user manual and maintenance instructions … · amusement area. they are suitable for both indoor...

USER MANUAL AND MAINTENANCE

INSTRUCTIONS

TOPIC PAGE

DEFINITIONS 3

OVERVIEW 4

BASIC CAVE ELEMENT 4

Briefing chamber 4

Tunnel and route 4

Chamber 5

Obstacles and features 5

Emergency exits 8

STEEL STRUCTURE 9

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 9

Age restriction 9

Physical and mental condition 9

Clothing and equipment 10

Access restriction 10

Operators and guides requirements 10

Security and emergency plan 11

Mean of communication 12

OPERATION 12

MAINTANENCE AND ISPECTION 13

General maintenance requirements 13

Equipment logbook (or register) 14

CONTENT

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USER MANUAL AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONSWALLTOPIA CAVES

DEFINITIONS

OPERATOR

Physical or legal person engaged in the operation of the facilities. The operator is responsible for observation of all rules and recommendations in order to provide correct and safe operation and maintenance of cave elements. The operator monitors the compliance of the rules from the participants from outside in order to provide safety operation of cave elements.

GUIDE

A person who monitors the compliance of the rules by the participants in the tunnels in order to ensure safe exploration of the caving system. The guides lead the participants through the tunnels.

CAVE ELEMENT

Each Cave module in assembled state – tunnels, chambers, obstacles, emergency exits, installations.

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OVERVIEW

Walltopia designs and produces artificial caves that can turn your free space into a great amusement area. They are suitable for both indoor and outdoor locations such as climbing gyms, children’s playgrounds, ropes course facilities, and theme parks. Walltopia cave systems challenge participants in a labyrinth of dark tunnels with stalactites, stalagmites, sumps, fossils and other speleo features that deliver a realistic caving experience and a new adventure experience.

BASIC CAVE ELEMENTS

Recreational Centers

AmusementParks

Adventure Zones

Hotels Shopping Centers

FECs Resorts Water Parks

Walltopia caves are a modular structure made of tunnel sections casted from real rock.

BRIEFING CHAMBER

Briefing chamber is usually associated with the entrance of the cave. It is a place where you can equip all participants and give them safety instructions. It’s recommended but not mandatory part of the cave design. In caves without a briefing chamber, the operator can use any other space to gear up and give safety briefing to the participants.

TUNNELS AND ROUTES

Tunnel is continuous closed tube-like opening with height that requires crawling or kneeling to pass through. The diameter of the tunnels varies between 75cm and 90cm. Route is a combination of tunnels with defined start and finish point. All possible routes are described in the design applied to the manual. All routes which don’t intersect with each other and don’t have overlapping tunnels can operate in parallel. It is not recommended to mix up different groups of participants trailing on different routes within the cave.Every route is defined as guided or unguided in the design stage. Guided Routes are operated with two guides. One to lead the group through the system of tunnels and one in the end of the group to make sure no one is left behind. The Unguided Routes are easy enough, not too long and don’t have any junctions in order to make sure that no one will get lost in the tunnels. For these routes it is preferable to have surveillance cameras installed.

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Each tunnel has only one direction to move and the group should follow this direction. In the unguided routes the participants should be clearly instructed to move forward and not go back. Usually, if the cave is considered big and complicated, there is a Trial Route installed. The Trial Route is a short tunnel which starts and finishes close to the entrance of the cave. Тhe Trial Route contains the hardest section of the whole caving system. All participants should complete the Trail Route first, as part of the safety instructions, in order to ensure that all participants are in good physical and mental condition to complete the actual caving system routes.

CHAMBERS

Chamber is a wider space in the tunnels – like a little room where you can wait for the whole group to get together. It is authentic part from the real caving experience.

OBSTACLES AND FEATURES

All participants should complete the obstacles one by one at a time.Operators should always warn the participants of the upcoming obstacle.All participants should keep comfartable distance between each other.

BOULDER FIELD

Horizontal tunel with rock

obstacles. If the route is

guided, the leading guide must

warn the participants of the

upcoming obstacle.

HORIZONTAL SQUEEZE

A short section from the tunel

with shorter vertical dimension.

BOULDER ASCEND

Incline tunel with rocks. All

participants should climb the

steep section one by one.

BOULDER DESCEND

Decline tunel with rocks. All

participants should descend

the steep section one by one.

OBSTACLES

VERTICAL SQUEEZE

A short section from the

tunel with shorter horizontal

dimension.

MUSCLE UP

Incline tunel with rope installed.

Use the rope to climb the steep

section.

