4. Risk management (1): planning

Part of Camp leadership basics, an introductory course on general camp-leadership knowledge. It is not the official material of any certification course.

Control, not zero

Risk can't be removed from outdoor programs, and trying to remove all of it removes the challenge that makes camp worthwhile. The aim is to understand risks in advance and keep them within what the program can control. ACA itself says no environment is risk free. Good safety management does two things: it prevents harm, and it makes high-quality, adventurous programs possible.

Near misses and root causes

An OSHA-hosted near-miss template defines a near miss as an event where nothing was damaged and no one was hurt, but where a slight shift in time or position could easily have caused damage or injury. Near misses are also called close calls. OSHA's guidance for workplaces is to investigate injuries, incidents and close calls to find the underlying hazards, and that the purpose of an investigation must always be to find the root causes, often more than one, to prevent a repeat. Camps aren't factories, but the habit transfers: talk through every close call at the evening staff meeting.

Heinrich's triangle, with care

A familiar safety idea comes from H. W. Heinrich: in a group of 330 accidents, 300 cause no injury, 29 minor injuries and one a major injury. The National Safety Council's magazine notes the criticism: Heinrich revised the ratio without explanation in later editions, his original data files no longer exist, and following his model can over-emphasize individual behavior at the expense of systems. Use the triangle as a reminder that serious events sit on top of many smaller warnings, not as a precise law.

Supervision and staffing

ACA gives general ranges for staff-to-camper ratios:

ACA also says staff must be at least 16 and at least two years older than the campers they work with, and recommends that 80 percent or more of counseling and program staff be at least 18. Check current ACA standards and your state's rules, which may differ.

Planning checklist

• Program: match difficulty to campers' ages and experience; leave slack in the schedule; alternate active and quiet sessions; prepare rain and severe-weather plans and don't force the fair-weather plan.
• Site: avoid rockfall, flood-prone banks and dead trees; know the nearest hospital and where cell service works.
• Site visit: walk the site and routes in advance; note toilets, hazards and evacuation points.
• Health information: collect health forms with allergies and medications, and brief staff before arrival.
• Emergency action plan: OSHA describes an emergency action plan as a written document that organizes actions during emergencies; well-trained people who know their roles are hurt less often. Write one for camp, assign roles and practice it.
• Insurance: cover campers and staff, and tell families what is covered.

Think it through

1. Recall a close call you've seen outdoors. What would have had to line up for it to become a serious accident?
2. Write your camp's severe-weather plan as specifically as your fair-weather plan.

Related on this site

• The Ten Essentials and a trip plan
• Home preparedness checklist