Please note: The information contained in this chapter sets out good practice guidance that should be carefully considered by organisers of Adventure sport events. However, this is guidance only and does not cover everything that an organiser needs to do, or consider, so that they can deliver a safe event.

Key Points

• Adventure sport events are defined as much by the environment that they take place in, as the activity the participants undertake.
• Activity specific governing body guidelines or regulation where it exists, must be followed.
• Plan early by drafting an Event Management Plan (EMP) and risk assessment
• Identify stakeholders early, consult and gain the appropriate consents
• A comprehensive risk assessment for the event activities directs event operations.
• Volunteer led events should comply with normal health and safety requirements
• Make sure the medical team has appropriate experience 
• Allow for challenging communications in remote locations
• Monitor participants and ensure they are all accounted for at the finish

Introduction

1. Adventure sport events include any outdoor event in which the participants are engaged in organised adventurous activities where there is an acceptance of risk by both the organiser and participant. Examples include mountain, fell and trail running, mountain biking, orienteering, obstacle course racing, canoe/kayaking and multi-sport events, such as adventure racing. 

2. An activity closely supervised by an instructor or guide is not considered an Adventure sport events.

3. Whilst not a focus of this chapter, sports events that take place in remote or austere environments can quickly shift in character and become Adventure sport events.

4. In the last decade there has been significant growth in the number and diversity of Adventure sport events being organised that involve high consequence activity, terrain and situations as well as in the number of participants willing to subject themselves to physically demanding activities which involve inherent risk.

5. Adventure sport events are usually ‘small’, with anything between dozens to a few thousand participants, but they often have unusual and or complex health and safety risks not typically found at mainstream events and festivals. Additionally, they often take place in remote or even austere environments.

5. Most adventure sport events tend to be held ‘under the radar’ of formal licensing and Safety Advisory Groups because of their relatively small size. Additionally, many of these events are not answerable to a governing body or subject to mandated standards but may have the scope of their activities limited by insurance restrictions.  

6. Adventure sport events are usually organised by clubs, the charity sector and commercial operators, and there is a wide range of organisational competency from both the professional and amateur organisers. Consequently, there is great variation in standards which results in participants occasionally being exposed to unnecessary and avoidable risk, damage to the natural environment and unacceptable disruption for rural communities.

7. As these events involve risk, it is not acceptable to take the view that, “because we are only a small event”, the event should be exempt from rules, regulations and accepted good practice.

8. A commercial adventure sport event providing activities for young people (anyone aged under 18) may be required by law to hold an Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) licence. However, many adventure sport events have a minimum age limit of 18 and, therefore, are not covered by the AALA rules. 

9. Adventure sport events organised by voluntary associations, and those in which under 18-year-old participants are accompanied by a supervising parent or legally appointed guardian, are also likely to be exempt from the AALA regulations. 

10. The full scope of the AALA scheme is outside the remit of the Purple Guide and organisers are advised to consult the detailed information on the Health and Safety Executive website.   See https://www.hse.gov.uk/aala/

Planning

11. Like all good events, long-term planning is the first step towards success. 

12. Because an adventure sport event is likely to be taking place in a rural, or even austere environment, and because of the increased risk associated with participation, early planning is crucial to understanding the scope of the organisational challenge and how established good practice guidelines will shape the event.

13. Key documents to draft early are the Event Safety Management Plan (ESMP) and an overall risk assessment, which will enable the most significant organisational challenges to be identified early. 

14. Individual risk assessments should be undertaken for the core components of the event - from the primary participant activity to supporting organisational issues, such as car parking, traffic management and sanitation – which are equally important.

15. For events that have well established governing bodies (such as orienteering), there event guidance, rules and regulations are available, and an organiser would need a compelling reason to deviate from these. 

16. It is important recognise the difference between the rules and regulations of competitive sport produced by a governing body, and the disciplines of event management and delivery, for which the event organiser is taking responsibility.

