CWI Climbing Wall Safety & Equipment 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a 'dry-treatment' coating on a climbing rope?
- To make the rope more visible in low-light conditions
- To reduce water absorption and maintain performance in wet conditions (Correct answer)
- To increase the rope's impact force rating
- To add abrasion resistance for outdoor use
Correct answer: To reduce water absorption and maintain performance in wet conditions
Dry-treatment coatings repel water, preventing a rope from becoming waterlogged, which would significantly reduce its performance and increase its weight.
Question 2: Which of the following describes a 'ground fall' in indoor climbing?
- Any fall where the climber contacts the padded floor
- A fall where the climber reaches the ground due to insufficient rope or anchor height (Correct answer)
- A fall occurring within 10 feet of the ground
- Any fall at an angle greater than 45 degrees from vertical
Correct answer: A fall where the climber reaches the ground due to insufficient rope or anchor height
A ground fall specifically means the climber falls far enough to hit the floor, typically due to inadequate anchor height or too much slack in the system.
Question 3: A locking carabiner should always be checked to ensure it is:
- Oriented with the gate facing away from the anchor
- Closed and locked before applying any load (Correct answer)
- Visually inspected only when new equipment is received
- Rated to a minimum of 15 kN in all directions
Correct answer: Closed and locked before applying any load
An unlocked carabiner can open under load or by contact with the wall, and all locking carabiners must be verified closed and locked before use.
Question 4: When teaching a beginner to belay, which error is the most immediately dangerous?
- Holding the brake hand slightly above waist level
- Removing the brake hand from the rope to feed slack (Correct answer)
- Feeding slack too slowly during a lead climb
- Standing too close to the wall while belaying
Correct answer: Removing the brake hand from the rope to feed slack
Removing the brake hand from the rope eliminates the ability to arrest a fall and is the most critical and dangerous belay error.
Question 5: What does EN 12572 govern?
- The design and safety requirements for artificial climbing structures (Correct answer)
- The certification requirements for climbing instructors in Europe
- The specifications for climbing ropes sold in the EU
- The age requirements for youth climbing programs
Correct answer: The design and safety requirements for artificial climbing structures
EN 12572 is the European standard that sets safety and structural requirements for artificial climbing walls.
Question 6: A student climber reports that their harness buckle 'clicked' but the webbing end did not fold back through as required. The instructor should:
- Allow climbing since the click confirms the buckle is secure
- Have the student rethread the buckle correctly before climbing (Correct answer)
- Tape over the buckle and monitor throughout the session
- Replace the harness with a newer model that uses a pre-threaded buckle
Correct answer: Have the student rethread the buckle correctly before climbing
A double-back buckle must have the webbing threaded back through to be secure; a click alone does not guarantee proper buckle function.
Question 7: The 'impact force' rating printed on a climbing rope refers to:
- The maximum load the rope can hold before breaking
- The peak force transmitted to the climber during a standard UIAA test fall (Correct answer)
- The force required to stretch the rope to its maximum elongation
- The weight the rope can support in a static hang
Correct answer: The peak force transmitted to the climber during a standard UIAA test fall
Impact force is the peak force experienced by a 80kg test mass during a UIAA standard fall; lower values indicate a softer catch for the climber.
CWI Climbing Wall Safety & Equipment 4
What is the purpose of a 'dry-treatment' coating on a climbing rope?