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DESCENDING U-BENT

Vertical U turn. Participants need to turn around and go down on the next level. Descending U-bent

is not alowed to be used unguided. The leading guide should warn all participants that an obstacle

is coming. The leading guide should instruct all participants to turn around with their back to the

U-bent and step down with their legs.

STALACTITES AND

STALAGMITES

Stalactites and stalagmites are a

typical rock formation replicating

those in real caves. The guide

should warn the participants

about a coming formation.

BALL SUMP

It imitates a wellspring in real

caves. Max. two participants

are allowed to pass through

the obstacle simultaneously.

If there are a lot of balls in the

wellspring, the participant must

“dive” into them in order to pass

under the rock formation.

MULTI-LEVEL SQUEEZE

Tunnel splits in two. It can be

vertical or horizontal element.

The participant who is on the

second level should protect the

one below him.

CORKSCREW

A tunel which is going up in

a spiral shape. Please give

instructions to all participants

to keep safe distance between

each other.

BOULDER CLIMBING

Boulder Climbing is a split in the cave which leads to an upper level. If the guide decides to go

straight he/she should warn the participants to watch out with the edge of the tunnel. In both cases

the participants should cross one by one under the supervision of the guide.

DUCK WALKING

Section of the tunnel which

is higher than the others.

The participants can do duck

walking or to keep crawling.

ASCENDING U-BENT

Vertical U turn.Participants

need to turn around and climb

on the next level.

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FOSSILS, AMMONITES, SEASHELLS

Internal theming of the tunnels of the cave.

SLIDES

Standard tunnels with slides. The participants should use the

slides one by one.

VIEWING WINDOWS

Viewing windows are mounted on some tunnels and allow the participants to look out of the cave. They are made from spherical

shaped plexiglass. It brings natural light into the cave as well.

FEATURES

The rocks are installed on two rotating axis and they have

locking element in order to fix them in the right position. As a

recommendation please do not change the position of the rocks

every day.

ROTATING ROCK

Rotating rocks are mounted in places where tunnels split. The

rotating rock usually have two positions. By changing the rock’s

position one of the tunnels closes and the other one opens.

First possition: Closes tunnel one Second possition: Closes tunnel two

EMERGENCY EXITS

Emergency exit is usually a red door which opens easily. It leads you out of the cave to the evacuation path. Other way to exit the cave is a tunnel slide or an open chamber. All these exits are marked in the design on every 10 meters of the tunnels length.

Every additional system from the list below that has been designed, engineered, delivered and installed by Walltopia, comes with its own manual in a separate document.

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Steel structure of the artificial cave system is engineered for every different cave form scratch. It is a composition of steel columns, beams and arms (adjustable steel elements).

STEEL STRUCTURE

ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS

CCTV

Surveillance cameras may be installed in the cave tunnels. They can be placed on the more challenging sections in the cave or they can cover the full length of the tunnels. All specifics of the system are described in the “CCTV Manual”.

If the operators decide to install CCTV cameras by themselves, we recommend that the cameras should be mounted pointing towards the face of the participants rather than the back. Camera’s glass should be shockproof, with option for night vision mode. It is recommended to install the cameras in more concave places than convex ones in order to protect participants from hitting them.

Ventilation or Air-conditioning

Ventilation is required for every caving system. It ensures the flow of fresh air in the tunnels. Mechanical ventilation uses fans to drive the flow by pressurizing air in the tunnels. It can insert fresh air and extract the used air in the room where the cave is installed or outside the building. All specifics of the system are described in the “Ventilation and Air-

conditioning Manual”.

LED emergency lighting

LED illumination is required for every caving system. If you prefer to have real cave experience, you can operate with LED lights off, and use the head torches to light your way. Even if you prefer to operate with lights off, you still need the installation in case of emergency. If the cave is big enough, the LED lights can be controlled separately in the different tunnels, so you can operate them in different way. All specifics of the system are described in the “LED emergency lighting Manual”.

Sound system

The sound system is a feature that can enhance the user experience and ease the operation. Real cave sounds can be provided. The sound system is connected with microphone and the chief operator can announce start/end of sessions, emergency situations, navigate confused participants noticed on the CCTV, etc. All specifics of the system are described in the “Sound systemmanual”.

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Helmets is an indispensable part of the caving experience. All participants and guides have to be equipped with properly sized helmets. It is mandatory to wear the helmet at all times while in the cave.

Head Torches are optional but recommended. It depends on the illumination in the tunnels. The operator should bear in mind that some participants might have phobias (nyctophobia, claustrophobia etc.) that they are not familiar with. We thus recommend that all the participants are equipped with head torches for safety reasons.