17. Often adventure sport events can cover a large geographical area. This is defined as the ‘Event Area’, while the hub where participants arrive, park their vehicles, register and start and finish the event is referred to as the ‘Event Centre’.

18. Gaining consent from landowners and getting the support of residents and communities is best achieved at an early stage through consultation. 

19. Often a combination of consents is required for an event to proceed smoothly and these typically include the primary landowner (Event Centre and Event Area), immediate residents/community, and statutory bodies, such as a National Park Authority. These are collectively referred to as the event stakeholders.

20. Once these core consultations have taken place, organisers are in a good position to plan effectively and launch the event.

The Ethos of Adventure Sport Challenges

21. Those taking part in adventure sport tend to be motivated by self-sufficiency and the challenge of risk. However, organisers are responsible for ensuring the safe delivery of the activity within the norms of the sport, bearing in mind that by nature they are not necessarily risk-free and that the experience and ability of the participants is highly variable.

22. Risk is inherent to the adventure sports events, although different sports, different countries and different event organisers will take varying approaches to the management of risk. 

23. The nature of the challenge must be clearly and unambiguously communicated to participants so that they understand what they are letting themselves in for! A Skyrunning event that incorporates mountain running and rock climbing is totally different to a valley-based trail run, yet both are off road running events.

24. Just as in mainstream sports, such as motor or cycle racing, there is an element of risk when participating. Indeed, participants are occasional seriously injured or killed, but very few people would argue that they should be banned because they are inherently dangerous. Within these sports, the organiser’s take measures to mitigate the risks without altering the fundamental challenge, for example, by requiring participants to wear helmets.

25. Likewise, adventure sport events should require participants to take certain and appropriate precautions, such as carrying or wearing appropriate clothing and equipment.

26. Similarly, organisers of adventure sports events have responsibility to put in place the rules, logistics, support and safety measures that enable the event to happen but without creating in additional risk.

Liaison with Landowners, Residents & Communities

27. Often a small number of major landowners own most of the land within an Event Area. These landowners are typically large estates or organisations like the National Trust. Gaining the consent of these major landowners early on often forms the building blocks for all the subsequent event permissions.

28. When required, identifying the jigsaw puzzle of smaller landowners within a large Event Area can be a daunting and hugely time-consuming task. Often, simply knocking on the door of a farm, and asking what land they own, and who their neighbour is, is the most effective way of gaining detailed local knowledge of the different landowners and their boundaries.

29. Most adventure sport events take place in rural locations such as countryside, moorland or mountainous areas. The communities that live in these areas often have mixed views about events interrupting their peace and quiet.  Some enjoy the excitement and others are infuriated. It is important to understand that some communities in event hotspots may suffer from events weekend after weekend almost all the year round.

30. It is best to engage with local communities early through parish councils, community groups and graziers’ associations etc. Usually a polite, early and clear request is viewed favourably, whilst a ‘last minute’ request is rejected or meets resistance. 

31. The difficulties a local community can create for an unpopular event can easily lead to it not happening, even if they don’t have the legal right to object to it.

32. Identifying specific residents who will be affected by the event more than others – such as a farm that has a bridleway passing through it – and engaging politely and early to win them over, can help the event to gain acceptance with the wider local community. 

33. The most common concerns communities have about events are increased traffic, parking, road safety, litter and noise. Organisers should consider these factors at an early planning stage and have solid plans for mitigating these issues when they make initial contact with the local communities. 

34. Forward thinking organisers will actively seek to create opportunities for the local community to directly benefit from the event.

Access Rights & Responsibilities 

35. Regardless of whether the event is a small fell race, charity hike or large mountain biking race, the organiser will need the consent of the landowner, even if it is Open Access land (England and Wales) and this may sometimes necessitate negotiating a fee for access. Usually, it is larger and commercial events that are charged fees, and most landowners are very welcoming of access on their land and simply appreciate being consulted early.

