Arco Professional Safety Services Training Instructor, Bartek Biela, embarked on a pioneering expedition to Gunung Mulu National Park to support cave work efforts which could potentially lead to future confirmation of its status as the largest cave system in the world by volume.

3D laser scanning was used to measure the volume of sections of the Clearwater Cave system and unveiled a vast connection, almost a kilometre long, leading to a chamber previously believed to be a dead end in earlier expeditions, adding a new layer of mystery to the intricate Mulu cave system. Today, larger passages are harder to find but the systematic approach employed to surveying of the smaller openings allowed the cavers to add hundreds of meters of new data to the master survey.

The three-week expedition, which comprised of 22 dedicated cavers and scientists to survey the caves, undertake scientific research and exploration, has also led to significant findings on the condensation corrosive effects to fabrics and plastics.

Agents that are present in the Mulu caves environment have been found to cause significant degradation of glued seams, stitching and other man-made polymers. These acidic gases are being tested by UK and American cave scientists to establish the causes of significant degradation of glued seams, stitching and other man-made polymers.

Bartek Biela, Training Instructor at Arco Professional Safety Services, commented: “I am immensely grateful to have received the invite call to be part of this amazing opportunity, that would give me a chance to meet and cave with the original explorers of the area, an opportunity that one does not refuse.

This expedition has delivered promising insight into the cave system and important, possibly even groundbreaking scientific research, not to mention the beauty of the underground landscape that I have had a chance to photograph”.

Richard Walters, the Expedition Surveyor said: “Acknowledging the challenging conditions of Mulu, renowned for its punishing environmental factors—extreme heat, humidity, mud, and frequent rainfall—these explorers faced the rigorous task of navigating caves that often require multiple days underground. Despite these barriers, the cavers emerged with compelling results that suggest the Clearwater Cave system may be the largest by volume in the world.”

As part of Arco Professional Safety Services’ sponsorship, the expedition was equipped with eleven tackle bags which proved to be extremely durable in the corrosive environment of the Mulu caves.

 

 

 

Arco Receives Accreditation to Begin Delivering GWO Courses

UK’s Leading Safety Company Receives Accreditation from Global Wind Organisation (GWO) to Deliver Training Courses for Onshore Wind Industry Workers.

Arco Professional Safety Services has been accredited by the Global Wind Organisation to deliver its suite of basic safety training (BST) qualifications at its safety centres in Linlithgow, Scotland, and Stafford, England.

The onshore wind turbine industry is growing sector within the UK energy market and generated around 24% of the country’s electricity in 2020 with Scotland championing the industry where wind alone generated 73% of all renewable electricity output.

The UK currently hosts an estimated 8,600 onshore wind turbines[1] with this capacity expected to double by 2030[2] in order to meet the target of having all of the UK’s energy generated from “clean sources” by 2035. Approximately 39,000 people in the UK undertook GWO courses in 2019 and with more turbines being built every year, the sector continues to grow while the workforce expands.

As a non-profit body founded by leading wind turbine manufacturers and operators, the GWO sets the international standard for training qualifications required by those working in the wind industries across the UK. The objective of the GWO is to support common industry training standards for health and safety that have been developed in cooperation between members of GWO and a variety of other stakeholders from the wind turbine industry.

Arco Professional Safety Services provides training and accreditation for the GWO BST Onshore course package, which includes the GWO Working at Height, GWO Manual Handling, GWO First Aid and GWO Fire Awareness modules. After completing the course, the qualifications are valid for two years before workers need to be recertified.

Steve Dawson, Manager – Working at Height Training at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “As experts in safety, Arco Professional Safety Services is delighted to have received accreditation from the Global Wind Organisation and to be able to offer customers the full suite of onshore BST qualifications.

“In addition to our GWO BST Onshore training offer, Arco, as the UK’s only integrated services and safety products business, is also able to offer additional products and capabilities which other training providers can’t, such as fall protection equipment, rescue equipment, IRATA training (rope access), workwear, respiratory protection services and musculoskeletal disorder management, making Arco the expert safety partner of choice for those businesses and staff working in the wind industry.”

Spaces are available for these courses at Linlithgow Safety Centre, from Tuesday 16^th to Friday 19^th August, and Stafford Safety Centre, from Monday 12 to Thursday 15^th September.

To book your place, visit: www.arcoservices.co.uk/training/course-finder/working-at-height-training/energy-and-renewables

 

Arco Experts Support Longest Cave Rescue in Welsh History

In November 2021, nearly 300 people united to help rescue a man from the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system near Penwyllt, Powys. The caver had fallen, leaving him trapped underground with severe injuries and at the centre of a rescue mission taking three gruelling days. Arco Professional Safety Service’s Equipment Department Manager, Mike Clayton, and Working at Height Training Department Instructor, Bartek Biela, were part of the rescue team as members of the Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation (MCRO).

