Accreditation Summary
A brief sketch outlining the 100+ page Accreditation Standards Manual
The Accreditation Standards Summary is a brief outline of the entire Accreditation Standards Manual. It lists the top-level header for each standard.
However, the summary omits the essential Elements of Performance, which provide critical additional detail and requirements. The summary also excludes detailed Notes, which interpret and explain the Standards and how they should be met.
Consequently, Accreditation Standards Summary must not be used for accreditation preparation or maintenance of accredited status. The full Accreditation Standards Manual must be used for that purpose.
Limitations and Disclaimer
Limitations
Accreditation is not a guarantee of safety, and does not mean that no incidents or loss will occur at an accredited entity. No accreditation scheme can eliminate the inherent risks of adventure, travel and outdoor experiences.
Disclaimer
Viristar provides accreditation standards, but cannot and does not monitor continuous conformance to those standards.
Nor does Viristar warrant, guarantee or insure that conformance to the standards will prevent any or all injury, illness, death, or loss or damage of any other kind. Nor does Viristar assume any responsibility or liability for any such injury, illness, death, or other loss or damage.
Further, Viristar hereby disclaims any responsibility, liability, or duty to persons or organizations using these standards for any such liability arising out of use of these materials.
In addition, Viristar is not in a position to independently verify that use of these materials will alone provide a basis for adequate conformance to Viristar standards. Such conformance can only be identified by comparing the standards to current practice in the adventure program in question by an on-site visit by one or more accreditation reviewers.
Accreditation Standards Summary
Viristar’s Adventure Safety accreditation standards establish good practice criteria for risk management of outdoor, adventure, travel and experiential programs. In order to gain accreditation, an organization must show evidence that it meets all standards applicable to its operations.
The 100 standards are divided into 21 sections, as outlined below.
A descriptive title of each of the standards in each section is provided below.
SM.01 – Safety Management System
SM.02 – Hierarchy of Controls
LM.01 – Leadership & Commitment
LM.02 – Responsibilities & Authorities
LM.03 – Legal and Other Requirements
LM.04 – Safety Objectives
LM.05 – Safety Communications
LM.06 – Inclusion & Risk
LM.07 – Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons
AP.01 – Activity SOPs
AP.02 – Seeking Lowest Risk
AP.03 – Perceived & Psychological Risk
AP.04 – Plans for New Programming
AP.05 – Participant to Staff Ratios
AP.06 – Solo Leading
AP.07 – Outside Organization’s Jurisdiction
AP.08 – Activity Area Permissions
AP.09 – Area-based Risk Management
AP.10 – Weather-related Risks
AP.11 – Time-based Plans
AP.12 – Good Practice Industry Standards
AP.13 – Safety Briefings
AP.14 – Dynamic Risk Management
AP.15 – Risk Management Evaluations
AP.16 – Food and Water
AP.17 – Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
AP.18 – Accommodations and Other Structures
AP.19 – Health and Safety of Animals
AP.20 – Low-resource communities
AP.21 – Levels of Supervision
AP.22 – Adventure Therapy
ST.01 – Staff Competence
ST.02 – Position Announcements and Job Descriptions
ST.03 – Staff Training
ST.04 – Staff Supervision
ST.05 – Rest and Break Times
ST.06 – Performance Reviews
ST.07 – Communications Involving Staff
ST.08 – Drugs and Alcohol
EQ.01 – Suitable Clothing and Equipment
EQ.02 – Emergency Supplies
EQ.03 – OEM Use Recommendations
EQ.04 – OEM Maintenance Recommendations
EQ.05 – OEM Repair Recommendations
EQ.06 – Equipment Inspection
EQ.07 – Equipment Storage and Accessibility
EQ.08 – Equipment Retirement
EQ.09 – Documentation
PA.01 – Information to Participants
PA.02 – Informed Consent
PA.03 – Participant Supervision
PA.04 – Participant Training
CO.01 – Legally Valid Relationship
CO.02 – Written Contractor Agreement
CO.03 – Roles and Responsibilities
CO.04 – Contractor Suitability Assessment
CO.05 – Information to Participants
CO.06 – Contractor Performance Assessment
CO.07 – Contractor Performance Evaluation
TR.01 – Vehicle Operator Eligibility
TR.02 – Vehicle Operator Training
TR.03 – Vehicle Operation Policies and Procedures
TR.04 – Vehicle Occupants
TR.05 – Licenses & Registration
TR.06 – Vehicle Insurance
TR.07 – Maintenance & Repair
TR.08 – Vehicle Inspection
TR.09 – Loading Standards
TR.10 – Trailers Use
TR.11 – Emergency Supplies
TR.12 – Personally Owned Vehicles
BA.01 – Protection Against Business Risks
BA.02 – Enterprise Risk Management
RT.01 – Insurance
RT.02 – Liability Release
RT.03 – Contractor Risk Transfer
IM.01 – Field-based Incident Response
IM.02 – Administrative Incident Response
IM.03 – Unwanted Separation from Group
IM.04 – Loss of Contact with Group
IM.05 – Medical Protocols
IM.06 – Medication Management
IM.07 – Behavioral Concerns
IR.01 – Incident Reporting & Follow-up
IR.02 – Notification of Authorities
IR.03 – Encouraging Incident Reporting
IV.01 – Incident Review Policy
IV.02 –Review Organization by Staff
RC.01 –Risk Management Committee Operations
MS.01 – Medical Screening Process
RR.01 – Conduct of Risk Management Reviews
MR.01 – Media Spokesperson
MR.02 – Information for News Media
MR.03 – News Media Outlet Information
DO.01 – Documentation in SMS
DO.02 – Document Control
DO.03 – Document Retention
AC.01 – Accreditation Options
SY.01 –Systems Theory Application
CI.01 – Continual Improvement Process
To get the full summary document, which lists each-top level Standard (but not the Elements of Performance, which comprise an essential element of each standard), use the link below.
DOWNLOAD STANDARDS SUMMARY
Accreditation Standards Manual
The Adventure Safety accreditation standards are documented in the Adventure Safety Accreditation Standards Manual.
The Accreditation Standards Manual provides over 100 pages of detail on the adventure safety accreditation standards, including explanations of each standard along with explanatory notes, suggestions, and good practice guidance.
The Accreditation Standards Manual is available for purchase online. The manual is provided electronically as a PDF document.
The purchase price for the Accreditation Standards Manual is USD 139.
BUY ACCREDITATION STANDARDS MANUALThe Accreditation Standards Manual is also provided, at no additional charge, to organizations who apply for accreditation and pay the initial application fee.