36. If the event makes exclusive use of Public Rights of Way (for running, walking events) and/or bridleways (for running, walking and pedal cycle events), the landowner cannot object to access or insist on charging for access. In this instance, the organiser may wish to take a pragmatic approach to consultations and only consult when a Right of Way passes through farmland, a farmyard or someone’s residential property. If this approach is taken, the event organiser clearly still has an obligation to liaise with the affected persons and mitigate any impacts and/or inconvenience caused by the event taking place. 

37. It should be noted that ‘a race or trial of speed’ by bicycle on a bridleway requires consent from the Highways Authority.

38. It is good practice for event organisers to consult with all those whose land is likely to be affected.

39. Organisers should also be aware that the law in England and Wales states that a Public Right of Way cannot be blocked. For example, by event infrastructure or simply the mass movement of participants in one direction along a narrow section of path, regardless of whether the landowner has granted permission. 

40. In Scotland, an Access Exemption Order, can be granted to provide for temporary occupation of a path.

41. In Scotland, it is slightly different with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code providing wide ranging rights of access, even for commercial events. However, if any infrastructure, facilities, signage etc. is required on private land, then the landowner’s permission is required. In practical terms adventure sport event organisers will usually need to liaise carefully and gain the consent of the landowner.

42. In most cases, not consulting with the landowners is considered bad practice and may be illegal, leaving the organiser open to criticism or in a worst case, prosecution. Failure to consult undermines the good practice of many other event organisers.

43. GPS devices can be used to direct participants as an alternative to signage.

Liaison with Authorities & Licensing

44. Where local Authorities have a Safety Advisory Group (SAG) they may require larger events needing a licence to provide them with a risk assessment and often meet with them to discuss safety issues.   However, only some activities require licenses, so even some very large adventure sport events do not require any licenses.

45. Unless a small adventure sport event is selling alcohol, it is unlikely to require formal licensing and, therefore, to be called to a SAG meeting. In most cases, the Local Authority’s Safety Advisory Group is unaware that these smaller events are even taking place.  Some venues already have a premises license in place for alcohol sales which the event may be able operate under without requiring additional consent.

46. The pandemic has resulted in even small events being asked to submit a COVID-19 risk assessment to the local public health authority describing how the event can take place safely and will be compliant with location regulations.

47. A Safety Advisory Group is not a legal entity and, therefore, cannot attach conditions to a license (Licensing Act 2003 England and Wales) once it has been issued by a licensing authority. Likewise, a licensing authority cannot state that an event must gain consent from a Safety Advisory Group as part of their licensing conditions.

48. The SAG can make recommendations and suggestions that are usually helpful and based on considerable experience of other events. Liaising with a SAG provides an opportunity for an organiser to get all the local authorities and statutory services into one room at one time.  

49. Ignoring a SAG’s advice is not recommended. However, as these groups tend to deal largely with mainstream events and festivals, adventure sports event organisers may need to explain their activity and the safety steps they are taking, bearing in mind that the audience is likely to be more risk adverse than the organiser.

50. The Purple Guide SAG chapter provides more detailed information about working with a Safety Advisory Group.

Environmental Considerations

51. Often the most dramatic and stunning landscape that adventure sport events want to access are also the most heavily protected and conserved. Whilst this is rarely a complete barrier to access, organisers have a responsibility to understand what environmental impacts their event may cause and to ensure that these are mitigated as much as possible.

52. Designated uplands areas, such as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and/or a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) are legally protected and may require special consent from an authority such as Natural England (England), Natural Resources Wales (Wales) or Nature Scotland (Scotland). Because the landowner remains liable and answerable to these organisations for any damage caused by an event on their land, it is sometimes only the landowner that these organisations will deal with to grant consent.

53. Often only simple measures are needed. These include avoiding certain fragile areas, strict adherence to a particular route or, conversely, wide dispersal of participants. 

54. Larger events should seek expert advice from an ecologist and may need to prepare documentation such as an Ecological Risk Assessment, Pollution Incident Response Plan and/or a Water Protection Plan. 

55. Smaller events are likely to be guided by the landowner’s preference and instructions.

Contingency Planning

56. Organisers need to plan for contingencies, such as extreme weather. Some of these may be specific to the type of event taking place. Some examples are shown below.

