Risk Management Plan(adapted from the National Outdoor Leadership Schoolwww.nols.caandwww.projectnatureed.com.au)

You have been hired to plansound risk management plan for an outdoor recreational activity of choice. Activity success will largely depend on the maintenance of the physical and emotional safety of the participants. The development and implementation of a sound risk management plan will ensure that this is achieved. Work through the following steps to deliver your plan to the program director:

1. Risk Identification
2. Risk Assessment
3. Risk Reduction

The outdoor recreational activity that I am creating a risk management plan for is: ___________________________________________________

Step 1: Risk Identification

Think About:

• What is the "typical" Risk Level theactivity operates at? How much variation is there?
• Do the Safety Factors outweigh our Hazard Factors?
• How often does theactivity shift into a higher Risk Level?

Identify the dangers or hazards that can give rise to risk and thereby causing an incident or culminating in an accident. Consider the following three factors:

• Environment
• Equipment
• Participants

Hazards for a rock-climbing example are shown below:

Participants	Equipment	Environment
Size of group Skill level of group (belay, climb) Knowledge/experience Health Age Emotional Attributes Attitudes	Clothing Footwear Helmets Harnesses Ropes Karabiners	Rock stability Anchor stability Overhanging tree branches Rock edges Cliff access: top and bottom Weather conditions

Step 2: Risk Assessment

• Evaluate each of the hazards you have identified in Step 1 Risk Identification. Rank those hazards on their level of inherent risk factors on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 is low risk level, 2 is guarded risk level, 3 is elevated risk level, 4 is high risk level, 5 is severe risk level). There is no such thing as zero risk level.
• What is your overall assessment with the risk associated with each of the hazards identified?
• Refer to the NOLS Risk Assessment tool to help guide your risk assessmenthttps://nols.edu/media/filer_public/6f/1a/6f1afffe-5583-4b0a-bae2-72acf6553470/risk_management_self-assessment_tool_web.pdf

Step 3: Risk Reduction

The aim of risk reduction is to implement a range of strategies that will minimise risks to an acceptable level in an attempt to prevent incidents occurring. A range of strategies appropriate for reducing risks in outdoor education, may include:

• Safety Policy and Guidelines
• Risk Disclosure
• Knowing the Participants
• Staff Training
• Equipment selection, inspection and maintenance

Complete the following chart to submit to the program director.

Proposed Risk Management Plan for: ________________________________________________________

Risks (List the undesired events where an accident, injury or loss could occur)
4. 5. 6.
	Dangers (for each identified inherent risk list the factors which could lead to the risk occurring)	Risk Management Strategies (to reduce the likelihood of the risk occurring)
People (attributes people bring to an activity: skills, attitudes; physical fitness; health; age; fears; numbers; etc.)	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Equipment (resources that impact on the activity: clothing; helmets; ropes; harnesses; karabiners, etc.)	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Environment (factors that impact on the activity: weather; terrain; insects; access; rock type; loose rocks; etc.)	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.