Operation Review: Helping improve your program

Did you know that the ACCT/ANSI 03-2019 Challenge Course and Canopy/Zip Line Standards has three chapters: Design, Performance, and Inspection Standards; Operations Standard; and Training Standards?  Most organizations only receive regular verification that they meet the standards in one of these chapters. The annual professional inspection verifies that a site is in compliance with the Design, Performance, and Inspection Standards, but makes no comment on the other two chapters.

For those organizations in Ontario that provide challenge course programming the OPHEA Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards require that the “challenge course must be managed and operated in accordance with the most current ACCT Standards…”  OPHEA requires compliance with the standards in all three chapters.

Even though the ACCT/ANSI Operations Standard B.2.7 requires that “The organization shall engage in a review of its practices by an external qualified person(s) at least once every five years” very few programs undergo such a review. These reviews are beneficial when you consider that the vast majority of challenge course accidents occur as a result of operational gaps and instructor error.

Although we have been providing Operation Reviews for many years, not many programs have participated.  In 2020 we plan to make Operations Reviews a priority by making this service more available to our clients. 

Our Operations Review is designed to help our clients improve the effectiveness of their programs, develop better risk management plans, and verify compliance with industry standards.  Our Operations Review includes appraisal of relevant documents, a site visit, interview with key staff and a written report. We will be available to provide site visits during the summer and fall in 2020.

Additionally, the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) is preparing to launch a new Operation Accreditation Program, which will require an Operation Review from a Qualified Person. The ACCT Qualified Course Professional for Operations Review requires that the reviewer have over 10,000 hours of challenge course programming experience as well as extensive challenge course management experience. In preparation for this Brian Lisson and Kathy Haras participated in training that was offered to qualified professionals at the recent ACCT Conference in Raleigh, NC. 

Contact us to speak to us more or to schedule your Operation Review.