Health and Safety
Childrens Birthday Parties
Snowsports have many dangerous hazards associated with participation including slips, falls, collisions with other participants, and collisions with manmade objects. The safety of all participants is directly affected by their judgement, the control of the participant’s physical ability, and through the proper use of equipment at all times.
Users should only participate within their capabilities, and be prepared to stop at all times. Users should be continually alert to changing surface conditions, and their surroundings, including other participants and objects.
All users should dress in the appropriate clothing, gloves and foot wear for the conditions.
From time to time, directions and/or instructions may be given by staff members. These are given to keep Snowplanet a safe place for all, and must be followed.
Snowplanet offers a terrain park (snow based skate park) for advanced users. Use of the terrain park requires a greater skill and should not be attempted unless the participant is experienced at this level.
Snowplanet suggests participants do not take valuables into the snowdome, because should these become lost, they may not be located for some time, and may well become damaged before they can be recovered (if at all). Snowplanet assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged items.
Should you believe that a participants health be at risk for any reason, or that participation may aggravate a pre-existing condition, then the person should not participate.
Supervision
To ensure your party guests have a fun, rewarding, and safe experience at Snowplanet, it is essential that they are supervised effectively whilst participating in on snow activities.
Supervisors should understand that safe usage of our slope is guided through the Snow Safety Code which states:
- Know your limits
- Ride to your ability, control your speed
- Be aware of the conditions
- Take a lesson
- Find your space
- Stop where you can be seen
- Give others room
- Look ahead
- Protect yourself
- Obey all signs and closures
- Tired, take a rest
- Wear a helmet
It is important that these rules are explained and made clear to the children and are adhered to while on the slope.
Supervising is a hands-on role, and supervisors should be willing and able to get involved. You need to be aware of the children in your ‘group’ to ensure they do not become disorientated or lost.
Snowplanet highly recommends an adult to child ratio of 1:10. Arrangements should be made with adults to supervise the party participants while on the snow prior to your birthday celebration. These could be family members, or parents of invited guests, but must be 18 years of age or older. Supervising adults should dress accordingly for the conditions (-5 degrees).
Should you be unable to meet the supervising ratio, or wish to relax in the restaurant whilst the party is on the snow, you can upgrade your party to include Snowplanet team members to supervise for you. We offer a ‘Birthday Supervision Service’ for $25 per 10 children per hour. Please ask for this when you book.
Please note that the ‘Birthday Supervision Service’ does not include instruction or lessons. Its purpose is to monitor the kids as they explore their snow environment, ensuring they remain within the bounds of where they are meant to be and to be available should one of the kids fall, need to visit the bathroom or be having a problem with a piece of their equipment. It is a similar service to that you would do supervising your kids in a playground; they may still fall and graze their knees.
The Snowsports Party Package includes an instructor for the first hour on snow. During this time, the instructor will be actively providing a lesson and therefore direct supervision to the children, so you will not be required. At the end of the lesson, the instructor will provide guidance on the children, and the level they should be skiing/snowboarding from. You will then need to supervise the children for the second hour on snow.
The Freeride Party Package will require parental supervision for the duration of the time on snow. This is not directly supervised by Snowplanet team members. Children engaged in a Freeride party should be competent skiers and snowboarders who are familiar with platter/poma lifts and can negotiate their way safely down our entire slope. If they are beginners then please let us know.
The Winter Wonderland Party Package requires parental supervision for the duration of the time on snow.
To ensure the kids birthday party is being effectively supervised, you will not be participating in the activity – instead you will be ensuring the party have a wonderful experience!
Ski Mat
Snowplanet uses a ski mat to allow beginners access to our beginner slope. The ski mat is a long conveyor belt that users stand on to be transported to the top of the learners slope. It is important the all users of the ski mat follow three key instructions whilst using the ski mat:
- You must stay standing.
- No walking
- No loose objects (such as trailing scarves) are permitted
It is important these instructions are provided to, and understood by all children.
Contingency Plans
Sometimes, things don’t always go according to plan. Here are some key points we would like your group to know before they head out to the snow:
- In the case of an emergency or our Fire Alarm sounds:
- Stop what you are doing. Take off your equipment and exit through the nearest fire exit, there are 8 inside the Dome, 2 at the TOP, 2 at the BOTTOM and 4 in the MIDDLE. Upon exiting the door please walk on the grass to avoid slipping and assemble in the Carpark by the Yellow Assembly Point sign.
- If your children are participating in lessons and the alarm sounds, they will be escorted to the assembly point by their instructors – please meet them there.
- In the case of a power cut, stop where you are and wait for the power to return. Do not continue in the dark. Instructions where provided by staff should be followed in all instances.
- If you hurt yourself on the snow, stay where you are and raise your hand. A first aider will come to you on the snow. If you see an accident, please raise the alarm with a Snowplanet staff member.
- If you pose a risk to the health and safety or yourself or others whilst skiing or snowboarding, restrictions may be placed on your access to the snow to keep Snowplanet safe.
- Snowplanet have coloured ‘off load’ zones on the side of the building that are to be used should permission have been granted for a child to progress onto the platter lifts. At no point should any child move from our beginner’s area to the top of the slope without taking the slope in measured steps.
- To ensure the party supervisors can be identified easily on snow by children and Snowplanet staff, they will be asked to wear a brightly coloured vest. Please be advised your parties colour today is _________________________.
