Promotion and development of the UIAA Safety Label has been at the forefront of the agenda for the UIAA over recent weeks with several important meetings and conferences held in Asia.
Represented by Safety Commission President Amit Chowdhury and Safety Label Administrator Stephanie Stettbacher, the UIAA attended ISPO Beijing – the leading multi-sports exhibition in Asia uniting leading market players, concentrated know-how, pioneering innovations and business solutions.
At this prominent tradeshow, the UIAA took the opportunity to enjoy constructive exchanges with both existing and potential UIAA Safety Label holders. During a dedicated session at the conference, Amit Chowdhury (left) gave a presentation to an audience of Asian climbers and manufacturers on the importance of the UIAA’s Safety Standards and the fundamental role of the global UIAA Safety Label, as the premiere international certificate for climbing and mountaineering equipment.
Chowdhury specifically addressed why climbers and mountaineers should look for the UIAA Safety Label when they assess and purchase equipment. He later provided an overview of the UIAA Safety Standards whose continued development demonstrate the commitment of the UIAA to ensure Standards evolve with the ever-changing demands of the climbing world and more importantly help minimise accidents caused by equipment failure or unsafe design. The UIAA will attend the 2019 edition of ISPO Beijing where organisers have expressed their interest in providing more opportunities for UIAA experts to speak on climbing and mountaineering subjects and potentially for the installation of an ice climbing tower to dually showcase both the sport and mountain safety with participants required to use equipment certified by the UIAA Safety Label.
Ahead of attending ISPO Beijing, Chowdhury and Stettbacher met with representatives of one of two officially accredited UIAA laboratories in China. OTC Jiangsu Zhongheng Testing Co. Ltd became an official tester of UIAA Safety Standards in 2017.
Located just outside of one of the world’s largest cities in Shanghai, OTC Jiangsu Zhongheng Testing Co. Ltd tests a number of UIAA Standards namely UIAA 102 Accessory Cord, UIAA 103 Tape, UIAA 104 Slings, UIAA 121 Connectors and UIAA 126 Rope Clamps.
OTC Jiangsu Zhongheng Testing Co. Ltd have become a key partner in supporting the UIAA’s desire to promote its Safety Standards to manufacturers and climbers in China working together to explain both why climbers should use certified UIAA equipment and the importance for manufacturers to have their equipment tested.
The UIAA’s first accredited laboratory in China is the GS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd, in Guangzhou where Standard 106 Helmets is tested.
Further Details:
UIAA Safety Label
UIAA Safety Standards
Accredited Laboratories
ISPO Beijing
