avalanche Program

Alpine Safety Consultants offers a diverse range of services from simple risk assessments and hazard mapping, to fully comprehensive avalanche management programs including daily forecasts, worker training, and blasting programs. We collaborate with industry operators where we can to keep costs down for everyone.

Industry

Avalanche Risk Assessments

Snow avalanches can present serious risk to workers and infrastructure in mountainous terrain. The level of risk will depend on the topography of the area, weather, historical snowfall statistics, the type of operation and number of workers. Risk assessments generally include:

  • Terrain and hazard analysis
  • Risk assessment for both worker sites and transportation corridors
  • Avalanche hazard mapping
  • Training and PPE requirements
  • Emergency response protocols
  • Development of a comprehensive avalanche atlas
Industry

Avalanche Control Programs (Explosives)

Alpine Safety Consultants offers cost-effective avalanche control programs specific to the size and needs of individual operations. Avalanche control programs can include: 

  • Overseeing explosives delivery and housing
  • Helicopter and hand blasting programs
  • Safety plan development
  • Explosive control program development
Industry

Forecasting

Alpine Safety Consultants provides industrial operators with customized avalanche forecasting during the winter months. Avalanche forecasts use observational data from the field, recent avalanche activity, snowpack observations and technical weather forecasts to predict the likelihood of an avalanche being triggered and the potential level of consequence. These forecasts enable operations to work within acceptable limits of risk.  

Industry

Workplace Safety Training

Many industrial clients now require annual Avalanche Safety Training (AST) programs for their workers to reduce the risks associated with avalanches while working in mountainous terrain. Alpine Safety Consultants can customize training sessions to best suit your specific worksite.

Avalanche Safety Training (AST) programs generally include:

  • Avalanche formation and nature
  • Recognition of avalanche terrain 
  • Avalanche bulletins definitions and use
  • Locations of avalanche zones in the relevant work sites
  • Risk management strategies
  • Use and practice with safety equipment and avalanche PPE
  • Avalanche Companion Rescue Training
  • Mountain Safety and Survival Training as required