We thank Mr Hong Geok Hua for his letter “Don’t rely only on human checks for outdoor adventure activities” (Feb 1).
The Outdoor Adventure Education (OAE) Council agrees that safety and risk management for OAE activities must be comprehensive. The council — made up of industrial safety experts, outdoor-adventure educators from institutes of higher learning, and experienced OAE providers and practitioners — regularly reviews OAE methodology, processes and management, including the design of risk-mitigation systems and activity infrastructure.
The national standard currently being developed will address the installation, operation and maintenance more info of OAE facilities, and will set requirements for activity safety systems and personal protective equipment. Well-designed activity safety systems can include features such as cables, gates and barriers to keep participants within designated safe zones and reduce risks arising from human error.
The draft standard will be released for public consultation in the second half of 2024, with the national standard expected to be issued in 2025.
In the meantime, measures are already in place. OAE providers and instructors offering height-based activities to Ministry of Education students must follow the enhanced safety measures issued in November 2022.
The council will continue to raise competencies and strengthen the safety culture across the sector. We welcome input from sector experts and professionals at [email protected].
Goh Yang Miang (Dr)
OAE Council member (Safety, Compliance and Promotion)