MCRO is formed from local cavers and mine explorers who voluntarily assist others who may be lost or injured in the caves and mines of the West Midlands, Shropshire and beyond. Team members can be called day or night and undertake training in all aspects of the technical and medical requirements of underground search and rescue. In the case of the Brecon Beacons rescue, MCRO received a request to assist from the South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team to help bring the injured man through miles of passages to safety. As members of MCRO, Mike and Bartek were part of the response.

The 53-hour rescue demanded physical and mental strength and the right equipment techniques and teamwork. Arco Professional Safety Services sponsors MCRO’s training at its facility in Eccleshall every year, to provide the organisation’s members with realistic, practical training that simulates real-life hazards in a controlled environment. The Eccleshall site, equipped with five classrooms, offers facilities for confined spaces and working from height training. MRCO is reliant on the generosity of donors to operate and, ultimately, work to put skills into practice in a rescue scenario.

All MRCO members must have proven caving experience, whether through work, a club or as a member of the British Caving Association. At Arco Professional Safety Services, Bartek specialises in working at height and bespoke rescue training. These skills were put to immediate use during his first, 10-hour long, underground shift involving assisting with stretcher carrying and elements of rope work.

Bartek explains: “Part of my day-to-day role is teaching others how to safely access and recover casualty in an emergency access situation. Outside of work, my caving hobby started with a passion for exploring environments unlike anything that can be experienced above ground. Having this background and an understanding employer who allows us to go out to volunteer in these kinds of critical missions, means that we have the opportunity to take our work ethos of making the world a safer place to our personal life.”

Mike was tasked with rescue rigging, involving installing ropes and lowering systems to get the stretcher down safely. At Arco Professional Safety Services, Mike looks after the equipment department and advises on working at height and rescue techniques. Mike, comments: “Industrial rope access techniques were born from the sports of caving and climbing. This means a lot of the equipment is the same in industry and rescue, helping me to keep people safer at work and underground.”

Arco Professional Safety Services provide consultancy, training, services and equipment to manage the most complex and high-risk, high-hazard scenarios. Specialising in working at height, confined spaces and respiratory management, expert knowledge and experience mean the team can deliver solutions for situations with the highest risk of serious injury or irreversible damage to health.

For more information about the range of products and services provided by Arco Professional Safety Services, visit www.arcoservices.co.uk.

Photo caption: Image is for representation purposes only (cave rescue training exercise)

REQUEST FOR INSPECTION FOR ROLLNLOCK

 

PLease click on image for PDF intructions on what to do

 

On Her Majesty’s Safety Service

• Arco Professional Safety Services delivers secret agent to London – safely
• Arco Professional Safety Services behind the dramatic stunt at the London Eye
   

Dressed in tuxedo and bowtie, Steve Dawson from Arco Professional Safety Services was pictured climbing a ladder below one of the pods on the Lastminute.com London Eye yesterday morning, ahead of the film premiere of Britain’s most famous secret agent at the Royal Albert Hall.
 

As experts in safety and working at height, Arco Professional Safety Services provides consultancy, training, services and equipment to manage the most complex and high-risk, high-hazard scenarios, making the team perfectly placed to undertake this stunt at one of London’s most recognisable and iconic landmarks.

Steve Dawson, Work at Height Training Manager at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “It’s been a real privilege for Arco, as the UK’s leading safety company, to partner with the team at the London Eye to deliver this exciting event, safely.

“Working at height is what we are trained to do and to demonstrate our skill and expertise, working with the lastminute.com London Eye, is testament to the trust that the organisers have put in us.”

Essex County Council has been fined after a novice climber plunged seven and a half metres from an indoor rock face at a climbing centre in Harlow.

The 15 year-old girl, from Ware was taking part in her fifth climbing club session at the Harlow Centre for Outdoor Learning on 8 March, 2014 when the incident took place.

She was climbing on the indoor climbing wall whist being belayed by an eight year-old, who had only attended three previous climbing club sessions.

On the day of the incident the eight year-old was using a certain belay device, for the first time.

The climber lost her footing on the wall, but her younger belayer was unable to control her fall. She plummeted 7.5 metres onto the floor below.

She suffered bruised internal organs, back and neck, as well as deep muscle tissue damage. She continues to suffer on-going pain from her injuries, and continues to need physiotherapy.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the instructor was not competent to run this type of progressive climbing club session, as she did not have the required climbing training and site-specific assessment.

Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard the instructor allowed the belaying to take place without use of an additional back-up belayer and without direct supervision from the instructor.

There had been no use of a ground anchor or sand bag to counter the significant weight difference between the climber and belayer, and no application of safety knots to prevent the climber from falling to the ground.

