Page 57 - Risk Management for Outdoor Programs

Figure 6.12. Hazards of desert canyon travel include flash flood and rockfall. 6.6.3. Implementation Staff should verifiably be trained in all relevant policies and procedures. (Chapter 7, Staff, provides an example of check-off documents that can be used for verification.) They should have ready access them while in the field, for example in the form of a paper or electronic field manual. Staff and participants should be willing and able to implement the policies and procedures as required. 6.7. POST-ACTIVITY REVIEW Following the activity, and at the end of the day, it can be useful to debrief the experience. This provides, among other purposes, an opportunity to identify safety issues. At the end of the entire outdoor program and following the departure of participants, staff have another opportunity to review. A written analysis of successes and opportunities for improvement, including risk management issues, can be made at this time. A standardized form with questions or topics to address may be helpful. During these reviews, significant incidents should be discussed, and risks related to activities, participants, staff, equipment, activity locations, safety culture, subcontractors and transportation should be assessed. Issues brought up during these post-activity reviews should then be addressed and resolved by program managers. In order for that to occur, a management system for accountability and follow-up should be put in place to ensure issues raised during post-activity review are not neglected. Incident reporting and incident reviews are covered in following chapters. Chapter 6: Activities and Program Areas 47