ACCIDENT DATA REPORTING

A network of
worldwide systems

A number of UIAA member federations have established systems to collect data about accidents. Their approaches vary, from gathering of individuals stories for publication, through data collection by online reporting forms to general statistics compiled by the rescue services. Some efforts are community-driven, some organised by climbing federations, and some by public services. Altogether a substantial amount of data is being collected and often put to good use for the benefit of climbing safety, but there is no uniform way of doing it. The UIAA has brought together data and knowledge from the national systems that exist, and created an international database.

The UIAA Project

This initial version of the database compiles information about existing, national systems and processes for accident and incident reporting relating to climbing and mountaineering. This work serves two purposes. One is to learn about the capabilities of the existing systems, what data they are able to provide, how the data is being used to support climbing safety, their success factors as well as the barriers and obstacles faced in collecting the data. Based on this information the Working Group will proceed to develop recommendations on best practices in accident reporting, and ideally also standards to facilitate data exchange and data comparison between systems.

The Databases

The repository of worldwide accident and near miss reporting systems are detailed below.

Please note data is correct as of October 2025 and will be subject to regular checks and updates.

The map version offers information about the systems themselves as well as contact details. The list from below provides direct links to the systems.

Accidents in North American Climbing

United States • American Alpine Club

Alpine Unfallstatistik

Austria • Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS)

Australian Climbing Accident Register

Australia • Australian Climbing

Bergnotfallstatistik

Switzerland • Swiss Alpine Club

Bergunfallstatistik

Germany • German Alpine Club / Deutsche Alpenverein (DAV)

BMC Incident Reporting

United Kingdom • British Mountaineering Council

Camptocamp / SERAC

France • Camptocamp

Grupa Ratownictwa Jaskiniowego

Poland • Polish Cave Rescue Group

Incidence rate for climbing and bouldering

Netherlands • Stichting Veiligheid Klimsport – SVK

ISA Accident Reporting

International • International Slackline Association

JMSCA Accident Reporting

Japan • JMSCA, Japan Mountaineering & Sport Climbing Association

Klätterförbundet Rapportera Incidenter

Sweden • Swedish Climbing Federation

Kletterhallen-Unfallstatistik

Germany • German Alpine Club / Deutsche Alpenverein (DAV)

Klim- en bergsportongevallen

Belgium • Belgium, Flemish Climbing Federation

Klimongevallen

Netherlands • Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (NKBV)