Generic

• Loss of senior staff due to illness, injury, family emergencies etc.
• Loss of power affecting safety management systems like race timing.
• Inability to provide sufficient potable water
• How last-minute pre-event communications with participants will be managed
• Show Stop Procedure.
• Missing child procedure
• High winds
• Flooding
• Fire
• Terrorism
• Road Closures

Specialist

• Overdue and unaccounted participants
• Severe weather planning
• Remote emergencies
• River crossings
• Lightning (in the mountains)
• Tidal and current factors

Medical & Emergencies

57. Adventure sport events tend to entail specific medical challenges and emergencies. These should be identified in the event risk assessment and appropriate control measure put in place to mitigate the risks well before the event takes place. 

58. The medical team at the event should be suitably resourced to provide a safe, effective and resilient service on site whilst helping to minimise the impact on NHS resources. See Medical chapter.

59. Often adventure sport participants will deal with an injury themselves that might have otherwise ended up being treated by the event medical team. However, organisers need ensure that sufficient support is available for those who need it.

60. Hypoglycaemia, hyperthermia and hypothermia are common at adventure sport events. More unusually, rhabdomyolysis, hypernatremia (hypokalaemia, and other electrolyte imbalances etc.) are seen and a medical team that is familiar with the identification and field management of these conditions is critical.

61. Event organisers need to ensure that the medical professionals, and first aiders, they use have relevant experience and skills relating to the type of event they are supporting. A well-intentioned doctor, who is trained as a General Practitioner, is unlikely to make an ideal medic for an adventure sport event. Likewise, a team of first aiders used to festivals is unlikely to have the skill set to respond to an emergency far from the Event Centre, which is where the most serious incidents can occur. 

62. As in all events, the organiser is responsible for exercising due diligence when selecting competent medics.

63. For the serious and remote adventure sport events more extensive medical support may be needed. A good starting point for assessing such an event’s medical requirements can be found in Medical Services at Ultra-Endurance Foot Races in Remote Environments: Medical Issues and Consensus Guidelines, published in 2014 by Hoffman et al.

64. Risk assessments should address how an emergency would be dealt with in areas that are difficult to access and/or a remote. Simply, defaulting to the emergency services is never acceptable. 

65. As an event grows, the requirement to have a dedicated and specialist emergency response team increases.

66. As with all sporting events, the event medical team must be familiar with Exercise Associated Collapse (EAC)and have a well-rehearsed team and protocol for finish line collapses, especially if the event is competitive. 

67. Statistics from mass participation sporting events (like the big city marathons), show that finish line collapses are rarely serious, but that collapses on the course usually are. The same is true for adventure sport events and a clearly defined plan for how the event will respond to course collapses should be a core document within the medical risk assessment.

68. Some adventure sport events may have established relationships with a local rescue service, such as a mountain rescue team, who agree to attend the event to provide emergency medical cover. It is important to make sure that this resource is ring-fenced and understand/agree what would happen if the team is called to another emergency elsewhere.

Signage & Waymarking

69. Signage is defined as a sign providing written information, such as ‘Car Parking’ or ‘Caution Runners’, whereas waymarking is any marker used to guide participants along a particular route.

70. One of the most common complaints from residents is about temporary event signage and/or waymarking… that it isn’t very temporary! Weeks after an event, directional arrows and tape markings still litter the route.

71. In Europe paths are usually continuously marked with signs and paint. However, the norm in the UK is for little or no signage in the higher hills and mountains, the expectation being that participants will navigate for themselves in these remote locations. 

72. Where signage is used, it is important to ensure that it is in-situ for the minimum time possible and removed at the end of the event. This requires careful organisation.

73. The event organiser should consider the implications of the signage being removed or tampered with whilst the event is in progress as this has been known to occur. There should be a contingency plan for tampering – whether by vandals or well-meaning locals.

74. Temporary spray paint should not be used as it is polluting and unacceptable in the countryside in the UK. Likewise, nailing signs to trees and removing signs but leaving a cable tie attached is unacceptable.

