A new British standard has been launched in response to increased calls to make overseas adventure activities safer.
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published, BS 8848: A Specification for adventurous activities, expeditions, visits and fieldwork outside the UK.
The new BSI standard specifies requirements that have to be met by an organiser of adventurous trips conforming to good practice.
It is aimed at expedition organisers, universities and other organisers of field trips, gap year travel companies and providers of adventurous holidays.
Matt Davies of the Travel and Tourism Lawyers Association explained: “If a company were to have engaged on a private commercial basis the body of expertise involved in BS 8848 to review their procedures, it would have cost them tens of thousands of pounds in expert’s fees.
“BS 8848 encapsulates considered opinion as to what is good practice and has therefore done the industry a huge favour, adding value to the relevant businesses.”
BS 8848 was developed because of consumer concerns about the risks associated with adventurous holidays, fieldwork, expeditions.
The idea was originally proposed by Peter Eisenegger, whose daughter Claire died of heat stroke on a gap year expedition in 1999.
Mike Low, director of BSI British Standards, said “BSI is very grateful to the parents, travel operators and adventure specialists who worked with us to develop this new standard.
“With their input, we now have a British standard that not only captures the very best thinking on good practice in managing overseas ventures that will give invaluable guidance for trip organisers but also provide much needed reassurance to participants and their parents.”
By Bev Fearis
