BMC launch Incident and Near-miss Reporting System

© BMC

The British Mountaineering Council has launched an incident and near-miss reporting system for climbers, hillwalkers and mountaineers in partnership with Mountaineering Scotland and Mountaineering Ireland. The system is the brainchild of BMC volunteer Pete Callaghan, who decided that a database of accidents could help to educate others after being involved in an avalanche on Helvellyn in January 2018.

The BMC's new Incident and Near-miss reporting system.  © BMC
The BMC's new Incident and Near-miss reporting system.
© BMC

An online form enables those who wish to share an incident or near-miss at the wall, in the hills or in the mountains to provide the details of their experience. The entries are checked before being uploaded to a free-to-view database. In April 2020, the findings from the first trial year of reports will be analysed for any emerging trends in the accidents reported.

The forms take into account the location and type of incident, along with any injuries involved and lessons learned.

The system has been developed by BMC volunteer Pete Callaghan, BMC member Louie Smith, and BMC staff Jon Garside, Dan Middleton and Elfyn Jones.


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16 Apr, 2019

Excellent news, a long time coming. I hope the results will be accessible so we can all benefit from the occasional thoughtful read and review what we do. Thanks Pete

16 Apr, 2019

Although this will probably become a very good resource for those to educate and to learn from, I wonder if climbing wall insurance and the like will see a price hike from insurers or even the slow decline of lead climbing walls as seems to be happening in America.

16 Apr, 2019

Have you clicked the links? There are already quite a number of well-written reports available to view. https://www.incidents.thebmc.co.uk/responses

I've only glanced through a few but I've already been reminded of some important things to think about.

As you say, great work by the BMC!

16 Apr, 2019

can you expand on the decline of lead walls in the US? I'm intrigued, what have you seen or heard?

16 Apr, 2019

Brilliant Idea. Could a fifth column be added to the table to summarise the outcome please? It would help searching through the growing list of results a lot I feel.

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