CWA Blog Archive-Why Revisiting The Basics Is So Important In The COVID Era

Why Revisiting The Basics Is So Important In The COVID Era

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This article argues that as climbers returned to gyms during the pandemic, revisiting fundamental safety basics became critically important to counter an invisible danger: complacency. It observes that gym operation looked different, with new approaches like reservation systems and sanitation stations implemented everywhere to curb COVID-19 spread while staying open, but while these protocols addressed the public health issue, they overlooked complacency, a separate, invisible danger. The article puts gym accident risk in perspective, noting statistics say you're more likely to be injured in a car crash on the way to the gym than at the gym, yet accidents still happen. Crucially, it identifies where the real danger lies: not just in novice climbers forgetting basics, but in experienced climbers who develop a false sense of security over the years. Most gym accidents, it emphasizes, are preventable. As people excitedly returned to their hobbies, community, and a sense of normalcy, simple tasks like tying in, something most climbers can do blindfolded, may not be at the forefront of their minds, and buddy checks, often done non-verbally, could be neglected. The throughline is that the pandemic created heightened accident risk not through the virus but through complacency and rustiness, making a deliberate return to safety fundamentals essential as climbers came back.

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This piece argues that as climbers returned during the pandemic, revisiting safety basics became vital to counter complacency, an invisible danger beyond COVID protocols. Since most accidents are preventable and stem from both rusty returnees and overconfident veterans with false security, it urges gyms to actively reinforce fundamentals like tying in and buddy checks.