Standards quick guide

Field reference — not a substitute for the full standard or Bluco's RAMS. Bookmark or save this page for offline use.
Each entry below pairs a clause with a plain-language scenario you might actually meet on site. It is a memory aid for what to look for and why, not a reproduction of the standard — always refer to the full document and the current Bluco inspection checklist in the app for the definitive requirement.

BS EN 12572-1:2017

Artificial climbing structures — Part 1: Safety requirements and test methods for structures with protection points and belay stations (roped structures).
Protection points — spacing and orientation
Protection points must be positioned so a fall does not result in the climber hitting the ground, a ledge, or another climber, and must be orientated so the rope runs cleanly without cross-loading a karabiner gate.
On siteA quickdraw-style protection point has rotated so the gate faces outward from the wall rather than along the line of the route. Record as a defect — this is a cross-loading risk, not just cosmetic.
Hold and fixing security
Holds and their fixings must not work loose, rotate, or fail under the loads generated by normal climbing use.
On siteA hold spins freely under light hand pressure. This is a Category defect regardless of whether the hold "still works" — rotation means the fixing has backed off or the T-nut has spun in the panel.
Fall space and ground surfacing
The structure's fall space, and the surfacing beneath it, must be adequate for the height and angle of the wall.
On siteMatting has been moved or has compressed and thinned in a heavily-used area under a top-rope line. Note it even if outside the main checklist scope — it affects the assessment of the wall as a whole.
Belay stations and their identification
Belay/lowering stations must be clearly identifiable and appropriately rated for the loads and methods of use intended.
On siteTwo belay/lower-off points sit close together with no marking distinguishing them — confirm with the operator which is rated for auto-belay use and which is top-rope only, and record the answer.

BS EN 12572-2:2017

Artificial climbing structures — Part 2: Safety requirements and test methods for bouldering walls.
Fall height and matting
Matting must give full coverage of the fall zone and be suitable for the height and angle of the wall above it — steeper or taller features need thicker or more forgiving matting.
On siteA steep, overhanging section of wall sits over matting that was clearly specified for a vertical section elsewhere — check the matting matches the fall height and angle actually beneath it, not just that matting is present.
Gaps between matting sections
Gaps or trip hazards between adjoining mats must not present a foreseeable risk of injury on landing.
On siteTwo mats have drifted apart, leaving a visible seam or gap at floor level. Record as a defect — a foot or ankle catching in that seam on a fall is exactly the injury the standard is aimed at preventing.
Hold security — no rope protection to mask a failure
The absence of rope protection on a bouldering wall means hold and fixing security matters even more directly to the climber's safety, since there is no secondary protection if a hold fails.
On siteA hold near the top of a boulder problem shows early signs of movement. On a roped structure this might be a lower-severity finding; here, treat it with the same urgency as a top-rope protection point issue, since a failure there is an unmediated fall.
Proximity and clearance around features
Volumes, arêtes and other projecting features must not create a foreseeable striking hazard for a climber falling from an adjacent line.
On siteA large volume projects into the fall line of the boulder problem next to it. Note this even where each individual problem passes its own checks — the interaction between adjacent lines is a real-world hazard the checklist may not directly ask about.

BS EN 795:2012

Personal fall protection equipment — Anchor devices. Covers the design, testing and marking of the anchor device itself (Types A–E), not its installation or subsequent examination.
Type A — structural anchor
A fixed anchor point designed to be permanently attached to a structure, tested to a defined static and dynamic load.
On siteA bolt-on eye plate fixed to a steel beam above a climbing wall, used for rope access during route setting. Confirm it carries EN 795 marking and that you hold or can obtain the manufacturer's documentation before relying on or tagging it as such — see the app's rule of thumb: no installation record, no tag.
Type B / Type C — transportable or flexible systems
Temporary anchors or horizontal lifelines, whose safe use depends on correct deployment for each occasion, not just on the device's own rating.
On siteA temporary horizontal line is rigged across the top of a structure for setting. Its EN 795 rating tells you the device is fit for purpose; it does not tell you the rigging on this particular day is correct — that is a separate, every-use check.
Marking
A conforming device carries a durable marking identifying the manufacturer, type, and standard.
On siteAn anchor point has no visible marking and no one on site can say who installed it or when. Record its type as "not established" rather than assuming a type from appearance alone.

BS 7883:2019

Code of practice for the design, selection, installation, use and maintenance of anchor devices conforming to BS EN 795. Covers what EN 795 itself does not: installation, periodic examination, and record-keeping.
Installation records
An installation record should be produced at the time of installation, recording what was fitted, how, and what was verified — and retained for the life of the device.
On siteAn anchor device is present and looks sound, but no installation record can be produced. Under the app's own rule, this is recorded as a device of unconfirmed conformity rather than tagged to a type, however plausible it looks.
Periodic examination interval
Anchor devices require periodic examination at an interval set by the manufacturer or, in its absence, a competent person — commonly annual, but this is not fixed by the standard itself.
On siteA device's last examination date is more than 12 months ago and no manufacturer's interval is on file. Flag this rather than assuming a default — the correct interval should be established and recorded, not guessed.
Examination against the manufacturer's instructions
Examination is carried out against BS 7883 and the manufacturer's own instructions for that specific device, not against BS EN 12572.
On siteDon't fold an anchor device examination into the climbing structure inspection checklist — it is recorded separately in the app, with its own reference back to BS 7883 and the manufacturer, precisely because a different standard and a different competence apply.

BS EN 131 (series)

Ladders — requirements, testing, marking and, in the professional-use parts, inspection.
Professional (Class Pro) marking
A ladder used for work purposes should be marked for professional/industrial use, not domestic use only.
On siteA ladder used to access a lower operational-tier check is a domestic-grade stepladder from a hardware shop. Flag this before use — it is not the right tool for a work task regardless of how sound it looks.
Pre-use and periodic inspection
Ladders used for work should be visually checked before each use and subject to a more thorough periodic inspection at a set interval, recorded against that item of equipment.
On siteA site ladder is kept permanently at the venue for staff use and has no record of when it was last formally inspected. Note it in the visit record even though it's the venue's own equipment, not Bluco's.
Six-month interval convention (Bluco's own method statement)
Bluco's method statement for ground-based and ladder-based inspection specifies a ladder in-date within its current six-monthly inspection period, conforming to BS EN 131.
On siteBefore using a ladder for an operational-tier check, confirm its last inspection date is within six months, not just that it looks undamaged.
This guide is issued alongside, not instead of, Bluco's Method Statement of Works — Inspection and Test of Artificial Climbing Structures, its companion Risk Assessment, and the Route Setting Method Statement and Risk Assessment. Where this page and one of those documents differ, the full RAMS document governs.