Essex County Council, operating as Essex Outdoors, was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £2,599 in costs, and a victim surcharge of £120 for breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974.

Outside the court, HSE Inspector Glyn Davies, said: “These young, inexperienced climbers receiving climbing instruction during their weekend climbing club sessions were a very vulnerable group, completely reliant for their safety on the competence of their climbing instructor, and the adequacy of the centre’s safety management system.”

“Climbing activity sessions should be an enjoyable and challenging experience for young people, but activity providers must ensure their activity sessions remain safe as far as is reasonably practicable.”

“In this unfortunate case these vulnerable young climbers were let down by Essex County Council in that the competence level of the instructor selected to supervise on the day was completely inadequate to safely run this type of progressive climbing club session.”

“In HSE’s opinion it was foreseeable that an accident of this type could occur. The resulting injury from such a 7.5m fall could have been much worse.”

Notes to Editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety
3. Further HSE news releases are available at www.hse.gov.uk/press

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At totalaccessonline.co.uk we our online shop we have a wide range of sporting harnesses for all ages.

 

 

For any advice on the right harness for you, please call us on:

01785 85033

 

 

 

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During the 2014 Outdoor Retailer Summer Show, Liberty Mountain Climbing hosted the North American unveiling of Singing Rock’s new line of climbing harnesses for Spring/Summer 2015.

Heres what they had to say……..

The new line of Singing Rock harnesses look good, feel great, and perform exceptionally. The new design and construction of these harnesses deliver better ergonomics and comfort, while also incorporating Singing Rock’s proprietary Rock&Lock buckles and B.M.I. (Body Mass Index) system.

Variable width webbing is used in the leg loops and waist belt for maximum comfort and keeping the weight down. The padding around the harness provides a soft feel that does not irritate and does an excellent job at wicking away moisture.

Each Singing Rock harness is designed with needed features for it’s respective style of climbing.
 

Singing Rock Onyx
The Singing Rock Onyx is a high-end sport climbing harness that provides maximum comfort and freedom of movement while slimming down the features to keep things light: One Rock&Lock waist buckle, flexible leg loops, narrow webbing and belay loop, and four articulated gear loops.

Singing Rock Pearl
The Singing Rock Pearl is an all-around harness specially made to fit the female body with a specially shaped waist belt and a longer belay loop. The Pearl is equipped with one Rock&Lock buckle on the waist belt and one on each leg loop. Narrow webbing and belay loop keep the weight down and the four articulated gear loops make it easy to rack all the gear.

Singing Rock Garnet

The Singing Rock Garnet is an all-around harness with adjustable leg loops. The Garnet is equipped with one Rock&Lock buckle on the waist belt and one on each leg loop, one rear haul loop, two porter slots for racking ice screws, and four articulated gear loops.

Singing Rock Spinel

The Signing Rock Spinel is a fully adjustable harness, ideal for mountaineering and winter climbing. With two Rock&Lock buckles on the waist belt and one on each leg loop, this harness will provide a proper fit even after you layer on your warm clothing. The Spinel is also equipped with one rear haul loop, two porter slots for racking ice screws, and four articulated gear loops.

Singing Rock Dome

The Singing Rock Dome is the ultimate big wall harness, designed with essential aid climbing features. Even with all its features and robustness, the Dome is still very lightweight. The Dome’s wider and ergonomically shaped waist belt and leg loops offer maximum support and comfort during a long day on the wall. The waist belt is equipped with rugged material on the outside to better withstand abrasion. This harness is fully adjustable for a proper fit with two buckles on the waist belt and one on each leg loop. The Dome is equipped with the following features: seven braided gear loops, rear haul loop, two color distinctive belay loops, two porter slots, and detachable rear elastic straps.

Singing Rock Aladdin Plus

The Singing Rock Aladdin Plus takes the popular Aladdin chest harness and adds comfortable padding with extra gear loops. The Aladdin Plus provides more comfort, optimizes body position, and reduces pressure to the upper body. The Aladdin Plus has five gear loops with the two largest being adjustable.

Singing Rock Penta
In addition to a new line of harnesses, Singing Rock is also introducing a new hybrid helmet called the Singing Rock Penta. The Penta provided extremely lightweight, super-comfortable, and fully ventilated head protection. With a co-molded expanded polystyrene foam inside and a hard polycarbonate shell, the Penta offers four headlamp clips, 11 vents and air channels, and a soft webbing harness system that conforms better to the head and provides compact storage in the backpack.

 

 

More about Singing Rock
Located in the heart of the Czech Republic, surrounded by towering sandstone pillars that only the very brave and tenacious locals dare to climb in the traditional Czech style, Singing Rock began. It is there in the unique Bohemian Paradise where Singing Rock products are designed, tested and manufactured in a world-class facility. Designed and built by climbers who are passionate about design and safety. Singing Rock continually refines it’s harnesses and other climbing equipment to build the best gear possible.

