The ski season is truly deep into the snow or in some places not at all and drying up.
With the half term exodus of ski travellers, I found myself in the melee of bodies and suitcases heading towards the Alps at 3am for a 6am flight to Switzerland. Followed by a 6 hour stint on several trains through the Swiss countryside and into Austria where there appeared to be some snow in the largest ski valley in the world. Or at least that is what I was told. To spice the holiday up a bit, my 16 and 18 year old boys faithfully accompanied me into the not so unknown territory of Swiss trains and Austrians mountains. Apart from the long journey to get there which should have been the first indicator of what was to come later in the week we had a lovely journey with all scheduled transit and travel sections. Travelling with children can be a challenge and going on holiday is definitely easier with older children but there are hazards everywhere we go and this is what raised the safety factor thought for me during this week. So many questions and considerations which we think should be common sense, yet I came to realise that as boys get older their desire for adventure escalates and what better place to test their wanderlust than on the ski slopes. Now this would be a standard risk assessment for any assessor and as a professional health and safety practitioner it should be easy right? Not quite! The complications in this constant dynamic risk assessing while two planks were strapped onto my feet in uncomfortable boots, were that it was just me and no other adult. Single parenthood has several challenges indeed. Having a fast 16 year old 6 foot plus skier and an 18 year old 6 foot plus snowboarder compounded the complexity. Sticking to the slopes helped on the first day but the weather and increased slope users started to have a significant impact on the snow conditions, traffic and mogul formation. This presented me with a difficult decision. Stay on the slopes and try and use moguls at my peril with two rather eager teenagers bursting with testosterone and try to avoid ski schools worming down ice and slushy blue and red slopes or take evasive action? The process of considering the clear hazards and resulting risk levels on the slopes with alternative ski options meant I had to explain dynamic risk assessing to my teenagers and that going off-piste may be an option. Although the problem was that our insurance did not cover off-piste skiing. Unfortunately there is very little explanation that you can present to insurers about off-piste areas and all the different hazards that it presents. In this case, the slopes were a much bigger hazard to users "sticking" to the rules and parameters of their terms and conditions. In effect a check mate dear consumer. Either way you are in danger no mater what. On that scale and determination it was clear that going off-piste was a much better and safer option for many reasons. More undisturbed snow that can cushion a fall, and no one that can crash into you and reduced collision likelihood. Leaving one clear retained risk in hidden obstacles and immovable objects like rocks and cliffs to negotiate. Following existing ski tracks and speaking to others who we allowed to go ahead calmed some nerves and boosted confidence that the routes are in fact sensible. Great fun was had and some spectacular runs and a few slips which solidified the holiday. Explaining the risk assessing process was critical in my communication, which served as a Slope Assessment Toolbox talk for my boys. Stop, Look, Think and then Do which paired with the ever faithful ISO methodology of Plan, Do, Check and Act served as a valuable life lesson which I am confident they will carry and apply for life. It is such a simple process which applied in this setting showed that you can retain risk and that just because a slope is groomed at night and pristine in the morning by no means will be the same after lunch. A dynamic environment needs dynamic assessing and you need to have the know how and sense to identify when a situation and environment is not worth the risk. The countless number of skidoo's with blue lights we heard going up the slopes was testament to this, especially in the afternoon which unfortunately culminated in helicopter evacuations next to a Snow Park with jumps. Witnessing this made me realise that there is a significant element of retained risk in skiing. So many young people and families go skiing and have no idea about the rules and practises for safe skiing. This must be explained to young people to help them plan for the slopes. Local children and where skiing is a general recreational activity it is part of their culture and thus implemented as common sense. Visitors do not have this understanding and rules of slope use at hand. It is also not even provided by ski instructors with a foreign accent to visitors. Ski resorts can do a lot more to educate skiers and boarders on slope etiquette and safety which will prevent a lot of incidents. Right of way and speed control being essential elements. There are always several signs warning of avalanche risks, closed slopes, slowing down near intersections and lift gates, no entry zones and piste-bully operating times. These are in different languages with pictograms and signals in many cases. The biggest control measure is slope classification which many skiers do not quite understand as they are not exposed to it frequently. Green and blue is simple, red can be a challenge and black crazy. However this is just a guide and must be a dynamic assessment mixed with self awareness and honesty about proficiency and ability. Unfortunately something that can go out the window and into the woods very quickly when young people, egos and peer pressure are thrown together. We had a great week and I learned a lot about myself and how my profession is woven into everything we do. Managing the desires of teenagers and pushing their boundaries with safety in mind is difficult. Where is the risk taking lessons they need to learn when it is done for them and controlled? By educating them on the principles and letting them make the decisions and applying those controls. This creates a safer environment to express themselves and take risks, even if it means I had to follow them from a distance and in some cases sacrifice myself by going down a valley first. Leading by example and then passing on the knowledge for the joy of conquering off-piste skiing. Chris Pieters February 2024 Zillertal Valley, Tirol, Austria
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AuthorChris Pieters is a Health, Safety and Fire Professional promoting general life and business safety. ArchivesCategories |