Risk factors for injury in a caver:
(1) female gender
(2) novice
(3) failure to wear a helmet
(4) failure to take precautions for hypothermia
(5) failure to wear abrasion protection (gloves, other)
(6) poor skills in climbing, belaying and rappelling
(7) entering an unmapped or unfamiliar cave
(8) rope or other equipment failure (cheap, frayed, poor care, etc.)
(9) complete darkness or obscurred vision
(10) caving after a recent rain and/or when flooding
(11) unstable cave or recent cave-in
(12) caving alone
(13) unprepared for toxic atmosphere
(14) lack of sufficient water and food
