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Injury Prevention Resources for Tourism & Hospitality - Adventure Tourism & Recreation


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The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent the most common injuries and illnesses in the tourism and hospitality industry. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.

Working Alone: A handbook for small business BK131 updated item

This handbook is for employers who have employees working alone or in isolation. It explains how to identify and minimize hazards for those employees and how to regularly check on their well being.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (1.8 MB)
* Print copies are available for purchase from the WorkSafeBC Store
Updated: April 15, 2012

Preventing the Infection of West Nile

In this free podcast, CCOHS shares tips on how to keep workers protected against West Nile Virus.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety)
* MP3

General Information about the West Nile Virus

Below are links to general information, workplace precautions, and the daily update of reported cases of West Nile Virus in Washington State.

General information:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pho/wnv.html
http://www.bccdc.ca/dis-cond/a-z/_w/WestNileVirus/default.htm

Workplace precautions:
http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib082903b.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/prevention_info.htm

Peak Performance

"Caira doesn't remember a few years back when Sun Peaks was facing serious challenges due to rising employee injury rates and increasing claim costs. He only knows the Sun Peaks of today --- a resort diligent about continually improving and monitoring employee safety practices. And a resort that has saved $50,000 to $75,000 in claim costs as a direct result of these measures. But it wasn't always that way." (WorkSafe Magazine September/October 2009)
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (329 KB)

Best Practices Manual: A Guide to Industry-Recommended Practices (for Ski Hills)

This guide was developed to help ski area operators and staff identify hazards specific to the industry, with a large focus on creating safe guidelines around lift maintenance duties and activities.
Source: Canada West Ski Areas Association
* PDF (1.2 MB)

Health and Safety in Adventure Tourism

"This guide is intended to provide an overview of adventure tourism workplace health and safety for students, workers, and prospective employers in British Columbia."
Source: Centre for Curriculum, Transfer and Technology, and the BC Adventure Tourism Programs Articulation Committee
* PDF (2.6 MB)

Wilderness Alert

This website offers comprehensive training and certificate courses in back country and wilderness first aid. Topics include: how to prevent accidents, what to do when no communication is available, what to do while waiting for rescue, how to be self-sufficient in handling accidents, including improvising emergency evacuation techniques.
Source: Wilderness Alert
* HTML

The Wilderness Medicine Institute

This website provides information on education for the recognition, treatment, and prevention of wilderness emergencies.
Source: Wilderness Medicine Institute
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Dare to Care Product Resources

An effective orientation has a lasting effect on the adjustment, as well as the job performance, of new employees and new managers. Dare to Care is a video-based training program designed to assist businesses plan and provide consistent health and safety orientation. Dare to Care is really two training products -- one for New Employees and one for New Managers. Each is designed specifically for the target group and includes consistent messaging about building health and safety into your business practices.
Source: OSSA (Ontario Safety Service Alliance)
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Information from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides

The ACMG is a professional association of trained and certified Mountain Guides, Hiking Guides and Climbing Gym Instructors. The ACMG website offers information on courses, hiring guides, resources, news and a member site.
Source: Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
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Information from The Canadian Avalanche Association

This website delivers avalanche accident prevention by training avalanche workers for industry, supporting public avalanche awareness programs, and providing avalanche information bulletins for the public.
Source: The Canadian Avalanche Association
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Information from the American Avalanche Institute

Information about courses on avalanche awareness and hazard evaluation.
Source: American Avalanche Institute Inc.
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Information from avalanche.org (USA)

Internet site for the professional avalanche community to assist with the forecast and control of avalanche hazards.
Source: avalanche.org (USA)
* HTML

Information from the Mountain Rescue Association

"A volunteer organization dedicated to saving lives through rescue and mountain safety organization." Also contains course information.
Source: Mountain Rescue Association
* Website HTML
* Risks in Mountain Rescue PDF (1 MB)
* Avalanche!!! A Resource for Winter Backcountry Users PDF (923 KB)

Snowmobile Hazards

Recommendations on safe snowmobiling rules for recreational snowmobiling.
Source: Consumer Product Safety Information
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American Mountain Guides Association

"A non-profit association that seeks to represent the interests of American mountain guides by providing support, education and standards. The AMGA is the only organization in the US to offer a comprehensive training program for mountain guides that is recognized by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association."
Source: American Mountain Guides Association
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Rock Instructor Program