75. If a sign or waymark is attached to anything, the landowner’s permission is required. Therefore, it is important to consult and agree signage plans with the landowner. 

76. It is also good practice for every item of signage and waymarking to be marked with the organiser’s contact details, and the name and date of the event.

Event Centre

77. The Event Centre is usually the heart of the event, where the start and finish occur, facilities and infrastructure are located, where participants arrive, park and register, where spectators gather and where the senior event management team is based. As such, a well organised and safe Event Centre is the building block of a successful event, and a detailed site plan will be the cement! 

78.Some adventure sport events now comprise of multiple days and multiple Event Centres, and this brings an entirely new level of complexity to the management of the event.

79.  It is likely that any structures erected at the Event Centre will be subject to The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. This includes Temporary Demountable Structures (TDS) such as marquees, gazebos, portable toilets, start/finish gantries, branding (sail flags, scrim, banners etc.). 

80. It is essential that event organisers understand their responsibilities for the safe erection, maintenance and breakdown of these structures – see Temporary Demountable Structures chapter.

81. Often adventure sport events are based on greenfield sites with little or no onsite services. It should never be assumed that there are no underground services and an underground services plan from the landowner should be sought.

82. The periods of greatest risk at any event are the build-in and break down phases. These can be effectively managed with a good pre-plan and schedule, clear communication and adherence to good practice standards by contractors and event personnel. Ensure that participants and spectators are not present on the site during these periods.

83. The Event Centre can also become a high-risk location during high winds, which have the potential to collapse temporary structures. As such, the organiser must have a plan for the management of every structure on the site (including those of sponsors and vendors), understand their wind speed limits and have the capability of measuring the wind speed.

84. Participant camping is common at adventure sport events.  See Camping chapter but some key considerations include:

• Keeping vehicles and camping separate - do not allow participants to camp next to their vehicles
• Ensuring that there are adequate firefighting provisions within the camping area
• Having designated fire lane(s) through the camping area to allow participant evacuation and/or vehicle access in the event of a fire
• Do not allow open fires without well considered contingencies and planning.

85. Many adventure sport events are organised from a single farmer’s field. These locations often have only one entrance/exit which creates a potential vehicle versus pedestrian risk. If possible, keep the vehicle and pedestrian entrance/exit separate, but if they must be combined appropriate traffic management must be applied, such as marshalling and signage.

86. Traffic management is an important consideration in any event plan, with particular attention to risk issues, such as traffic queuing on a main road to enter a field or participants parking on a public road, both of which are likely to create a significant hazard for other road users and inevitably result in pedestrians walking in the road. 

87. Organisers should ensure that the parking provision they provide is adequate and avoids overspilling onto a public road.

88. Poor weather can result in difficult parking conditions, particularly in event fields, which organisers need to consider as part of their event plan. If a parking field becomes saturated to the point that towing and/or pushing of vehicles is required to aid ingress or exit, this adds to the risks and requires careful management. The use of trackway in the entrance and exit to fields is recommended, as is the contingency of the local farmer’s tractor!

89. Temporary Demountable Structures like marquees, tents and gazebos must be legally compliant with the various UK Fire Regulations and devolved Scottish and Welsh regulations as described in the Fire chapter of the Purple Guide. 

90. The organiser must understand what the capacity for each structure is, how many (and how wide) emergency exits are required, provide suitable firefighting equipment, and have an evacuation plan to a place of safety.

91. While the remote locations where many adventure sport events take place may present special challenges for providing catering services, these are not exempt from food health and safety rules and regulations. Catering (whether provided in-house or with an external catering contractor) must have a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. See Catering at Events chapter.

92. The appropriate management of kitchen and grey waste should be clearly defined within the catering and/or waste management plan for the event.

93. Cooking is commonly powered by Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) which carries risks that need to be managed.   See LPG chapter.