More about Liberty Mountain
Liberty Mountain offers outdoor retailers a great selection of products, quick online ordering, easy-to-use catalogs, excellent customer service, dependable same day shipping, and high in-stock rates from both its Utah and Pennsylvania warehouses.

 

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Sir Chris Bonington and colleague Leo Houlding before tackling the Old Man of Hoy

 

The UK's most famous mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington has successfully climbed the Old Man of Hoy 48 years after his first ascent.

Sir Chris tackled the iconic sea stack off the north coast of Scotland to mark his 80th birthday.

He also hopes to raise awareness and funds for motor neurone disease (MND) charities in memory of his wife Wendy, who died of the condition last month.

Before setting off, Sir Chris admitted he was "apprehensive" about the climb.

He said: "I'm apprehensive having reached the age of 80 and having had all too little climbing in recent months because of my wife's illness."

Sir Chris was joined on the challenge by friend and fellow climber Leo Houlding.

Leo said before the start: "Weather's looking alright. Sir Old Man on Hoy, here we go!"

The pair, who are both members of the Berghaus team of athletes, completed their ascent just before 17:00.

Matt Hickman, of Berghaus, tweeted: "Chris and Leo are on the top now!"

He had earlier said: "Chris is commenting that he isn't as flexible as the last time he did it!"

Sir Chris, who climbed Mount Everest in 1985, made the first ascent of the 449ft Old Man of Hoy in 1966.

He and colleague Tom Patey returned the following year and were part of the famous three-night live TV broadcast, The Great Climb.

(SOURCE)

 

(SOURCE)

 

For great climbing and outdoor equipment and wonderful deals head to our online shop: www.totalaccessonline.co.uk

 

 

 

The BBC's Mariko Oi says it could be days before the trapped man sees daylight.

A team is trying to rescue a 52-year-old man injured in a rock fall in a 1,000m-deep (3,280ft) cave in Germany, in an operation that could take days.

The Riesending cave is Germany's deepest and it took one of the man's companions up to 12 hours to return to the surface to raise the alarm.

Some 200 people are involved in the operation, near Berchtesgaden in southern Germany.

The first rescuers reached the man in the vertical cave on Monday.

A second group, including an Austrian doctor used to cave rescues, descended some hours later, Bavarian public TV said. Another team from Switzerland was also reported to be on its way.

Stefan Schneider, Bavarian Mountain Rescue Service, explains the challenges

The man, who was with two companions on a Whitsun-holiday trip in the Untersberg mountain range, suffered injuries to his head and torso in the rock fall in the early hours of Sunday. Although he was wearing headgear, it was unable to protect him from the weight of the rock.

"He is responsive but he's not doing well," an official told Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The man was one of the researchers who discovered the cave a few years ago, German media report.

While one of his companions went to seek help, the other stayed with him. He is said to be from the Stuttgart area although authorities have not released his name.

The entrance was found in 1995, but it is only in the past dozen years that explorers have begun investigating the cave system, which is said to be full of ravines and vertical shafts.

The complex nature of the cave system, as well as its depth, is making the operation even more hazardous, officials say.

"We have shafts that go straight down 350m (1,150 ft), where you have to abseil down and climb back up on a rope," Klemens Reindl told German TV.

Bavaria's Riesending caves

A team from Switzerland was due to join the operation and an Italian team was also on standby

• Deepest and longest cave system in Germany – 19,2km long and 1,148m deep
• Narrow tunnels reached only by abseiling down 300m
• Lies on Austrian border, north of Berchtesgaden
• Injured researcher reportedly helped discover caves in 1995
• Mapping of cave system began in 2002

The initial aim was for alpine experts to set up a base station at a depth of 300m and then establish communications with the rescue team.

Stefan Schneider from Bavaria's mountain rescue said bringing up the injured climber would be even harder than reaching him had been: "You have to imagine it's 1,000m almost vertically, where you have to climb up with ropes and crampons."

Very few specialists were equipped to deal with such depths, he added.

Some 200 people were involved in the rescue operation near Berchtesgaden

The cave is said to have a labyrinth of ravines and vertical shafts.

Rope Access is an important technique in situations like this, it can be the quickest and safest way to rescue. Rope access training ensures that workers are fit to climb and perform rescues in a safe working environment. Total Access (UK) Ltd carry out rope access training to IRATA guidelines and have numerous IRATA instructors training to a high standard.

For more information about our training course or to find out about our Rope Access Kit contact us on 01785 850333 or training@totalccess.co.uk or sales@totalaccess.co.uk

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