Climbing walls face scrutiny after student fall

On April 21, Lizzie Smith, then a UNC student and Campus Recreation employee, fell off the Rams Head climbing wall, severely damaging her legs and lower body.

After a security guard found her and called 911, she was rushed to UNC Hospitals, said Marty Pomerantz, director of Campus Recreation.

Both of the University’s rock climbing walls have been closed since April 23 and will remain closed indefinitely.

The Department of Environment, Health and Safety immediately launched an internal investigation of the facilities’ safety, and a report was released Tuesday detailing the results.

The report recommends the hiring of independent consultants to ensure the safety of the facilities and expand employee training, said Christopher Payne, associate vice chancellor for student affairs.
In addition, the report recommends a complete evaluation of the equipment.

Smith wrote in an email that she is satisfied with the University’s efforts.

“UNC and Campus Recreation have been doing a wonderful job. Our shared goal is to have the climbing facilities open as safely as possible, and I have complete faith that they will do so,” she said.

Payne, who is leading the effort, said he and a work group of several other University officials who are overseeing the implementation of the recommendations will hire consultants to review the technical facilities and others to identify possible operational problems.

Consultants will be hired based on their expertise, experience and compatibility with the University’s time line for reopening, he said.

Payne said the review will be managed by independent consultants to ensure its completeness.

“The group is focused on satisfying these recommendations in order to reopen the wall,” Payne said. “We’re not focused on the accident itself, and we’re not focused on other things that happened prior to these recommendations coming out.”

Before Smith’s accident, there had not been any major injuries from the walls, Pomerantz said.
“I’m very proud of the safety record we’ve had in past years,” he said.

Payne said for those enthusiasts who still want to rock climb, the Chapel Hill Community Center has a rock climbing wall available for use.

He said he hopes the University can reopen the walls soon, but guaranteeing the safety of the facilities is his first priority.

“It would be my hope to have the walls reopen as early in the spring semester as possible,” he said.