1.1.

6-
Safe participation in outdoor
experiences
Investigating what is required for safe participation in outdoor
experiences, such as basic first aid or the conditions necessary
for safe conduct of specific activities.
Types of risks in the outdoors
▪ Risk management is the process of analysing the different
types of risk that could be associated with a specific
activity.
▪ These risks can be broken into three main groups:
Environmental risks
Risks associated with people
Risks associated with equipment
Environmental risks
These are the risks that come directly from the environment you are in
or that you need to use for a specific activity.
Some environments are inherently more dangerous that others.
Factors that affect environmental risk include:
▪ Weather
▪ Terrain
▪ Shelter available (either natural or man-made)
▪ Remoteness
▪ Flora and Fauna
Risks associated with people
These are the risks that are connected to the people involved in the
activity – both leaders (or instructors/teachers) and participants, as well
as other people that may be in and around the environment in use.
Factors that affect risks associated with people include:

• Individual skill level • Fitness

• Knowledge • Age
• Experience • Fears
• Health • Emotions
Risks associated with equipment
Many activities in the outdoors require specialised equipment.
Equipment needs to be cared for and maintained so that is able to
safely function, but it also requires those using it to know how to care
for and operate it.
Equipment can include, but is not limited to:
• Clothing • Climbing hardware
• Buoyancy aids (ropes, harnesses, etc)
• Kayaks/canoes/rafts • Helmets
• Surfboards • Stoves
• Bikes • Transportation
• Tents