climb.
  • Report any problems with the walls, equipment or other climbers’ behaviour to a member of staff immediately.
  • Be aware of the other climbers around you and how your actions affect them.
  • Do not distract people while they are climbing or belaying.
  • Stand well back from the climbing walls unless you are belaying or spotting a climber. Never stand directly under someone who is climbing.

Top Roping

  • Many of the climbs in the centre have top ropes already in place. Do not take them down to use on other routes.
  • Do not use or carry your own “quick draws” or other climbing hardware when climbing in the facility.

Leading

  • When using the lead walls you must supply your own appropriately rated dynamic rope. Do not use the centre’s top ropes for lead climbing.
  • If you make an error clipping e.g. Z clipping, back clipping, do not proceed without correcting the error. This may include climbing to the ground to safely correct the error.
  • You must clip all the runners on the route you are climbing.

Bouldering

  • Always climb within your capabilities and descend by down climbing, jumping or, at the very least, a controlled fall.
  • Never climb directly above or below another climber.
  • ROCK BOOTS MUST BE WORN WHEN CLIMBING






When Climbing

  • The tall walls are designed to be climbed using a rope for protection. Solo climbing is not acceptable on these walls. Always use a rope to protect yourself on these climbs.
  • Always use a safety harness to attach yourself to the rope.
  • Always tie the rope directly into the harness using a suitable climbing knot. Clipping in with a karabiner is not acceptable.
  • Rock shoes must be worn

When Belaying

  • Always use a belay device attached to your safety harness with a locking karabiner. ‘Traditional’ or ‘body’ belaying is not acceptable.
  • The waist level attachment points on the wall are provided to restrain people belaying a climber who is much heavier than they are. Direct belays from the attachment points on the wall are not acceptable.
  • Always pay attention to what the climber is doing.
  • Always stand as close to the climbing wall as is practical. Sitting or lying down is not acceptable.

Autobelays

  • Users must read the guidance notes provided prior to using the autobelay and ask a member of staff for a quick induction. These provide key safety instructions for use.
  • Bouldering Only members may not use the autobelay at all.
  • Novice climbers may not use the autobelay without supervision.
  • No helmets should be worn on the autobelays

Declaration

I certify that to the best of my knowledge, I do not suffer from a medical condition which might have the effect of making it more likely that I be involved in an accident which could result in injury to myself or others.

I also confirm that the above information is correct and if any information changes I will notify the centre.

Loyalty Card

These points can then be converted to free visits, making it even easier to stay active. Please note: the Loyalty Card cannot be used in conjunction with any other Edinburgh Leisure card or membership. Terms and conditions apply, please click here to read them.