94. A small number of challenging adventure sport events include the self-sourcing of potable water as part of the challenge accepted by participants (e.g. the Original Mountain Marathon). This is acceptable so long as this is clearly communicated to the participants and it is a deliberate element of the event, rather than an omission.

95.  All electrical installations and equipment must comply with the general requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and only competent persons should carry out electrical installation work. See Electrical & Lighting chapter.

96. Organisers should particularly note:

• Extension cables must not be daisy chained together, and cables must be fully unwound.
• Any outdoor electrical installations should IP44 compliant as a minimum
• Electrical installations should be isolated from the public.
• Electrical equipment should be inspected and/or tested.
• Manufacturer’s guidelines should be followed for any portable appliance or generator equipment
• Generators and inverters should be earthed if the equipment is intended to be so.

97.  Organisers have a legal duty to provide suitable sanitation facilities for the personnel working on their event. 

98. It is good practice for organisers to also want to provide suitable sanitation facilities for all members of the public – participants and spectators.  See Sanitation chapter.   

99. Landowners are increasingly asking for detailed pollution control plans should a portable toilet, for example, be knocked over and the contents spilled on to a designated site. 

100.  Additional, requirements may also apply for historical and heritage sites.

101. This advice also applies to overnight camps and other locations that are part of the event.

Command, Control & Communications

102. Robust and reliable communications are critical to managing any event and become critical in an emergency.

103. Adventure sport events often take place in areas where there is no mobile phone network coverage. Mobile phones can also suffer from signal interference, particularly where large numbers of people are present and using the networks. It is, therefore, important to consider alternative communication methods, such as setting up a radio network, to ensure organisers can maintain contact with their event teams across the entire area. 

104. Satellite PTT radios, satellite phones and satellite internet connections that enable WIFI calling phones have a place in some events, but the cost of using these is significant.

105. It is also important to test the communication systems in advance of the event so that the scope and limitations are understood. While it may not be possible to achieve 100% coverage, it is important to understand where event personnel can and cannot communicate within the Event Area so that any gaps can be manage appropriately.

106. Wherever possible a ‘closed network’ where all messages are routed through ‘Race Control’ is recommended. This allows the personnel in the Race Control to monitor the event as it unfolds and coordinate resources and staff effectively. 

107. Large events may have a management structure where staff cascade communications through their supervisors, but the ability to cut straight through to Control in an emergency is recommended.

108. Larger events may refer to the ‘Race Control’ as the Emergency Liaison Team (ELT) and this should include representatives responsible for all aspects of the event.

109. The Race Control team should maintain a log of all critical decisions and actions during the event. This may be as simple as written notes through to sophisticated digital systems that integrate and log all communications and tracking/timing data.

Timing & Tracking

110. The most important thing that an event timing system does is to ensure that everyone who starts an event, also finishes it. Timing itself is not necessarily required, but some mechanism of monitoring the participants is. There have been tragic incidents of participants remaining unaccounted for at the end of events, and therefore a robust system should be in place.

111. Depending on the severity and risk profile of the event, good practice may indicate that two independent systems are used for recording the number of starters and finishers. Although two entirely independent digital timing systems is the gold standard this is only appropriate and affordable for larger high-risk events.

112. In practice, the second system can be as simple as manually counting the starters as they enter a start pen and then counting the finishers as they cross the line. The goal is to ensure everyone has safely returned.

113. GPS Tracking is becoming more popular and affordable as more events adopt this as a means for both following the race live and providing a secondary timing system. GPS Tracking devices usually have an SOS Alert function built into them, so they also provide a way of participants to raise the alarm in remote areas. 

114. There are different types of GPS Tracking systems using different technologies and a careful analysis of the pros and cons of each system for the event is required. 

115. Using mobile phone tracking apps can provide useful information but they are not a reliable way to track participants or to provide an emergency alert function.

Waste Management & Sustainability

116. Adventure sport events often take place in areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks and organisers have a clear responsibility to reduce the impact on the environment from their event.

