Safety Management Systems (SMS)
Safety is paramount at Hillary Outdoors and we have a comprehensive safety management system to ensure our clients experience New Zealand’s great outdoors at the safest possible level.
UPDATE: Vaccinations are no longer required at Hillary Outdoors but you can keep up-to-date with our current Covid-19 Safety Plan
Our safety systems have been developed from almost 50 years experience of working with young people in the outdoors. These systems are regularly checked and re-assessed by internal and external experts, from instructors to managers and we continue to work closely with other leading organisations in the industry to help regulate it. It is important to us that you have all of the information you need to make an informed decision about taking part in a programme at Hillary Outdoors but if you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact the Event or Centre Managers.
Hillary Outdoors operates a three tier safety system as follows:
Tier One – Fundamental Principles of Safety Management
These principles make up the over-arching tier of our Safety Management System. Each principle is accompanied by a description of how it is to be interpreted and applied. A chart that visually illustrates these principles can be viewed here. These principles describe the way that we approach all aspects of managing safety for our clients.
Tier Two – Instructor Handbooks
Instructor Handbooks are carried at all times by Instructors working in the field with groups, and by the Duty Manager. This waterproof document contains policies, briefing points, crisis response information and hazards. The Instructor Handbook and AMPs (see below) together comprise our complete hazard register. This Handbook focuses on documenting hazards that apply to particular outdoor environments (e.g. caves, or the bush) and to particular activities (e.g. surf kayaking, or mountaineering).
Tier Three – Activity Management Plans (AMPs)
AMPs record site-specific hazards. AMPs for outdoor sites must be read in conjunction with the Instructor Handbook. Almost all AMPs for outdoor sites are a 2-sided laminated A4 sheet, and are carried by the instructors as they visit a site to participate in an activity. They are often very detailed, with FLASH* ratings, photos, and maps to clearly communicate other information such as radio dead zones, escape routes, safe zones and so on.