In reply to Jack Geldard - UKC Chief Editor:
After 30 years of climbing I had two belay incidents, both my fault. And I consider myself safe too, Jackus, as most people do.
Both were at climbing walls, both involved a Gri-gri.
First, I was lowering a friend at a busy climbing wall. For some reason I stopped looking at him as I was lowering him.
I thought he was on the floor and I pulled slack out of the Gri-gri so that he could untie. He wasn't on the floor, but just above me. Someone else's leader next to me had just arrived at the ground and I thought that was my partner. It was a very crowded wall.
My partner slammed to the floor from just above my head. Luckily he was OK.
Second is a classic. When belaying I always check my partners knot, check my screwgate is locked and if using a Gri-gri check that it is threaded the correct way so that so that the live rope is coming out of the GRi-gri where the man icon is; to check this I say out loud to my partner...'You are the man' (rather than the 'hand').
On this occasion I didn't do this and the Gri-gri was threaded incorrectly with the live rope coming out of the 'hand' icon.....which could have been disastrous. Luckily I noticed at the third bolt and called the leader to clip into the bolt and corrected my mistake.
I do have a third - my son was belaying me at a wall with a Gri-gri and I reached the anchors. I told him I would down climb to get extra pumped. He let out slack as I down-climbed. It was hot and sweaty, and I fell.
He as most inexperienced belayers may do, grabbed the handle!!!!
The rope ripped through the Gri-gri.
I decked it from 20ft onto a pad luckily and horizontally on my back with no injury. Very lucky.
I do still use a Gri-gri and I'm extra attentive now - not that I thought I was inattentive before.
Mistakes are easy to make.
Look out for each other.
Mick
Post edited at 20:43