SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1430        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1217

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Thomas M. McGee

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to rock wall climbing safeguards..

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

Steven M. Walsh

11th Essex

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

Robert F. Fennell

10th Essex

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1430        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1217

By Mr. McGee, petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1217) of Ehrlich, Fennell, DiDomenico and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to rock wall climbing safeguards [Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security].

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 959 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act relative to rock wall climbing safeguards..

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.Section 205A of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the seventh paragraph the following paragraph:-No license to operate a portable fabricated rock climbing wall, including an inflatable wall, with a height in excess of 10 feet shall be granted nor shall such a rock climbing wall be operated unless:  all climbers are fitted with a safety harness and a belay safety system is used with each climber and operated by persons trained in the proper use of such system.  No license to operate an inflatable rock climbing wall with a height in excess of 10 feet shall be granted nor shall such an inflatable rock climbing wall be operated unless it is equipped with an inflatable protective base and guardrail surrounding the base of the wall.  No operator shall permit another person to use any portable fabricated rock climbing wall, inflatable or not, with a height in excess of 10 feet unless such person is wearing protective headgear.  The commissioner shall promulgate regulations consistent with this paragraph including, but not limited to: minimum requirements for belay systems and whether such systems shall be automatic or not; minimum training required for those operating belay systems; specifications for surface conditions or preparation, including the installation of protective mats around the perimeter of a non-inflatable climbing wall; specifications for the height and width required for an inflatable base and guardrail for inflatable climbing walls; minimum requirements for anchor support systems for climbing walls, inflatable and non-inflatable; and the use of protective headgear.

SECTION 2.  The commissioner of public safety shall adopt regulations to carry out this act not later than January 1, 2012.

SECTION 3.  Section 1 shall take effect on January 1, 2012.