"The two courses in the Rock Guide Program train aspiring guides and experienced guides who work in a variety of rock environments, including areas with long and complex routes. The two exams certify guiding competency for those who work in these environments."
Source: American Mountain Guides Association
* HTML

Backcountry Avalanche Safety

"The goal of all avalanche safety instruction is to help skiers and snowboarders make smart decisions in the backcountry so they can minimize their chances of having to deal with an avalanche and know to do in the event one occurs."
Source: National Ski Patrol
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General Backcountry Safety

A course to be used by any organization that may be required to respond to a backcountry rescue operation. At the conclusion of the course, the student will have an understanding of: backcountry preparedness, clothing for backcountry travel, what to do when lost, the hazards of nature, and how to avoid these hazards.
Source: Mountain Rescue Association
* PDF (167 KB)

The Great Outdoors Training Package

"The Great Outdoors is a video-based training program. You can offer it as a facilitated training session to your team or as a self-study program. It includes practice exercises and pre- and post-tests to help employees assess their own learning."
Source: OSSA (Ontario Service Safety Alliance)
* HTML

Horse Riding

Health and safety information for employers and workers.
Source: Queensland Government, AU
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Outdoor Action Program Guide to Outdoor Resources on the Web

Index of resources related to backpacking, biking, caving, climbing and mountaineering, paddling, skiing, etc.
Source: Princeton University, USA
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Outdoor Action Guide to Developing a Safety Management Program for an Outdoor Organization

This article is designed to provide a short outline of the areas that should be evaluated in order to develop a comprehensive Safety Management Program for your organization.
Source: Princeton University, USA
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Outdoor Action Guide to High Altitude: Acclimatization and Illnesses

The information provided here is designed for educational use only and is not a substitute for specific training or experience.
Source: Princeton University, USA
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Outdoor Action Guide to Outdoor Safety Management

Explains how accidents occur and how to reduce the risk of accidents through effective pre-trip planning and trip leadership.
Source: Princeton University, USA
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Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

GCSAA is the professional association for the men and women who manage and maintain golf courses. GCSAA has a number of self-study courses ranging from PPE for pesticide applicators to an online course on underground storage tank monitoring and recordkeeping.
Source: GCSAA
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Groundskeepers Safety Guide

This guide is for groundskeepers and landscapers as well as golf employees, facility management persons, cemetery workers, park and recreation employees and other workers whose responsibilities includes groundskeeping work. It provides safe work practices for performing a wide range of tasks.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Safe Use of Power Lawn Mowers

"For safety's sake, it is worthwhile to add to our lifelong mowing experience with some common-sense precautions."
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Ultraviolet Radiation from the Sun

Lists precautions to reduce exposure of workers to ultraviolet rays while working in direct sunlight when UV levels are high.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Heat Stress

Describes heat stress hazards and how to control heat stress.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Cold Conditions Guidelines for Outside Workers

These guidelines will assist employers, occupational health committee members and workers to reduce the risk of accidents and frostbite during outdoor work in cold weather.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Website of Ontario Service Safety Alliance (OSSA)

The website is organized by sector, including Tourism and Hospitality, and Restaurant and Foodservice. Use this website to find health and safety information, training materials, and consulting services. Many products are free of charge.
Source: OSSA (Ontario Service Safety Alliance)
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BoatUS.com

Provides numerous resources for boat owners, as well as a free online boating safety course.
Source: Boat Owners Association of the United States
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BoatSafe.com

This site provides all types of useful information about boating safety, and includes articles, checklists and logs, boat maintenance, and handling tips, and a page just for kids. Also available is the online Basic Boating Safety Certification Course.
Source: Nautical Know How, Inc.
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BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety Course

"Boating education is a critical part of responsible boating. Since 1984, the BoatUS Foundation has been providing the toll-free Foundation Courseline as a free service to boaters, supplying current information on boating safety courses offered around the nation. The Courseline Online is the new internet program to support the Courseline."
Source: BoatUS Foundation
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Safety Code of American Whitewater

"This code has been prepared using the best available information and has been reviewed by a broad cross section of whitewater experts. The code, however, is only a collection of guidelines; attempts to minimize risks should be flexible, not constrained by a rigid set of rules. This code is not intended to serve as a standard of care for commercial outfitters or guides."
Source: American Whitewater
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