Equipment Safety Management

Equipment Safety

The equipment used as part of your business activities must be appropriate for the activity and maintained in good condition. Equipment failure is a significant cause of incidents in outdoor recreation — systematic management prevents it.

Equipment Selection

When selecting equipment:

• Choose equipment rated and certified for the specific activity and loads involved
• Follow manufacturer specifications for maximum load, environmental conditions, and use cases
• Prefer equipment certified to recognised standards (CE, UIAA, AS/NZS as applicable)
• Document why you selected specific equipment for each activity

Pre-Use Inspection

Before every use:

• Conduct a visual and functional inspection following manufacturer guidelines
• Check for signs of wear, UV degradation, chemical contamination, or impact damage
• Ensure all connections, buckles, and locking mechanisms function correctly
• Record the inspection in your equipment log

Maintenance and Servicing

• Follow manufacturer-specified service intervals
• Keep a maintenance log for all equipment
• Service must be conducted by competent persons — either trained staff or authorised service centres
• Do not use equipment outside its service interval

Retirement Criteria

Equipment must be retired when:

• It reaches its manufacturer-specified maximum lifespan
• It has been subject to a significant load or impact event (even if no damage is visible)
• It fails inspection criteria
• It cannot be traced to a known manufacturing date or batch

Tip: Mark retired equipment clearly (e.g. cut harness webbing) to prevent accidental return to service.

Record-Keeping

Maintain an equipment register that records:

• Description and serial/batch number
• Purchase date and manufacturer lifespan
• Service history
• Inspection records
• Retirement date and reason