Safe Working on Ice for Production Crew (SWIPC)
The Safe Working on Ice for Production Crew (SWIPC) course trains production crew who work or travel on ice over lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, or rivers that are completely frozen over. The curriculum includes the formation of ice and the factors that influence its decay, how to determine ice thickness, the identification of hazards, travelling on ice, self-rescue and simple techniques for rescuing a colleague. The curriculum also includes the medical complications posed by cold water immersion and hypothermia, and the significant implications for rescue and transport.
Contact hours
- 12 hours (2 days)
Prerequisites
- Minimum age: 18
Course content includes
- About Rescue 3
- Training standards and legislation
- Safe systems of work
- Production crew working with safety advisors
- Risk assessments
- Pre-planning for emergencies and rescue
- Ice properties, formations and types
- Ice hazards
- Effects of swiftwater hydrology on ice formation
- Cold water considerations
- Medical and decontamination considerations
- Personal and team equipment
- Communications
- Ice testing procedures
- Walking on ice
- Self-rescue from ice
- Throwbags and other conditional rescues
Course standard, learning outcomes and key teaching points
Rescue 3 Europe course standards, learning outcomes and key teaching points
The course standards, learning outcomes and key teaching points are provided as pre- and post-course reference for people involved in the delivery of Rescue 3 courses (eg Rescue 3 training providers, instructors and students). They are not to be used for any other purpose without the express written permission of Rescue 3 Europe.
Qualification valid for
- 3 years
Taught by
Recertification options
Instructor to student ratios
Student resources
Student resources for Rescue 3 courses can be accessed here.
Instructor resources
Instructor resources for Rescue 3 courses can be accessed here.






