First braking devices receive Safety Label

Petzl’s GriGri2 and four pieces of equipment from Black Diamond have become the first braking devices to be certified by the UIAA and can now bear the UIAA Safety Label – the only certification for braking devices worldwide. The Black Diamond devices are: ATC, ATC-Guide, ATC-XP,...

Russia has its first UIAA-certified climbing instructors

In the following report, Anna Stolbova of the Russian Mountaineering Federation (RMF) describes the successful conclusion of the first UIAA-certified course for Russian climbing instructors: Nine candidates successfully completed the training course on Rock Climbing Instructor programme which took place in the Mountaineering Camp Bezengi in the Caucasus region in...

Safety Label Holders reduce carbon footprint

Many UIAA Safety Label Holders are increasing efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their manufacturing processes. Three companies, Grivel, Beal and Mammut, tell the UIAA about their initiatives and why these efforts not only protect the environment but also make good business sense. “Respecting the planet should be logical for outdoor industry...

Safety standards meeting focuses on lab testing and marine anchors

The UIAA Safety Commission has held its annual plenary session from June 2 to 4 in Longarone, Italy. The expert panel, which develops the safety standards for equipment recognized by climbers around the world, discussed the extent which approved testing facilities can subcontract their work as well as...

Safety standard for braking devices published

The UIAA Safety Commission has published the first-ever safety standard for braking devices. It lays out performance parameters and testing procedures for belaying and abseiling devices. The purpose of the new standard is to give climbers and mountaineers confidence that these critical pieces of gear meet...

First-ever safety standard for braking devices

For the first time, the UIAA has developed a series of tests for braking devices designed to give climbers and mountaineers confidence that these critical pieces of gear meet the federation’s strict safety criteria. The UIAA Safety Commission adopted a draft of the first-ever safety standard...

Standards update put high on Safety meeting agenda

The UIAA Safety Commission has set its agenda for a key meeting of producers and testers of climbing equipment in the United States town of Golden, Colorado. The annual Plenary Session of the UIAA Safety Label will take place from May 27-29. UIAA Safety Label holders...

Pit Schubert honoured for lifetime contributions to safety

Engineer and mountaineer Pit Schubert has been elected the UIAA's latest honorary member, in thanks for his extensive work on making the sport safer. The German climber played a major role in establishing the UIAA Safety Label standards for mountaineering equipment. From 1973 until 2004, Schubert...

Safety label is expanding

The UIAA is developing a new safety standard for abseiling and belaying devices which will be published in 2009. More than 15 manufacturers of braking devices were present at the UIAA Safety Commission Meeting in Prague from September 22-26, where decisions were made on the testing...

Manufacturer co-operation focus of Safety Commission meeting

A revision of existing standards and the introduction of new ones as well as improving co-operation with manufacturers top the agenda of the UIAA Safety Commission meeting taking place in Prague from September 23-27. In the run-up to the meeting in the Czech capital, many manufacturers...