Florida 4-H Program Handbook
SECTION4: Practicing Good Risk Management
What is Risk Management?
Risk management is the process used to identify potential risks of injury or loss and to take appropriate steps to reduce or eliminate the risks. In planning a 4-H event or activity, it is important for careful consideration to be given to risk management. Doing so helps provide for the safety of the participants and staff and protects the planners from exposure to liability.
Risk management is not a process that is to be used to scare us into inaction. Anything we do in 4-H, and in life for that matter, entails risk. The object of risk management is to take as much control of the situation as possible for a reasonable and prudent person to do in reducing and eliminating these risks.
Risk Assessment
When 4-H events and activities are being planned, the planners need to review the various elements of the activity to identify potential hazards. After identifying potential hazards, part of planning will include determining ways those hazards can be reduced or eliminated. An example of this follows.
Planning a 4-H Overnight Hike and Camp:
The standard is again what would a reasonable and prudent person do and what is, if one exists, the "industry standard". In the example of a camping trip and hike, planners should consider issues dealing with planning for safe transportation and food, and insure that the adults in charge are responsible and equipped with the knowledge and skill necessary to lead the young people in this activity. It is unlikely that a reasonable and prudent person would think that ridding the trail of all loose limbs, killing all the poison ivy, having an adult lead the hike ringing a bell to scare off wildlife, requiring complete sun block, or a one-to-one youth-to-adult ratio was necessary. We must make a good faith effort to minimize risks to people, property and the reputation of the University and the 4-H program, but reducing the risk to zero is not possible. In planning the camping trip, the following elements have been identified as:
Volunteer Supervision
- We will have 3 volunteer adults for 15 youth.
- Volunteers have been screened and appointed.
- Training in youth development done by Extension.
- Indicators of expertise in the fields of outdoor living have been met to the satisfaction of the agent.
Transportation
- Van maintained by county to be used/ seatbelt equipped.
- Volunteer has appropriate license and clean record.
- Car driven by second volunteer - clean record/personal liability insurance meets minimum standard.
- Map of intended route available for parents to review.
- Parents to be informed that return departure time is approximate.
Food Preparation/Food Safety
- Teens will build fires with adult supervision.
- Menus will be developed in accordance with clear consideration for food safety. Camp site is located close enough to van accessibility as to allow ice chest to be carried to campsite for chilled items for the initial dinner and breakfast.. Remainder of food to be used does not require refrigeration.
Shelter
- Tents are being borrowed from the 4-H camp.
- Leaders will teach youth how to erect tents.
- In case of extreme weather the alternate plan is to go to the 4-H camp nearby.
Medical and Health
- Medical releases and health forms are required.
- First aid training by the Red Cross was conducted for all volunteers. Those attended were certified.
- First aid supplies are packed in van and will be transported to campsite.
- Maps to nearest medical center are being provided.
- Single event accident insurance and illness insurance policy will be in effect. Claim forms will be in first aid kit.
- Group instruction addressing health and safety in the outdoors will be given.
Other
- Codes of Conduct are signed and on file.
- Parents and participants understand sanctions.
- Provisions for boys and girls on separate sides of camp site have been made (i.e. tents, volunteers).
Ways to Manage Risks
There are four major risk management approaches. These, and an illustration of how they are used in the previous example, follow.
- Reduction of Risk: This involves removing risk or hazards and having in place policies and procedures that tend to minimize risk.
Much of the camping actions fall into this category. We provided checks on the level of readiness of the volunteers in charge to see if they were prepared and provided training if they weren't. We reviewed possible safety and health issues and took steps to avoid problems and we had back-up plans in case our original ones did not work. The reduction of risk is the major focus of much of our risk management activities. This is the area where we review the activity and do all that we can to identify and remove hazards. - Risk Transfer: A common means of managing risks is to transfer the risk to someone else.
In our example, we passed on to the insurance company some of our risks. The signed parental waiver also transferred the risk to the parents to some extent. - Risk Assumption: In many cases we decide that there are risks involved and we accept them.
In the camping example, we will still transport the youth in vans to the camp site even though we know there are wrecks everyday. We realize that if we do everything we can to reduce ortransfer the risks there are still some left. We agree that the benefit to the youth is worth it. To the extent possible, participants and their parents should understand that there is some risk involved and the relative level of personal risk of a particular activity. - Risk Avoidance: Avoidance of risk means removing all risk by avoiding it entirely.
In everyday terms this means to eliminate the event or component that carries the most risk. Part of your risk management plan should be a review of the relative risks and benefits of programs to determine if there are some risks too high to assume even when all the possible risk reduction and risk transfer actions have taken place. This could even be the case with a high risk activity of high value to the program.
A situation within the Florida 4-H Program that illustrates this is the restrictions of 5-7 year olds from participation in the large animal projects. It does not mean that 4-H does not recognize the value of the benefits of owning and caring for animals by a youth. It does acknowledge that the Florida 4-H Program recognizes the risks entailed in this project and therefore is not willing to assume them.
In summary, risk is inherent in life. To completely, eliminate risk from an activity you must eliminate the activity. Part of good 4-H programming is to identify potential risks, establish policy and procedures to reduce risks as much as possible, transfer the remaining risks to the extent possible, then be willing to assume the risks remaining.
