Textbook

Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure

The acclaimed textbook Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure is available for purchase in paperback and eBook format.

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Your outdoor, experiential or travel program provides fun, personal growth, adventure. It changes lives. But are your safety systems up to standards? If something happens, are you prepared to respond?


Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure provides essential knowledge for any adventure or outdoor professional. Program managers, executives, volunteers and group leaders will learn critical approaches and strategies for successfully anticipating and addressing risks.

Packed with real-life stories, current research findings, and good practice guidance, Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: a Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure gives expert advice on:

  • Approaches to Risk Management
  • Standards
  • Legal Considerations
  • Safety Culture
  • Activities and Program Areas
  • Staff
  • Equipment
  • Participants
  • Subcontractors
  • Transportation
  • Business Administration
  • Risk Transfer
  • Incident Management
  • Incident Reporting
  • Incident Reviews
  • Risk Management Committee
  • Medical Screening
  • Risk Management Reviews
  • Media Relations
  • Documentation
  • Accreditation
  • Seeing Systems

Use the button below to download a 15-page sample of the book, including Contents, Preface, and Introduction.

Download sample

Price: ‎USD 59

Author: Jeff A. Baierlein
Publisher: ‎Viristar (March 21, 2019)
Sold by: Amazon

Language: English

Paperback ‎
Length: 218 pages
Item Weight: ‎ .75 kg | 1.65 pounds
Dimensions: ‎ 21.6 x 1.4 x 28 cm | 8.5 x 0.54 x 11 inches
ISBN-10: 1733349111
ISBN-13: 978-1733349116
OCLC Number: 1273556703

eBook

The e-book edition, a Kindle e-book download, is available for virtually all devices, including

Android, iPhone, tablets, Mac and PC, with the free Kindle app.

Features of this print replica edition include:

  • Notes and highlights
  • Search, copy and paste
  • Zoom and pan
  • Pop-out linked table-of-contents
  • Page numbers matching print edition

Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure is used in university classrooms, educational travel programs, adventure tourism operations, search and rescue, adventure centers, outdoor education and forest schools, camps, wilderness therapy programs, park and recreation settings, and more.

About the Author

Jeff Baierlein (he/him) is the director of the consultancy Viristar, providing safety, curriculum, and strategy services to outdoor, adventure, travel, and experiential programs worldwide.

Jeff began working as an outdoor and adventure professional in 1987.  He has over 1000 field days leading mountaineering, sailing, whitewater and flatwater canoeing, backpacking, whitewater and sea kayaking, rock climbing, canyoning and caving expeditions up to three months in length. 

Jeff is the former Executive Director of Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School and of the Boojum Institute for Experiential Education. He has worked as an EMT and on Search and Rescue teams, leading rescues in North America and Asia.

Jeff has provided risk management reviews, expert witness services, incident reviews, and safety trainings for organizations in over 60 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Africa.

Jeff lives on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Testimonials

  • Excellent…extremely helpful.

    Charlotte Hyde

    Education and Outreach Program Director, Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council, Oregon, USA

  • Nick Alchin

    Head of College, United World College South East Asia, Singapore

  • Amazing course. I have learned so much and have more knowledge on the topic that I can take back to my outdoor program.

    Mackenzie Holbrook

    Former Outdoor Program Coordinator, Colorado Mesa University Outdoor Program, Colorado, USA

  • It was great to have a variety of experience and perspectives that made for some great discussions.

    Jen Siliko

    Outdoor Pursuit Center Director, Miami University, Ohio, USA

  • The textbook is comprehensive, well written, easy to understand and very relevant to the nature of risk management in the outdoor industry

    Alan Champkins

    Head of Centre, Ndubaluba Outdoor Centre, Mkushi, Zambia

  • The most comprehensive risk management course I have completed. I highly recommend Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs training.

    Phil Austen-Smith

    Expedition Director, Ability Expeditions, Malaysian Borneo

  • Highly recommended course to anyone working in experiential learning of any kind.

    Tiffany Cavanagh

    Head of Girls Boarding, Martin House Trust School, United Kingdom

  • Hjh Sofinaz Hj Abd Majid

    Training Officer, Outward Bound Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

  • The textbook is an excellent resource.

    Matshediso Kgamane

    Owner, DrK Travel Clinic, Botswana

  • Ashwin Thomas

    Founder, Coho Earth Adventures, India

  • The textbook is comprehensive, accessible and presented in an easy to read format. A valuable addition to anyone’s risk management safety toolkit!

    Rich Hunt

    Teacher, Health & Safety Coordinator, British School Manila, Manila, Philippines

  • Useful and practical…highly recommended for anyone working in the outdoor industry, at any stage, level or position.

    Graham Bos

    Program Facilitator, Power to Be, Vancouver, Canada

  • This course has given me a much more comprehensive view of risk management.

    Alan Champkins

    Head of Centre, Ndubaluba Outdoor Centre, Mkushi, Zambia

  • Highly recommend this short, intensive course to anyone working on outdoor programs. Its content is relevant, applicable and holistic to all.

    Ben Trewren

    Experiential Learning Manager, Operation Flinders Foundation, Edwardstown, Australia

  • It was very helpful, and I was able to get a wider perspective on risk management.

    Shi Jinhui

    Founder, Fun & Learn , Chiang Mai, Thailand