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Practical Risk Management
Using IT & Other Administrative Practices To Enhance Program Safety In Today’s Changing
Outdoor Industry
Choosing Risk Management Strategies That Can Make A Difference
1999 Glengarry Accident
Resulted in our organisation searching for ways to improve our risk management and administrative practices.
What follows is an illustration of some of the areas that we have developed.
Overview of Presentation
In delivering this presentation I am going to share the process and information tools that leaders preparing for a trip to Apple Tree Flats on the Shoalhaven River near Kangaroo Valley would utilise in their trip preparation.
Content To Be Covered Trip Reconnoitring: Assessing the risk Accidents: What the stats say Documenting Trip Procedures Using Web Based Technology To Manage
Trip Procedural Information Staff Briefings
Pre-Trip Check Lists: Are you ready for take off? Risk Assessment Forms
Hike Briefings: Using PowerPoint Communications: Having a back up is a
must! Emergency Readiness: Assume the worst
will happen Liaising with Emergency Services
The Glengarry Campus
Trip Reconnoitring: Knowing What The Risks Are All staff in a leadership role must have
reconnoitred the trip they’re leading During this reckie:
Familiarisation with route, terrain, teaching opps.
Hazards are identified Risk reduction management plans are
discussed or role played Staff leadership roles can be clarified Digital photos can be taken to prepare
student briefing
Trip Reckie: ID Potential Hazards
Start
Cliff line safety
River crossings
Our
Hike
RouteOff track hiking
Unmarked Cliff lines
Group Management: What Safety Systems Should We Set Up? From this reckie certain hazards would
be identified and require a management strategy. Cliff Line Safety
Off Track Walking
Unmarked cliff lines
River crossing safety/high water alternatives
Latest Research On Fatalities During Outdoor Education Trips Andrew Brookes (2002) surveyed over 100
outdoor accidents in Australia that led to injury or death.
A common theme emerged: Most fatalities occurred with adolescent males
who were unsupervised in terrain that had cliffs or unmarked cliffs, or required the negotiation of moving water.
This has major implications for leadership for this client group. Using IT can develop awareness of hazards before they get into the field, and help staff better plan.
Trip Documentation & Utilising Simple IT Tools To Manage Information
Trip documentation can help ensure: Teaching progressions are followed Teaching is moderated across all groups
even though led by different leaders Safety protocols are clearly stated, and
therefore need to be followed. Eliminates ambiguity or interpretation. [what if clause]
Organising this information to aid leaders can make their preparation easier
Administrative Benefits Leaders or Students can review trip
information any time at their leisure. Staff and students can be briefed
with IT assistance. Saves hours of photocopying;
Interactive, photos, engaging environmentally friendly.
Any changes can be made instantly, thus the document always remains current.
Making Trip Information User Friendly: IT Aiding The Risk Management Process.
Follow up West side of
River
Go To D: GG Intranet
Computer Based Leader Hike Briefing
Go to GG Intranet
Administrative Systems: Pre-Trip Check List
Pre-Trip Check Lists Airline pilots use them to
ensure all aspects of safety readiness are covered before take off.
Outdoor Ed leaders can utilise them too in order to make sure all areas of planning and preparation are covered before a trip commences.
ATF Pre-Trip List
Administrative Systems:Risk Analysis Management System [RAMS] Identify major hazards
that may cause injury or loss to the group
Document how these hazards will be managed
Knowing the hazard and level of risk, & weighing this against the skill & experience of group helps determine group management strategy.
Balancing Risk V’s Group
When analysing potential risk you need to consider the following variables.
Environmental Hazards
Human Hazards Equipment Concerns Leadership adequacy
The Pre-Trip Reckie is essential to identifying these factors
Accident Potential
Environmental Dangers
Human Dangers
Acc
iden
t Pot
enti
al
When humans begin to interact with environmental dangers and their awareness level is low, the potential for an accident increases. Being aware of this increased potential is a critically important skill for leaders.
These variables can interact and multiply accident probability
• Poison plants
• Thick vegetation
• Deadfall, logs
• Whip back branches
• Wind
• Rain
• Cold
• Heat
• Insects
• Snakes
• Spiders
• Ticks
• Rivers
• Cliffs
• Rock fall
• Steeps
• Undercuts
WEATHER
FAUNA
FLORA
TERRAIN
WILDERNESS HAZARDSWILDERNESS HAZARDS
The objective of completing a RAMS form is to ensure any identified hazard is managed through either:
Acceptance of hazard Avoidance of hazard Modification of hazard
This process needs to be documented to guide field practice
Traffic Light Risk Assessment Traffic Light Risk Assessment ToolTool
Red Light Real danger is present & to proceed could result in death or serious injury
Yellow Light Some danger is present but with care or the modification of risk you may be able to proceed
Green Light Evaluation of risk determined it is safe to proceed
A model for evaluating potentially dangerous situations. Also an excellent tool to help students develop judgment in the field and how to manage risk
situations.
RAMS Form Completion
Staff at Glengarry sit down for a one hour pre-trip review of safety issues and RAMS form.
Each staff member signs off stating that they understand the major hazards and the agreed management strategy for these hazards.
ATF RAMS
Pre-Trip Briefing For Participants: Addresses Issues Raised in RAMS FORM
Increasing Awareness Prior To Trip Commencement
Prior knowledge of hazards Prior knowledge of how to manage these hazards
PowerPoint can take your group on the trip and identify key danger spots before actually getting there. It address directly many of the issues raised in the completed RAMS form.
ATF Briefing
Communications
Base Station with safety officer by radio any time trips are in the field.
Mobile repeater can be deployed to improve comms in isolated places.
Satellite phone used as an emergency back up.
Base
Reliable Communications When/if things go wrong
contacting help is instantaneous
Any student led trip without staff supervision MUST have reliable comms. Examples…
All these items can be purchased or hired
Companies like Karera Communications will go to your hike area & set up a repeater and provide handsets
Ph: Andrew Bradfield: 9477 5999
Emergency Action Plan: Are you prepared when/if things go wrong?
Despite the best planning and intentions things can go wrong.
What systems can be in place to ensure timely and professional response?
An emergency action plan is a must for any organisation. It must be rehearsed and role played so staff know how it works. Following are some things we have instigated
at Glengarry that maybe of interest to others.Emergency Action Plan
Emergency Planning Is About Being Prepared For When Things Go Wrong
There is field staff readiness, then there are systems to support them.
Emergency Readiness Safety Officer: 24-7 monitoring weather, comms & phones Highly reliable comms. No radio shadows in operations
area. 3 mandatory radio scheds per day. Weather updated Emergency Vehicle packed and loaded for immediate
departure with: Rescue Packs, Rescue Box, Stretcher, Oxy-Viva Resuscitation
kit: Nursing sister on ten minute call.
Journey Intention Route plans with Police, Ambulance & National Parks
Dialogue and regular visits by emergency services to our facility.
Emergency scenario training with full staff. Independent audit of our emergency readiness every three years
Have in place Systematic check lists to guide emergency response
Student Cliff Line Management
Autocratic leadership / supervision required here.
Route down
Unmarked Cliffs Where Terrain Steepens [Map does not tell everything]
Unmarked Cliffs below this point
River Crossing Protocols Covered Before Crossing Attempted
Student Led Rogaining: All groups have radiosIf we can’t find our way soon we will radio staff
station 1 for help
