The International Slackline Association (ISA) recognizes and supports numerous facets of slackline practice. The ISA Safety Commission (Safecom) was created with the main purpose to minimize slackline accidents, by examining all aspects related to safety.
What is the Safety Commission of the ISA?
The Safety Commission (Safecom), a volunteer based effort like the rest of the ISA, is a body inside the organization that deals with all safety-related aspects of slacklining. Our goal is to minimise accidents within the slackline community by analysis of past incidents, educational content on prevention and gear standards for slackline equipment.
Tasks of the Safety Commission
We will assist member federations, clubs and individuals with slackline issues regarding safety. The ISA Safecom performs and openly shares basic and discipline specific research. We also analyze work performed by event organizers, manufacturers and other third parties with the goal to improve slackline safety.
We actively communicate safety relevant content through our website, data platform and social media.
Safety Accident and Incident Report system (SAIR)
The Safety Commission collects information about accidents and incidents through our Safety Accident and Incident Report system (SAIR). Using this knowledge of past incidents, we will develop best practices and communicate warnings on certain issues to the slackline community. Detailed analysis of previous accidents and incidents are then made available in a bi-yearly analysis report and yearly presentations.
ISA Slackline Gear Standards
We develop gear standards for slackline equipment in order to minimize accidents caused by equipment failure and revise these standards on a regular basis.
Slackline gear manufacturers can apply to become partners of the ISA Safecom here. Partners have access to the most recent versions of the standards and can help shape them by suggesting changes.
ISA Safety Labels
The Safety Commission grants manufacturers a ISA Safety Label for a specific model of slackline equipment which has been independently tested at an ISA accredited laboratory to fulfill the gear standards.
The Safety Commission also maintains a database with all ISA approved gear. In addtion, we also warn about equipment that has been recalled, is unsafe to use or has shown to be prone to misuse or was mislabeled.
In addition, we also track slackline specific innovations in gear and rigging techniques with a certain significance to our activity and sport.
Working groups
We have active working groups focusing on specific projects relevant to safety aspects such as:
- Risk assessments for events
- UV degradation of webbings
- Wind and highlines
- Airspace and highline signalization
- Highline rescue
- Historic gear and rigging innovation list
Wherever necessary or helpful, we will liaise with other organizations such as the UIAA, ICAR and others.