117. It is essential that organisers take full responsibility for all the waste that the event creates and have a clear plan for disposal, including the separation and recycling of appropriate items. Indeed, organisers and contractors may have duties under environmental protection legislation to do this, enforced by the Environment Agency and Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

118. This responsibility covers the the entire event area/course, including litter dropped by participants or spectators whether accidentally or deliberately. Whilst most participants greatly appreciate the special environments in which these events take place, and do not intentionally litter, it is good practice to undertake a litter pick across the entire event course after the event.

119. Colour coded recycling bins should be provided at key locations and clearly marked to encourage participants to recycle their waste. Making it easy for the participants to help with the event waste management is double win because it makes the organiser’s job easier and is appreciated by the participants. Rubbish bins can be hired from local councils or private contractors, although a remote location may incur a considerable charge.

120. Progressive event organisers are banning the use of disposable items such as cutlery, plastic bottles etc. and promoting the use of compostable items or encouraging participants to carry reusable cups or bottles.

121. Failure to manage waste correctly presents a hazard to both event staff and participants, such as increasing fire risk and unsanitary conditions. Organiser should have a solid plan for the handling, storage and transport of general waste, recycling and sewage.

122. A registered waste disposal company should be used for the collection and disposal of rubbish and recycling generated at the Event Centre and a Waste Transfer Note should be retained by the organiser.

Health & Safety

123. Most small adventure sport events are organised by volunteer teams. Generally, only the larger events employ health and safety professionals. In either case, it is important for organisers to understand what their health and safety obligations are.

124. If the organisation behind the event has even one employee, then the entire organisation will be subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act). If an organisation is entirely voluntary, then the organisation and individuals volunteering within it have a common law ‘duty of care’.   In both cases, adherence to established good practice guidelines and legislation is the only acceptable way for organisers to discharge their health and safety obligations correctly. Any other approach leaves the individuals and organisers open to either criminal prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive, and/or civil prosecution by any individuals harmed by their failure.

125. Even larger adventure sport events are often too small to afford professional contractors to deliver all the components needed for an event, from potable water and electrical power to catering services, the provision of which are clearly defined by legislation. Often the provision of these services is left to volunteers, which is not a problem, but this does not negate an organiser’s responsibility to comply with health and safety regulations.

126. Whether or not an organiser is strictly accountable under the Health & Safety at Work Act, the benchmark they will be measured against should something go wrong is whether an incident was a) predictable, and b) whether they took preventative measures ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’. In plain English, this means that the organiser must do whatever they reasonably can to ensure the safety of participants, members of the public and event staff.

127. The responsibility for keeping spectators and participants safe at events always remains with the organiser and in some cases, it is a legal requirement to carry out a risk assessment. Whether or not there is a legal requirement the best way to identify and manage risks is through a documented risk assessment-based approach and it is strongly recommended that as much thought goes into this as into the safe management of the participants’ activity.

Charity Events

128. Adventure sport challenges have become a popular means of charitable fundraising in the outdoors and these often attract participants who are inexperienced and unfamiliar with the outdoor environment or the norms that the outdoor community would expect, particularly around littering, toileting, parking and noise.

129. Whether charity events are organised by the participants themselves on a voluntary basis or by commercial operators on behalf of the charity, they must all comply with the relevant laws and should follow the established good practices of the sector.   The British Mountaineering Council’s (BMC) ‘The Green Guide for Upland Events’ is a good source of advice for charity event organisers alongside the guidance in the Purple Guide.

Extreme Weather

130. Because adventure sport events often happen in rural or remote locations, the weather can be more serious than in sheltered countryside or urban venues.

131. It is important that organisers take careful account of the (potentially varying) experience of the participants when planning an event and ensure that all they are sufficiently experienced to cope if the event is to continue in extreme weather conditions. 

132. It is good practice to plan bad weather contingency routes for participants.

133. It is equally important that the Event Centre is capable of fully functioning through extreme weather and organisers should undertake a risk assessment approach and develop contingency plans for what they will do if this is not the case. Special consideration should be given to:

• High winds
• Rain and flooding
• Lightning
• Snow and ice