Thu
Jul 30 2015
08:24 pm
Ijams rope course death
By: bizgrrl

Very sad, the young man died using a rope course at Ijams Nature Park.

Topics:
WhitesCreek's picture

I can find very little actual

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Thu, 2015/07/30 - 9:35pm.

I can find very little actual detailed info on this. Ropes courses are not a new thing. All of this should be old territory with no chance of something like this happening with trained experienced staff. I will be looking at this to see how it shakes out.

R. Neal's picture

Hopefully they will shut down

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2015/07/30 - 9:36pm.

Hopefully they will shut down this "attraction." Not sure why they felt the need to get involved in it in the first place. Guessing they were "sold" on the idea. What was wrong with nice, quiet walks along nature trails in an urban wilderness?

bizgrrl's picture

I agree, what was wrong with

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2015/07/31 - 6:33am.
(in reply to R. Neal)

I agree, what was wrong with the serene, peaceful, nature park theme?

Factchecker's picture

Just FWIW

Submitted by Factchecker on Thu, 2015/07/30 - 10:11pm.

From the tiny bit I've heard about this, which is subject to bad info. (disclaimer), they did shut down immediately and they have not been able to figure out how this could have happened.

This is a horrible tragedy, but let's try not to jump to conclusions.

R. Neal's picture

Yes, you are correct that

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2015/07/30 - 10:16pm.
(in reply to Factchecker)

Yes, you are correct that they shut it down immediately pending an investigation. So good for them.

bizgrrl's picture

They've announced the

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2015/07/30 - 10:29pm.

They've announced the attraction will reopen August 8. Wonder what the results of the investigation are.

jbr's picture

I saw August 8 on their site

Submitted by jbr on Thu, 2015/07/30 - 10:47pm.

I saw August 8 on their site yesterday but now it says "date to be announced"

Navitat - Knoxville

bizgrrl's picture

Investigation finds rope

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2015/07/31 - 6:28am.

KNS reports, investigation finds rope course unsafe.

the design of the specific safety lanyard used lends itself to “an increased risk of trapped head/neck during a fall and increased risk of compromised airway in such a fall,”

also cites the possible incompatibility of the various safety components as a contributing factor.

“An occasional free fall potential of greater than 2 feet exists,” the report states. “This is both incompatible with standards per the lanyard strength rating … and may increase the severity of an injury in the event of a fall.”

WhitesCreek's picture

Red Flag?

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Fri, 2015/07/31 - 8:47am.
(in reply to bizgrrl)

The report notes the specific equipment fitted to Horan “was not on site or available for inspection.

“Identical safety equipment was provided and substituted for the purpose of inspection and analysis.”

No way that is going to fly. The original gear has to be located and looked at. That said, let's note that there are two parts to the course at Ijams. The zip line and the ropes course. Zip lines are easy to operate with near total safety. Ropes courses, on the other hand, are inherently dangerous, designed to allow failure and falls. Safety harnesses must be absolute with no risk of entanglement. From the outside looking in with the info we have so far, I am aghast.

Sandra Clark's picture

Yes

Submitted by Sandra Clark on Fri, 2015/07/31 - 1:45pm.

Seems a severe lack of oversight.

reform4's picture

It's a free market.

Submitted by reform4 on Fri, 2015/07/31 - 7:55pm.
(in reply to Sandra Clark)

Symbolic of so much....

His Father's picture

Greg Horan

Submitted by His Father (not verified) on Sun, 2015/08/02 - 9:27am.

Thank You for your Thoughts and Prayers for Greg Horan. We ask you that you please respect our Privacy while we take this time to grieve as our Hearts are Broken and need this time privately. Thank you for your warmth and concern for Greg and our Family. God Bless, Yert

WhitesCreek's picture

I can't imagine the family's

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Sun, 2015/08/02 - 5:53pm.
(in reply to His Father)

I can't imagine the family's grief. Our thoughts are with you.

Treehouse's picture

You've got it

Submitted by Treehouse on Sun, 2015/08/02 - 11:05am.

Prayers and blessings to your family in this awful time.

bizgrrl's picture

Employee hurt on zip line in

Submitted by bizgrrl on Mon, 2015/08/03 - 6:57pm.

Employee hurt on zip line in Sevier County.

WhitesCreek's picture

I will be very interested to

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Tue, 2015/08/04 - 10:39am.
(in reply to bizgrrl)

I will be very interested to learn how that happened. When the person responsible for making certain that a customer's harness is buckled, the trolley is clipped properly and the safety caribiner is clipped on to the cable can't clip his own gear in, that is a serious sign of problems. These systems are double redundant but somehow a human can still mess it up.

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