Accidents and Accidents and Incidents in Incidents in Adventure Adventure EducationEducationA 5 year review at A 5 year review at

New Hampton SchoolNew Hampton School

Goal of ReviewGoal of Review

Understand relative risk of Understand relative risk of adventure activitiesadventure activities

Provide context for future Provide context for future discussions about these activitiesdiscussions about these activities

Make recommendations to improve Make recommendations to improve safety of adventure programssafety of adventure programs

Adventure Education Adventure Education at New Hampton Schoolat New Hampton School

Freshman Transition WeekendFreshman Transition Weekend Sophomore Cooperative Learning Sophomore Cooperative Learning

ExpeditionExpedition Junior Urban AdventureJunior Urban Adventure Burleigh Mountain TeambuildingBurleigh Mountain Teambuilding Collaboration ProgramsCollaboration Programs

Understanding RiskUnderstanding Risk

The risk of an activity The risk of an activity is assessed based is assessed based on three factors:on three factors:

1.1. Number of people Number of people participating in the participating in the activityactivity

2.2. Length of time they Length of time they participateparticipate

3.3. Number of Number of accidents, incidents accidents, incidents or near missesor near misses

2000 – 2005 Participant 2000 – 2005 Participant DataData

25,969 participant 25,969 participant program hoursprogram hours

3,944 staff program 3,944 staff program hourshours

79 programs79 programs 5 geographic regions5 geographic regions 5 years5 years

40 Accident / Incident 40 Accident / Incident Reports generatedReports generated

Accident / Incident Accident / Incident ReportingReporting

An emergency is defined as any serious An emergency is defined as any serious incident or situation that significantly incident or situation that significantly threatens a NHS student or employeethreatens a NHS student or employee

A “Near Miss” incident is a case in A “Near Miss” incident is a case in which this definition is nearly met or which this definition is nearly met or could have been metcould have been met

Instructor team completes written Instructor team completes written report at the end of coursereport at the end of course

Accident / Incident Accident / Incident ReportReport

Accident / Incident RateAccident / Incident Rate

29,913 staff & student 29,913 staff & student program hoursprogram hours

40 Accident / Incident 40 Accident / Incident ReportsReports

134 incidents per 134 incidents per 100,000 program 100,000 program hourshours

Reference PointsReference Points

The Journal of Athletic Training The Journal of Athletic Training measures incidents per 100,000 measures incidents per 100,000

athlete exposuresathlete exposures

Adventure programs at NHS = 134Adventure programs at NHS = 134 High school volleyball = 170High school volleyball = 170 High school football = 810High school football = 810

Looking in DepthLooking in Depth

Types of Types of accidents / accidents / incidentsincidents

Trends over timeTrends over time Near MissesNear Misses Things we can Things we can

learnlearn

Types of Accidents / Types of Accidents / IncidentsIncidents

Behavior 2

Accident 13

Illness 7

Near Miss 9

Negative Interaction With

Locals 0

Unplanned loss of contact 2

Criminal Activity 2

Other 2

Accidents Accidents IllnessIllness

Pre-existing condition 1

Clothing / Equipment 1

Camping / Cooking 1

Initiatives / Games 1

Slip / Fall 4

Dehydration 1

Hypothermia 2

Allergies / Asthma 4

Program HoursProgram Hours

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005

School Year

Pro

gra

m H

ou

rs

Accident / Incident RateAccident / Incident Rate

0.0

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005

School Year

Inci

den

ts p

er 1

00,0

00 h

ou

rs

Near MissesNear Misses

A case in which the A case in which the definition of an definition of an emergency was not emergency was not metmet

An incident nearly An incident nearly occurred or was occurred or was avoidedavoided

9 near misses 9 near misses reportedreported

22.5% of all 22.5% of all incidentsincidents

Types of Near MissesTypes of Near Misses

Minor equipment damage 1

Early stage illness 1

Potential for unauthorized

access 1

Students unsupervised 2

Slip / Fall (no injury) 4

Possible Sources of ErrorPossible Sources of Error

Incomplete participant data for 2000 Incomplete participant data for 2000 – 2002– 2002

Inconsistent reporting in non-Inconsistent reporting in non-wilderness programs before 2002wilderness programs before 2002

Incidents counted from collaboration Incidents counted from collaboration programs but program hours were programs but program hours were notnot

Incident category “accident” is vagueIncident category “accident” is vague

Implemented Policy Implemented Policy ChangesChanges

Improved pre-course Improved pre-course meetings and clothing meetings and clothing checkcheck

Improved medical Improved medical screeningscreening

Improved incident Improved incident reportingreporting

Formation of Risk Formation of Risk Management Management CommitteeCommittee

100% sight and sound 100% sight and sound policypolicy

RecommendationsRecommendations

Have Risk Management Committee Have Risk Management Committee review all Accident / Incident datareview all Accident / Incident data

Improve pre course screening of Improve pre course screening of illnesses, asthma and allergiesillnesses, asthma and allergies

Improve strategies to avoid slips and Improve strategies to avoid slips and fallsfalls

Improve training in addressing cold Improve training in addressing cold related incidentsrelated incidents

More fully document incidents and More fully document incidents and program hours from collaboration program hours from collaboration programsprograms

SummarySummary

Adventure Education at New Adventure Education at New Hampton School is safer than the Hampton School is safer than the safest high school sportsafest high school sport

Most common incidents are slips, Most common incidents are slips, asthma / allergies and near missesasthma / allergies and near misses

Incident rate decreased in 2004 – Incident rate decreased in 2004 – 20052005

Works CitedWorks Cited

Powell, John W. PhD, ATC. “Injury Powell, John W. PhD, ATC. “Injury Patterns in Selected High School Patterns in Selected High School Sports: A Review of the 1995 – 1997 Sports: A Review of the 1995 – 1997 Seasons.” Seasons.” Journal of Athletic Journal of Athletic TrainingTraining 34 (3) (1999): 277 – 284. 34 (3) (1999): 277 – 284.

New Hampton School Accident / New Hampton School Accident / Incident Reports 2000 - 2005Incident Reports 2000 - 2005