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THE MANAGEMENT OF RISK IN THE WINTER ENVIRONMENT

Capt (MAA) R Reid RAPTC

R
ather than bore you all with the facts of Adventurous Training will primarily cover the day’s activities. It is chaired in a businesslike
and the array of courses delivered at Ballachulish, I would manner, following an agenda to ensure all areas for discussion are
like to take this opportunity to pass on my own thoughts
covered. Time is often short and as such, hold back on all things
regarding the management of risk associated to the winter that are not associated with training, if there is time left at the end,

environment.
then that is the opportunity to speak about “niff naff and trivia”, but
never allow AOB to override the importance of the daily training
If you ind yourself in charge or in my case in Command and meeting.
things goes wrong, for example a training accident, then the buck

irmly stops at your door. When we refer to a training accident Prior to any meeting, it should be expected that your instructors
the seriousness is measured within a broad spectrum from minor have already decided where they are going and what they will be
up to very serious or even fatal. The potential seriousness of doing for that day; this process would have started the evening
training conducted in the winter environment is immeasurable before. Instructors should be following the weather, observing the

and it is the responsibility of the person who commands to be avalanche risk, searching the www to see what other people have
aware of the associated risks for all training that takes place been doing on the hill and checking out the conditions for speciic
from that establishment. It would be wrong to assume that any areas and routes; it is a continuous process. This individually
individual authorising/signing off the daily risk assessment is gathered information is invaluable when staff come together and
wholly responsible, they will have the appropriate input, however it talk. Whether it is discussing the day before in respect of conditions

is important to always remember that although a risk assessment and observations from the hill, what aspects are loaded and
may be authorised by someone under your command, they are what effect the wind has had on the snow, cumulatively it allows
still signing on your behalf. Therefore it is essential that you are instructors to be armed with important, invaluable information. For
always involved, aware and have the moral courage to direct the those who are maybe new arrivals or temporary staff, make them

what, where and why questions to your instructors whose remit is aware of the history of the weather and snowpack; it’s important
to deliver training under your command.
that we share the knowledge.

For the beneit of the environment I will skip the detail of some When discussing the weather, note the salient points only, such

major headings such as; JSP 375, Standard Operating Procedures as the wind speed, direction, freezing levels, and cloud base.
(SOPs), generic risk assessments, moderations, staff training and There are number of useful reference points for the weather that
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) when assessing risk. I recommend; MWIS, Met Ofice Mountain Weather, Met Ofice
Here at Ballachulish it starts with the daily training meeting which
Leisure Forecast and the Scottish Ski Resorts. Discuss the

A really good Scottish Day