Elbow pads, knee pads, palm pads are required. The surface of the cave is rock realistic featuring natural micro relief that poses risk of bruises. Equip all participants with protectors to prevent them from bruising.

AGE RESTRICTION

Participants aged 7 and up are allowed to take part in the activity.

Maximum age of the participants isn’t limited and the instructor can decide whether to allow them to use the attraction based on their physical and mental conditions.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITIONS

All participants should be physically and mentally capable of handling themselves in case of an emergency. They should be able to evacuate without any further assistance different than being guided and pointed direction for evacuation by the staff members.

The main passage way is designed to allow a participant of the following dimensions to fit through: 195cm tall, 110cm chest, 150cm shoulders, 107cm waist.

Severe heart conditions, epilepsy, claustrophobia, nyctophobia, asthma, pregnancy are among some conditions that would have to be refused entry to the artificial caving system.

It is the operators responsibility to decide whether people with disabilities should be allowed to enter the cave. The participant’s physical and mental condition should allow them to finish a route. Blind and deaf participants should be escorted by specialized attendant who is able to communicate with them and help them complete the routes.

If a Trial Route is installed, all participants should complete it in order to test their physical and mental condition.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

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CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

• Helmets, elbow pads and knee pads are required equipment for Walltopia caves. The participants should be geared with equipment of the proper size for each of them. It is mandatory to wear all the gear at all times while in the cave.

• Head torches are recommended.• No boots/reinforced footwear, sandals or slip-off shoes are allowed. We recommend

sport shoes.• All participants should be advised to remove all objects from their pockets.• Bags, extra baggage isn’t allowed• Long sleeves and pants are recommended.• All cameras and mobile phones must be secured, no loose items are allowed• Glasses/spectacles must be secured

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS

• No person should take park in activity under the influence of alcohol or drugs (The term drugs refer to non-prescription drugs but it may be that certain prescription drugs also inhibit safe participation in the activity)

• Objects that can be considered as weapons are NOT allowed in the cave (knifes, guns, screwdrivers or other sharp objects)

• Objects that can produce fire are not allowed (lighters, matches etc.)• Food and drinks are not allowed in the cave• No chewing gums in the cave• No animals in the cave• Participants who don’t match the restrictions for physical and mental condition and

clothing and equipment are not allowed to enter the cave.• Jumping in the cave tunnels or chambers is not allowed.• All acts of vandalism should be stopped immediately. • Smoking is not allowed.

OPERATORS AND GUIDES REQUIREMENTS

Recruiting appropriate and competent staff includes selection, training, monitoring, checking and keeping records. Look for mature people capable of putting the safety of the participants in the first place, follow safety procedures and build confidence in the participants. The training methods should reflect the learners’ abilities.

All staff members involved in the operation of the facility, depending on their tasks and responsibilities, should be provided with information and training of safety and operating procedures covering at least the following:• Safety of the area where the cave is installed• Safe operation and maintenance of the cave• Procedures for addressing issues that include:

- People with bad behavior and others

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- Defects and malfunctions of the installation- Accidents- Fire- Natural disasters- Bomb threats and other emergencies

In addition, operators and service staff, depending on their duties, must receive adequate training for the facilities including the following :

- Procedures for reporting safe operation- Limitations of participants, such as height and weight limits or medical conditions- Control in waiting and observation zones

All operators and guides should know the evacuation plan.All operators and guides should know how to equip the participants.All operators and guides should be familiar with this manual.All operators and guides should know the topography of the caving system: all routes and their difficulty, the emergency exits and all the obstacles.

SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PLAN

Evacuation plan of the cave system is included in the design drawings. Security and emergency plan for the whole facility should be available on site.Emergency exits are implemented in the design of the cave. Operators should know how much people are in the cave at every moment. In case of emergency they should count all evacuated people and make sure that the cave is fully evacuated. In case of life-threatening injuries or impossibility for someone to reach any exit, operators can disassemble the adjacent modules of the tunnel carefully and evacuate the participant. All modules are assembled with hexagon bolts М10.

Fire and evacuation:In the event of a fire resulting in an evacuation being required, instructors and all staff must:• Turn on the fire alarm system (if such is installed)• Warn the public in immediate vicinity• Evacuate them from the facility through the emergency exits to evacuation points

according to the building evacuation plan• Do not allow members of the public to collect personal items other than the minimum

required to preserve decency i.e. towel, robe etc.• Do not re-enter the premises until instructed by the Fire Officer/Duty Manager after the

evacuation is complete and the emergency is over.

