Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors Guiding Principles Paddy Harrop Recreation and Public Affairs Manager Forestry Commission England
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors Guiding Principles
Paddy Harrop
Recreation and Public Affairs Manager
Forestry Commission England
Footer text 2
Managing Visitor Safety Outdoors
1. Background and Principles
2. How the Forestry Commission has managed visitor safety
3. Outcomes and further information
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 3
Background and Principles
Adams, J. & Thompson, M. Taking account of societal concerns about risk Framing the problem
Health and Safety Executive (2002) http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr035.pdf
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 4
Background and Principles
Low risk countryside activities?
How many non fatal accidents per million hours of activity?
Footer text 5
‘landowner liability risk is low… in England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland’
Bennet & Crowe (2008) [for CRN]
Background and context
• No nasty surprises?
• Some activities inherently risky
• Accidents do happen.
• Not the land managers role to change the nature of the activity
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 6
04/03/2014
Footer text 7
• Add VSCG table
04/03/2014 RPA Management Board 8
Forestry Commission Approach
• Managing recreation since 1930’s
• Formal role and duties since 1960s
• Large investment 1970s, 1990s and 2000s
• Formalisation of policies mid to late 1990s
• Part of the VSCG group
• Operational Guidance Booklets 2000s
Managing Visitor Safety 9
Forestry Commission Approach
Plan
Implement
Monitor
Analyse
Legal Framework
Civil Law
- Occupiers liability acts (1957&1984)
- Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977
Criminal Law
- The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR)
- Construction, Design and Management Regulations (CDM)
- Mines and Quarries Act (1954)
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 10
Management Framework
Analysis
Consider :
• Existing facilities
• Current use
• Surrounding area
• Trends
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 11
Plan
Implement
Monitor
Analyse
Planning
Plan
Implement
Monitor
Analyse
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 12
• Construction Design Management Regs
• Skills and expertise
• Design standards
• Future management
• Type of use
• Risks and Benefits
Implementation
Plan
Implement
Monitor
Analyse
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 13
Do what you have planned!
• Welcome visitors
• Staff responsibilities and training
• Maintenance
• Replacement and repairs
• Decommissioning
• Keep records
Monitoring
Plan
Implement
Monitor
Analyse
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 14
• Who uses the facility and when
• Recorded facility inspections
• Act on defects and record actions.
• Good accident reporting system
• Robust claims management
• Keep records!
Outcomes
• More visitors to the outdoors doing more things
• Recreation that is enjoyable and good for health and wellbeing
• People voluntarily taking challenges and risks
• More outdoor skills and greater self reliance
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 15
Outcomes
Keep things in perspective
• 40 million visits per year to FC land in England
• 502 reported accidents per year
• Less than 2 successful claims per annum
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 16
Further Information
1. Visitor Safety In the Countryside Group. www.vscg.org.uk:/g.co.uk/
Managing Visitor Safety in the Outdoors 17
4. Bennet, L. & Crowe L. (2008) Landowners' Liability? Sheffield Hallam for CRN. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/678/
2. Adams, J. & Thompson, M. Taking account of societal concerns about risk Framing the problem Health and Safety Executive (2002). http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr035.pdf
3. Managing Risk in Play Provision www.playengland.org.uk
5. Denny, D (2005) Risk and Society, Sage Publications, London.
6. McNamee, M. (2007) Philosophy, Risk and Adventure Sports, Routledge, London.
End
Footer text 18