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 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

  • Anindita Chatterjee

    Field Leader, iEXP 360, Maharashtra, India

  • Ruvan Ranatunga

    Director of Operations & Lead Facilitator, Adventure SEALs Expeditions, Colombo, Sri Lanka

  • [Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs textbook] covered, in much detail, all the conceivable aspects of risk management in outdoor programs.

    Ali Lott

    Assistant Head of Science Faculty, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore

  • Michelle Kloet

    Alberta, Canada

  • This course covers everything you need to know.

    Nick Chaddock

    Outdoor Education Coordinator, North London Collegiate School Jeju, Jeju-Do, South Korea

  • A well designed training where you learn essential skills and knowledge that can be used for effective risk management.

    John Henriquez

    Operations Manager, De Palm Tours, Oranjestad, Aruba

  • Comprehensive in value-adding to my risk management knowledge.

    Boo Hui Wen

    Senior Instructor, Outward Bound Singapore, Singapore

  • Very thorough, challenging and thought-provoking…the exercises were well designed to facilitate collaboration and provide opportunities to learn from the experiences of others.

    Ken Dunn

    Owner, Wilderness Recovery Coach, Expedition Recovery, LLC, Pennsylvania, USA

  • Viristar’s risk management course is recommended to anyone working or volunteering in outdoor education or outdoor activities. Highly effective and an excellent opportunity to upskill!

    David Powell

    Managing Director, Ability Expeditions, Malaysian Borneo

  • We were very pleased with the top notch instruction from Viristar instructors.

    Kenny Peavy

    Head of Risk & Safety, Green School Bali & Green Camp Bali, Bali, Indonesia

  • Jacob Beland

    Youth Specialist, Ocean Wise Conservation Association, British Columbia, Canada

  • Words can’t express how useful it is for me.

    Kamaran Rasul

    Director, Hawraz Climbing Organization, Iraq

  • Very useful.

    Wigoto Prihadi

    Program Director, Co-Founder, Jelajah Outdoor, Jawa Barat, Indonesia

  • A must for every outdoor program.

    Monica Barrios

    Owner, Director, Inside Out, North Carolina, USA

  • I will continue to use this as a resource and reference when reviewing and updating our risk management plans, materials, and trainings.

    Crystal Skahan

    Northeast Passage Education & Training Director, University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire, USA