NZAC Reporting

New Zealand • New Zealand Alpine Club

S.A. Mountain Accidents Database

South Africa • Mountain Club of South Africa

Ulykkesdatabase

Norway • Norwegian Climbing Federation

Ulykkesrapportering

Denmark • Danish Climbing Federation

Country	Database Owner	Database Name & Description	Website
United States	American Alpine Club	Accidents in North American Climbing Language: English Scope: Climbing and mountaineering (general), incl. ski mountaineering Analyses/Purpose: Detailed analyses of selected accidents each year with the goal to help climbers avoid similar mistakes. UIAA description: Published annually since 1948 by the American Alpine Club. Contains detailed reports of climbing accidents across North America. Reporting Results: Annual Publication: http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/about_the_accidents	Visit Website
Austria	Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS)	Alpine Unfallstatistik Language: German Scope: All mountain sports Analyses/Purpose: The evaluations of the alpine accident database of the ÖKAS and the Alpine Police reflect the accidents in Austria’s mountains, and also developments and trends in mountain sports. Figures, data, facts are the basis for sound accident research and prevention work. UIAA description: Every year, more than 8,000 alpine accidents are recorded by the Alpine Police (BMI) in Austria in the common database. The database records all alpine accidents in which the Alpine Police is involved. Fatal accidents are recorded without gaps. In addition, all reported events in the alpine terrain, regardless of the degree of injury, are recorded. Reporting Results: Statistics, analyses, yearly reports https://alpinesicherheit.at/unfallforschung/alpine-unfallstatistik/	Visit Website
Australia	Australian Climbing	Australian Climbing Accident Register Language: English Scope: Climbing (general), highlining, caving, canyoning Analyses/Purpose: A volunteer-only, newly established project to promote open discussion of incidents and near miss events in recreational climbing in Australia. Submissions are elicited from recreational rock climbers within Australia. UIAA description: Public data: https://rockclimbingaccidents.com.au/database#accident-database/	Visit Website
Switzerland	Swiss Alpine Club	Bergnotfallstatistik Language: French, German Scope: Mountain sports Analyses/Purpose: Comprehensive monitoring of mountain emergencies in the Swiss Alps, allowing long term statistical trends to be identified and shared. UIAA description: Detailed annual statistical analysis of mountain emergencies in Switzerland. Reporting Results: Annual reports: https://www.sac-cas.ch/de/ausbildung-und-sicherheit/sicher-unterwegs/bergnotfallstatistik/	Visit Website
Germany	German Alpine Club / Deutsche Alpenverein (DAV)	Bergunfallstatistik Language: German Scope: Climbing and mountaineering (general) Analyses/Purpose: Investigate the accident incidence in mountain sports, their causes and characteristics. UIAA description: The German Alpine Club (DAV) has been publishing mountain accident statistics since 1952. Every two years an extensive report on two seasons is published. The data basis is exclusively accidents of DAV members. The data feeds into research and education, and the safety research of the DAV tries to spread sufficient know-how so that mountain athletes can act independently, situation-specifically and risk-consciously. Reporting Results: Yearly statistics reports: https://www.alpenverein.de/verband/bergsport/sicherheitsforschung/bergunfallstatistik	Visit Website
United Kingdom	British Mountaineering Council	BMC Incident Reporting Language: English Scope: TBC Analyses/Purpose: To improve safety by encouraging climbers and walkers to share their experiences. UIAA description: National incident reporting centre operated by the British Mountaineering Council. Reporting Results: Database: https://www.incidents.thebmc.co.uk/responses	Visit Website
France	Camptocamp	Camptocamp / SERAC Language: English/French Scope: TBC Analyses/Purpose: SERAC is a database of incident and accident reports, accessible to all mountain sports enthusiasts, on the camptocamp.org website. This database was launched in 2016 in collaboration with the University of Lyon 1, the Petzl Foundation and the Camptocamp community, in order to learn from each other’s experiences, whether they are serious accidents or near-misses. The SERAC database is an experience-sharing platform designed to collect and disseminate individual stories of accidents, but also incidents or critical situations encountered in the mountains, in order to collectively learn from them. Reporting Results: Public data: https://www.camptocamp.org/xreports Analyses: https://www.camptocamp.org/articles/1254260/fr/sommaire-des-analyses-de-recits-de-la-base-serac Quarterly stories: https://www.petzl.com/fondation/s/accidentologie-des-sports-de-montagne?language=en_US	Visit Website
Poland	Polish Cave Rescue Group	Grupa Ratownictwa Jaskiniowego Language: Polish, English Scope: Cave rescue UIAA description: Detailed chronicle of cave rescue actions. Publicly accessible and continually updated. Reporting Results: Chronicle: https://grj.com.pl/kronika-wypadkow/	Visit Website
Netherlands	Stichting Veiligheid Klimsport – SVK	Incidence rate for climbing and bouldering Language: Dutch Scope: Indoor climbing and bouldering in commercial gyms Analyses/Purpose: With the incidence rate of emergency room injury we aim to map out climbing safety trend within the Netherlands climbing gyms to enable trend measurement for the Dutch climbing sector and establish a reference benchmark to the incidence figures from comparable activities or other countries. UIAA description: Currently, incidence figures of both ER injuries during indoor climbing/bouldering – independent of association membership – and frequency of participation in the specific sport are continuously collected since 2022. SVK translates and publishes the trend of climbing safety within Dutch climbing gyms. Reporting Results: Yearly statistics: https://veiligheidklimsport.nl/publicaties/incidentiecijfer-seh-letsel-klim-en-bouldersport-2023/	Visit Website
International	International Slackline Association	ISA Accident Reporting Language: English, French, Spanish Scope: Slacklining Analyses/Purpose: Used to develop safety guidelines, gear recommendations, and incident publications. UIAA description: International reporting portal for slackline accidents and near-misses. Reporting Results: Incidents/Publications: https://www.slacklineinternational.org/	Visit Website
