The British Columbia Safety Authority (BCSA) is advising British Columbians to have fun and stay safe on chairlifts during this year’s ski season.
Every year, accidents and injuries involving lift equipment can be prevented if skiers and riders follow safety rules and pay attention to signage.
“Chairlifts are large, complex pieces of machinery that move at fast speeds,” says David Looney, senior BCSA senior safety officer at BCSA.
“Depending on the type of chairlift, the loading speed can be as fast as 2.5 meters per second.”
When approaching the load of a chairlift, Looney notes people should be aware of their surroundings.
“If you feel the chairlift is moving too fast for you to load safely, ask the lift attendant to slow it down. If you are unsure about how to load, ask the lift attendant for instructions. Remember, small children should load next to the lift attendant.”
Keep your ski lift experience safe by:
• Reading safety and instructional signs and following the directions provided before riding any ski lift;
• Not bouncing, turning around, reaching out or trying to make equipment adjustments while riding chairlifts;
• Keeping your chairlift restraining bar down until instructed to lift it by safety signage or lift operators; and
• Staying in the track on all surface lifts such as T-Bars.
Passenger behaviour is by far the major source of lift-related injury in B.C., with 50 per cent of incidents resulting from inappropriate or unruly passenger activity.
Injuries can occur if lift equipment is not used safely and these injuries can be serious, but they are preventable.
For more information about lift safety, visit: http://www.safetyauthority.ca/dos-donts-have-safe-ride