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• We advise the size of the group to be a maximum of 7 participants and 2 guides. One operator should lead the group and one should move after the last participant.

• The distance between 2 groups on the same route should be at least 10 min.• All groups should move with relatively similar speed, in order to operate with maximum

capacity.• It is not allowed to mix up different groups of participants in the cave.• All possible tunnel combinations that can compose a route are marked in the design

drawings.• The design drawings suggest route combinations that don’t intersect and can be

operated independently at a time. • It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure that all participants comply with the age and

medical restrictions as well as the clothing, gear and allowed objects requirements and restrictions.

Every session should begin with the following procedure:

1) participants’ equipment2) safety briefing and instruction3) trial route completion

OPERATION

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Routes giving access or exit from/to the facilities must be maintained without obstacles at all times. Where natural lighting is insufficient, artificial illumination should be provided on the evacuation route.Access to anti-piracy appliances, fire cranes and other fire-fighting water supplies should not be prevented, or the fire damper plates shall be unavailable from view without the permission of the fire brigade.Evacuation exits and routes must be clearly marked with signs and guidance signs that comply with national requirements.The use of flammable liquids, highly flammable materials or exposed unprotected flames is prohibited near the installation, except when special precautionary measures are taken to prevent uncontrolled fire.Fire extinguishers must be available according to national regulations.

MEAN OF COMMUNICATION

We advise all staff members and operators to be in touch with radio station or other channels of communication so they can react properly in an emergency situation. If there are more than one group in the cave we advise the guides of the groups to inform each other for their location. Sound system may be installed in the cave as well.

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I.GENERAL MAINTANENCE REQUIREMENTS

Operators, in their role as supervisors of the premises, should ensure that the facility is safe and does not pose risk to health. The operator’s responsibility includes conducting risk assessment of the premises and facility operation to consider foreseeable risks to employees, participants and others and to implement measures to eliminate or control such risks.

PHYSICAL INSPECTION – stages and frequency• The inspection covers all elements of the facility and their structure. Inspection includes

hardware, materials, equipment and the condition of the zone around each element. • It is the operator’s responsibility to carry out inspection of the areas that will be used

prior to the arrival of their group to the course/facility.• If a part of the cave element or any part of the gear is not in working order, or there is

a slight doubt about it, this area should not be used until the circumstance is resolved.

MAINTANENCE AND INSPECTION

All staff members are expected to be familiar with all manuals provided by Walltopia and responsible for overseeing the proper exploitation, operation, maintenance and inspection of the cave system.

TYPE OF INSPECTION FREQUENCY INSPECTOR

ROUTINE VISUAL CHECK: Inspection intended to identify obvious hazards that can result from vandalism, use or wear (this is usually done by a suitably trained instructor/facilitator).

Daily or before each use of the artificial caving system

Operator

EQUIPMENT CHECKS:Inspection of all PPE associated with but not considered part of the structure.


Operator

OPERATIONAL INSPECTION: Examples of operational inspection are condition of cave surface, sharp edges, missing components and the structural integrity of the safety system (e.g. LED lighting, emergency exits, ventilation, CCTV).


Operator

ANNUAL INSPECTION: To determine the condition of the artificial caving sys-tem (support structure, bolts, etc.)

Once a yearOperator/Outside inspector with proper knowledge

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TYPE OF INSPECTION FREQUENCY INSPECTOR

DOCUMENTATION: Sighting and commenting on site specific operating procedures, and record keeping for equipment. (This is an optional extra which can be conducted during the operational/periodical inspection).

OptionalOperator/Outside inspector with proper knowledge

OPERATIONS INSPECTION: Includes observations and suggestions based on instructors conducting activities (this is an optional extra which can be conducted during the operational/peri-odical inspection).

OptionalOperator/Outside inspector with proper knowledge

NOTE: Print a copy of this page and keep it on visible place.

II. EQUIPMENT LOGBOOK (OR REGISTER)

An equipment logbook, also known as a register or log, should be provided and used to assist in the systematic inspection and maintenance of the equipment within the artificial caving system. The logbook should contain sufficient information to identify the item and the history of the item within the facility, such as date put into service, inspection dates and results, maintenance actions, repair and finally, removal from service and discard. The Logbook can be a book or a computer-based register. In either case it should be kept for an appropriate length of time as deemed adequate by business record keeping requirements.All inspection, maintenance and repair work should be conducted by a competent person. If doubt exists as to the adequacy of the item or its repair, it should be removed from service and advice sought from the manufacturer/supplier.

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