Japan	JMSCA, Japan Mountaineering & Sport Climbing Association	JMSCA Accident Reporting Language: Japanese Scope: Climbing and mountaineering (general) Analyses/Purpose: Used to design accident prevention measures. Mountain accident investigation reports have been published yearly since 2003. UIAA description: Accident reporting system operated by the Japan Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Association. As of 2024 the system contains about 5000 reports. Its purpose is to support accident prevention and to incorporate accident information in the curriculum for mountain leaders. Reporting Results: Annual analysis reports https://www.jma-sangaku.or.jp/sangaku/safe_climb/report/	Visit Website
Sweden	Swedish Climbing Federation	Klätterförbundet Rapportera Incidenter Language: Swedish Scope: TBC Analyses/Purpose: Promoting reporting of incidents to provide insights into climbing safety. Reporting Results: Database: https://www.klatterforbundet.se/category/sakerhet/	Visit Website
Germany	German Alpine Club / Deutsche Alpenverein (DAV)	Kletterhallen-Unfallstatistik Language: German Scope: Indoor climbing and bouldering Analyses/Purpose: Accident reporting which allows us to investigate the causes and effects of climbing and bouldering accidents and to derive important prevention work from them and to publish accident statistics. UIAA description: Database for climbing gyms operated since 2012. We receive voluntary data from climbing gyms under DAV and KLEVER (association of private climbing gyms), which cover most of the climbing facilities in Germany. Reporting Results: Yearly statistics reports: https://www.alpenverein.de/verband/bergsport/sicherheitsforschung/kletterhallen-unfallstatistik	Visit Website
Belgium	Belgium, Flemish Climbing Federation	Klim- en bergsportongevallen Language: Dutch Scope: Climbing Analyses/Purpose: Data are immediately checked in function of insurance. Two times a year a download of the raw data is made. Afterwards, online data are analyzed (and anonymized) by our experts for each discipline we cover. After analysis, they are published on our membership portal. Relevant findings of the analysis are (1) discussed in team (2) discussed with the experts of our clubs for each discipline (3) disseminated in an appropriate way (e.g. newsletter to all member, newsletter to all trainers, social media posts, organization of workshops, adaptation of trainers courses…). A general overview of the findings is published annually in our magazine Monte. Statistics are published annually in our annual report. Data are used as input for our four annual policy plan. UIAA description: The system collects data on accident and near-accidents in climbing and mountaineering. The system is in Dutch and the main target group are the members of KBF and broader, the community of climbers and mountaineers in Flanders, Belgium. Purpose is twofold: members can report an accident for the insurance; data are collected for analysis in function of the policy of KBF (adaptation of courses, promoting certain safety measures or new techniques, inform a broader audience of dangers … Data are anonymized and published. Reporting Results: Public data https://portaal.klimenbergsportfederatie.be/ongevallen/overzicht-ongevallen/	Visit Website
Netherlands	Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (NKBV)	Klimongevallen Language: Dutch Scope: Climbing & Mountaineering (General) Analyses/Purpose: Every single reported accident will be investigated. On regular basis we publish summaries per year. UIAA description: Information to come. Reporting Results: Database/Reports: http://www.klimongevallen.nl/ongevallen/	Visit Website
New Zealand	New Zealand Alpine Club	NZAC Reporting Language: English Scope: NZAC activities, climbing (general) Analyses/Purpose: Incident forms and information about reporting are on the club website. The form goes to a central incident officer, who coordinates gathering further information if required, stores and tags the information. It also gets forwarded to our general manager, who does external reporting. In some cases, incident descriptions with key takeaways/learnings get published in “The Climber” (national magazine published quarterly). UIAA description: There has been a growing positive culture of reporting all incidents/accidents/near misses to foster a “just” culture within the club, learning rather than laying blame. Reporting Results: Internal / quarterly magazine	Visit Website
South Africa	Mountain Club of South Africa	S.A. Mountain Accidents Database Language: English Scope: All mountain sports UIAA description: Database holding mountain accident and mountain rescue records. Coverage spans broadly between 1890 and present. Total number of records is approximately 3000. Reporting Results: Database: http://alewis.its.uct.ac.za/sama/sama.php	Visit Website
Norway	Norwegian Climbing Federation	Ulykkesdatabase Language: Norwegian Scope: Climbing, mountain sports Analyses/Purpose: Internal monitoring; external publication to promote lessons learned; used in investigation of serious accidents. UIAA description: Anonymized publication of submitted accident and near miss reports. The Norwegian Climbing Federation (NKF) aims to collect all incidents in climbing in Norway. This includes both organized activities indoors/outdoors and independent climbing activities for learning purposes. Based on the reports received, NKF issues an annual report that summarizes the past year. Reporting Results: Public data / Annual reports: https://ulykkesdatabasen.no/rapport	Visit Website
Denmark	Danish Climbing Federation	Ulykkesrapportering Language: Danish Scope: Climbing (general) Analyses/Purpose: The purpose of the system is to support the Danish Climbing Federation’s work to improve climbing safety. The reports are being used to generate statistics and for specific studies of accident causes. There are separate reporting forms for indoor walls and crag/ice climbing. UIAA description: The Danish Climbing Federation collects accident and near-miss reports to support their work to improve climbing safety. Reports are submitted by individual climbers on a voluntary basis, and stored as text forms. 5-10 reports are filed annually. Reporting Results: Public data (text file, linked from website)	Visit Website