Our specialist Risk Management Committee oversees the comprehensive safeguards that are in place to protect participants and staff. The committee is chaired by Iain Peter.

Our many safety protocols include ones for:

• Authorising staff as competent to lead activities
• Screening participants for medical conditions that might affect their safety
• Monitoring the quality of equipment and structures such as ropes courses
• Recording and analysing any accidents, near misses, illnesses and behavioural incidents
• Completing risk assessments for all significant activities
• Defining appropriate emergency responses
• Undertaking a regular and comprehensive review of our operations

Our approach to safety goes beyond hard issues such as the strength of climbing ropes. We also consider vital matters such as effective child protection policies and, for staff, the ability to defuse rather than inflame conflict. Many of our staff are actively involved in outdoor activities, in mountain rescue or in the RNLI.

This group exists to monitor risk management in Outward Bound®. The committee meets twice yearly and the Chairman reports directly to the Trustees. 

• Chair - Iain Peter, an accomplished mountaineer & former Chief Executive of Mountain Training Trust
• Secretary - Bob Barton, The Outward Bound Trust's Safety Adviser. A former Principal of Outward Bound® & author of "Safety Risk and Adventure in Outdoor Activities"
• Medical Adviser - Dr Theo Weston, GP and Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team Doctor
• Alan Williams - Director, Plas Menai, The National Watersports Centre
• Lol Collins - a paddle sports specialist and Head of Canoeing at Plas y Brenin
• Dr Nick Gair - a published author on adventure education topics
• The Outward Bound Trust's Chief Executive and Director of Adventure & Learning 
• The Heads of each Outward Bound® Centre

All our operations are licensed as necessary by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) with the following reference numbers:

For more information visit the AALA website at www.aala.org/providers.php (keying in 'Outward Bound' and following the links).

Main activities undertaken

Please note: not all activities are available at all locations.

• Supervision by managers, overview by Risk Management Committee, safety reviews, safety adviser, external agencies such as AALA
• Written safety policy, safety rules, safety guidance to staff, emergency procedures
• Recording and analysis of incidents
• Staff recruitment, screening, induction, training, authorisation, monitoring
• Participant medical screening, briefing, pastoral care
• Regular checks of critical safety equipment

We're committed to the continuous improvement of our safety practices. Every two years a team of four experts spends three days at each centre, examining all systems and observing activities in progress. Observations are made in response to a defined list of questions and the result is a full report with recommendations.

All instructional staff hold first aid certificates. Most hold National Governing Body qualifications. These do not exist for all activities. However, we operate an internal system, 'passing out', that authorises staff based on their competence. Staff not holding external qualifications are restricted to certain locations. The system is summarised in the Passing Out manual.

We undertake general, site-specific and seasonal risk assessments. Each centre holds a daily meeting at which plans for the day are considered in light of prevailing conditions, make-up of the participant group and risk involved.

Example risk assessments:

Caving
Dinghy Sailing
Hill Walking
Canoeing
Gorge Walking

We undertake a special national review when an area of particular concern is identified.

We comply with RIDDOR 95 (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995). We also have a comprehensive in-house system of recording and analysing incidents, including:

• Accidents
• Illnesses
• Pre-existing injuries
• Near misses
• Behavioural incidents

In 2007 during 137,000 activity days we recorded a total of 591 incidents, of which 11 were listed in the 'serious' category. Only four of these involved significant accidental injury to participants, two being fractured ankles and two head injuries following slips.  A full recovery was made in each case. We believe these results compare very favourably to the everyday risks to which all young people are exposed. We investigate thoroughly all incidents judged to be serious.

Our Safety Policy is specified in the 'Outline of Safety Arrangements' publication.