Outdoor Camps & Adventure Sports Expert Article

A sound and comprehensive risk management plan is critical in the operation of overnight camps, special events, or outdoor activities like skiing, rafting, and other adventure sports. When investigating mishaps related to these operations, a thorough analysis of the organization’s safety policy is often the first place to start. 

This article outlines some of the fundamentals of risk management in outdoor supervision that may be relevant to a forensic investigation.  

Injury Prevention in Outdoor Camps & Adventure Sports

Pre-Activity Planning for Safety

Activity-specific planning is necessary to identify the skill levels needed for participants to safely engage in the activity and progress to reach established goals. 

Curriculum models should encourage skill mastery through progressive skill building strategies. By considering factors such as age and varying skill levels, organizations can create curriculum that provides participants with experiences that develop new skills while working to minimize the risk of injury. 

This process includes clearly communicating objectives, and explaining rules for lessons, activities, and responsible behavior before an activity begins. Staff and clientele must understand the safety expectations in all program activities. 

Standardized and established instructional programs are available for a broad range of sports and activities that provide valuable tools like instructor manuals with tested teaching strategies, curriculum for scope and sequence, lesson plans, and safety guidelines for the activities and skills taught. 

Organizations commonly develop their own curriculum, but it is important to ensure that lesson plans are pedagogically sound, differentiate for age and ability levels, and meet current industry standards. 

Developing & Communicating Safety Rules for Activities

Program rules to promote safe behavior should be based on established industry guidelines and clearly communicated to staff and students through orientation activities and reinforced with appropriate signage and through reference materials like employee manuals and student handbooks.

Activities should always begin with equipment checks, safety and hazards identification, instruction on rules, as well as strategies and techniques for avoiding risk and injuries.

Hiring & Training Qualified Staff

Employers must ensure that all staff, including volunteers, have the essential skills and experience required to perform their job duties. Everyone on staff is responsible for knowing emergency response plans and subject to background checks and mandatory reporter requirements.

Staff training should be designed to meet the unique needs and goals of on-site and off-site programs, as well as traditional educational settings and scenarios.

If daily routines include activities like snowboarding, mountain biking, climbing, rafting, or skateboarding, training formats will vary based on activity requirements and organizational needs.

Licensing and certifications are a common prerequisite for supervising educational programs, as well as for facilitating outdoor activities. Certification training for specialized activities is typically conducted by contractors, non-profit associations, and independent governing bodies.

When activities or skills taught require these types of training, it is important that the staff members have completed the mandatory training and certifications relevant to their position, and that paperwork is current and documented. If follow-up training, renewals, and professional development opportunities are required, an organization must meet these obligations as well.

Creating Job Descriptions that Match Program Goals

Job descriptions should identify the skills and background experience needed to successfully deliver lessons and conduct programs responsibly. Mandatory licenses, certifications, and clearances should be included.

Teachers, instructors, and counselors should obtain all mandatory licenses or certifications before engaging in any work responsibilities. In addition, faculty responsible for facilitating and instructing specialized activities should possess the skills necessary for teaching at the proficiency level of an activity.

For example, an instructor with fundamental or intermediate skills for an activity may be qualified to coach beginners and intermediate students but should not attempt to teach advanced skills if they do not have the experience and judgment necessary to instruct at an advanced level.

Instructors and faculty should only teach within their area of expertise or discipline.

Outdoor activities and adventure education commonly utilize a large variety of sporting equipment, tools, mechanical vehicles, and transportation. Programs should ensure that the appropriate staff are trained and meet any licensing requirements before operating or maintaining specialized equipment.

Program Expectations

Students need to know expectations for activities, safety gear and equipment requirements, as well as risks involved before participation. Organizations should confirm that participants and legal guardians understand requirements as well as inherent and assumed risks by ensuring all waivers and paperwork are completed during enrollment and before activities begin.

Supervision Expert Witness Investigations

The education and supervision experts at Robson Forensic are coaches, teachers, administrators, chaperones, lifeguards, trainers and rehabilitation professionals who speak to the standards of care for organizing youth activities and programming. Our experts evaluate the safety of schools, playgrounds, camps, childcare centers, and correctional/custodial facilities to identify the various contributing causes to a specific incident.

For more information, call us at 800.813.6736 or submit an inquiry.

Featured Expert

Benjamin Wixon, M.A.Ed.

Action Sports & Youth Supervision Expert

Ben Wixon is a youth supervision and action sports expert with more than two decades of experience providing guidance, instruction, training, and support to school youth, facility operators and staff,… read more.