The UIAA began creating safety standards in 1960 with the testing of ropes. It has since developed standards for over twenty types of safety equipment, including helmets, harnesses and crampons.
The UIAA collaborates with CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, for the harmonization of standards. In some cases, the UIAA asks for additional tests making the standard stricter than the CEN. Thus, the UIAA standards may differ slightly from CEN standards.
UIAA Safety Standards are regularly revised and updated by the UIAA Safety Commission to ensure they meet ever-changing nature and demands of the market and climbing and mountaineering world. The Commission constantly reviews mountaineering and climbing accidents to determine if the standards are at a high enough level. Standards are not only revised, brand new standards are frequently introduced.
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) recently published a guide regarding the potential perils of buying climbing equipment online, notably the abundance of non-certified equipment offered by dubious sellers. The UIAA endorses the BMC article whi...
The latest in our series of extracts from the UIAA Alpine Skills Summer handbook focuses on group dynamics and forms part of a chapter dedicated to ‘Leading a Group’ which tackles the way people behave and relate to others in an exact...
Increasingly popular as a trekking destination among both Indian and international adventurers and tourists, the Chadar Trek, an ice passage across a fast flowing river in the Zanskar region of Ladakh, is also a route which presents a number of safet...
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 Safe...
To ensure the highest standards for safety equipment are in place, the Commission constantly reviews mountaineering and climbing accidents to determine if the standards are at a high enough level. The Commission also accredits the laboratories which test the equipment and shares regular advice to climbers and mountaineers advice how to treat their equipment, and how best to use it to avoid accidents.
Safety label holders are also represented within the Commission as trade members.
Amit CHOWDHURY, (President), India (IMF)
Lionel KIENER, (Vice President) Switzerland (SAC)
Vittorio BEDOGNI, Italy (CAI)
Jean-Franck CHARLET, France (FFCAM)
Dave CUSTER, USA (AAC)
Rob FOSTER, UK (BMC)
Florian HELLBERG, Germany (DAV)
Alan JARVIS, South Africa (MCSA)
Aljaz ANDERLE, Slovenia (PZS)
Donald BOGIE, New Zealand (NZAC)
Jan HOLEC, Czech Republic (CMF)
Dimitrios KARALIS, Greece (EOOA)
Hitoshi ONODERA, Japan (JMA)
Hans RAUSCHMAYER, Brazil (CBME)
Agustin UNSAIN, Argentina (FASA)
Andrei VASILIEV, Russia (RMF)
Thomas WEDLICK, USA (AAC)
Carlo ZANATONI, Italy (CAI)
Frits VRIJLANDT