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.

Buy Now

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 70 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.

  • Reid Burland

    Owner, Geronimo Construction, North Dakota, USA

  • Dr. Christian Bisson

    Professor of Adventure Education & Adventure Education Program Coordinator, Plymouth State University, New Hampshire, USA

  • Viristar’s risk management textbook can easily become a strong reference for risk management improvement.

    Samanta Chu

    Director, Wilderness Medical Associates Brasil, São Paulo, Brasil

  • The textbook was concise and written in a manner that is easy to read and understand.

    Jake Taylor

    Safety Manager, Camp Beaumont, Hong Kong

  • [Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs textbook is] a fantastic resource to take away from the course.

    Roisin Pearson

    Deputy Head, Safeguarding & Well-being Education Specialist, British School Manila, Manila, Philippines

  • [Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs textbook is] amazingly helpful.

    Lesley Pfeiffer

    Program Supervisor, Sonoma County Regional Parks, California, USA

  • 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

  • The textbook is a very good insight into the world of risk management.

    Ásgeir Örn Kristinsson

    Manager, Bjorgunarfelag Akraness (Akranes Rescue Team), Akranes, Iceland

  • 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 and up-to-date textbook on risk management in the outdoor and adventure fields!

    Gabriel Côté-Valiquette

    Auxiliary Faculty, Field Instructor, College of the Rockies, British Columbia, Canada

  • [Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs textbook is] so good and has all the information I need.

    Peter Osongti Ayompe

    Outdoor Education Specialist, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore

  • The textbook offered valuable insights, practical guidance, and thoughtful analysis that will undoubtedly benefit anyone involved in outdoor activities

    Samson Lumbwe

    Swimming Coach, Lifeguard, Physical Education & Recreation Teacher, Trident Prep Kalumbila, Kalumbila, Zambia

  • An excellent textbook for learning, but also serves as a useful resource to have readily available for outdoor programs administrators to access.

    Jon Browher

    Outdoor Skills Program Coordinator, Brewster Academy, New Hampshire, USA

  • The textbook is very comprehensive, easy to read, and just right in terms of context and examples.

    Victor De Melo

    Teacher, Oberoi International School, Mumbai, India

  • [Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs textbook is] like a bible for those who conduct outdoor programs.

    Dr. Kishore Dogra

    Director, Adventure 1 Zone, Maharashtra, India