The survey goes on to say that these programs have concerns about safety and are looking for ways to improve their safety management programs. The tremendous growth of the industry over the last decade has led to an increase in risk for adventure program accidents and injuries.

The perils of the open road present the greatest safety concern for survey respondents. Transportation and driving issues was listed as the number one safety concern for programs, but only 48 percent of survey respondents reported utilizing driver training and testing to mitigate transportation risks. Programs may need to seek outside assistance in dealing with this particular type of safety concern, since it is often outside the expertise of adventure program staff.

"The study results show a need for outdoor adventure programs to have better alignment between their safety concerns and their risk management systems," said Dr. Stacey Moran, industrial and organizational psychologist, The St. Paul Companies. "For example, when programs were asked what kinds of additional resources would benefit their safety efforts, the most frequently cited response was judgment training for instructors, ranking above 14 other categories. But, on average, programs reported they only 'sometimes' provide such training as part of their professional development activities. The outdoor adventure industry is voicing a clear need for improved safety training resources and tools.

"In addition, some programs may not be aware of the risks inherent in their activities, risks they neither recognize nor understand," continued Moran. "In short, they don't know what they don't know, and that can pose a danger to participants."

According to Lewis Glenn, vice president of safety and program, Outward Bound USA, "The outdoor industry at large would benefit from embracing a culture of safety. Outdoor adventure programs may find it easy to put resources into facilities and equipment, but affecting staff attitudes and behaviors about safety is a much more difficult proposition. In addition, many of those programs are small nonprofits with limited resources to address safety management concerns."

About the survey

To help paint a picture of the risks inherent in the outdoor adventure industry, and to understand the safety systems in place that address some of these risks, The St. Paul Companies and Outward Bound USA teamed up to conduct a study of outdoor adventure programs. The Wilderness Risk Managers Committee (WRMC) and The Association for Experiential Education (AEE) participated actively with survey design and distribution, and individuals from a variety of small and large programs provided input into the content of the survey. The Outdoor Safety Initiative Risk Management Surveys were mailed to CEOs and risk managers of more than 1200 programs, with nearly one quarter of the surveys completed and returned.

The survey was used to examine outdoor adventure programs' safety concerns, existing safety management systems within these programs, accident histories, and program priorities for expanded safety initiatives and resources.

Choosing a safe program

Choosing safe outdoor adventure programs may seem like a daunting task, especially for parents faced with evaluating activities for their kids, but savvy consumers can learn more about the relative safety of these programs by asking a few simple questions. According to The St. Paul Companies and Outward Bound USA, when evaluating a program, consumers should inquire about the following:

1. History of the program: Find out how many years the program has been in business and the number of people it serves each year. The longer a program has been operating and serving a reasonable number of participants, the greater the likelihood the program is reputable.

2. Staff Qualifications: Inquire about the staff who deliver the program. Are background checks performed, particularly for staff working with youth? Find out about staff experience, education, minimum qualifications, certifications required, and the ratio of staff to students. In general, more experienced staff with higher credentials are more likely to deliver a safer program; a ratio of two staff to ten participants is a norm for most activities.

3. References: Ask for the names of references who have been prior participants. Call them to ask about the program. If references are not provided or the information they provide about the program, its staff, equipment, food and safety are not favorable, consider another organization.

4. Accidents and Injuries: Ask if there have been any fatalities or serious injuries, and how the program tracks incidents. Is there a published report of incidents that you can review? Programs that document incidents and are forthcoming about accidents are better bets than those that do not. What does the program do to prevent accidents and injuries? Are instructors trained in such areas as CPR and First Aid?

5. Insurance: Ask if the program is insured, and if so, for what. Generally the minimum insurance required by Federal Land Management Agencies is $1 million in liability.

6. Professional Associations: Ask if the program is accredited or a member of a professional organization. Accreditation and membership are positive signs.

Outward Bound USA, Inc. is the largest and oldest adventure-based educational institution in the world, with five wilderness schools and two urban centers in the United States, serving nearly 30,000 people annually on challenging programs lasting from one day to three months. The mission of Outward Bound is to conduct safe adventure-based programs structured to inspire self-esteem, self-reliance, concern for others, and care for the environment. For more information about Outward Bound, visit the web sites: http://www.outwardbound.org/ and http://www.elob.org/.

The St. Paul Companies, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minn., USA, provides commercial property-liability insurance and non-life reinsurance worldwide. The St. Paul reported 2000 revenue from continuing operations of $8 billion, total assets of $35.5 billion, and is ranked No. 222 on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. companies. For more information about The St. Paul and its products and services, visit the company's web site, http://www.stpaul.com/.

For complete results of the survey, "Rocky Terrain: A Look at the Risks in the Outdoor Adventure Industry," log on to http://www.stpaul.com/rockyterrain-survey/.

For more information, contact M. Andrea Wood of The St. Paul Companies, +1-651-310-6440, andrea.wood@stpaul.com.

SOURCE: The St. Paul Companies

WEB SITE: http://www.stpaul.com/rockyterrain-survey/

WEB SITE: http://www.elob.org/

WEB SITE: http://www.outwardbound.org/

WEB SITE: http://www.stpaul.com/

CO: The St. Paul Companies; Outward Bound USA, Inc.