Risk Management for Recreation Professionals
Course Outline
Week 1: What is Negligence and why is it such a big deal?
- Introduction (course format; use of Webinars; guest lecturers etc.)
- Distinguishing the Areas of Law
- Contract law, Criminal law, Human Rights Law, Tort Law
- Defining Negligence and legal liability in the recreation and sport setting
- Establishing Negligence
- duty of care, standard of care, proximate cause, damage
- Establishing Liability for Negligence
- personal and vicarious liability, products liability, premises/occupiers’ liability
- Defenses against Negligence
- contributory, negligence, assumption of risk, waivers
- Reviewing some classic case studies
- Identifying your ‘sweaty palm’ issues
Week 2: Standard of Care
- The 5 Key Risk Areas
- Supervision & Instruction
- Training
- Facilities & Equipment
- Documentation
- Emergency Response Plan
- Reviewing some classic case studies
- Conducting a ‘virtual’ Trial
Week 3: Risk Management Planning Process
- Defining risk management
- The role of insurance
- Keeping it simple — adopting a ‘high-risk’ approach to risk management
- What is high risk?
- The Risk Matrix
- Risk Assessment (the audit)
- Developing a simple audit tool
- Networking re. your ‘sweaty palm’ issues
Week 4: Developing a Risk Management Plan
- Identifying a risk management project/major issue at your jobsite (a program or facility)
- Risk management plan implementation
- Developing and conducing an audit on your project
- Drafting a risk management plan based on audit
- Setting realistic goals and timelines
- Strategies to ensuring success
- Risk Management Committee
- The need for a department Risk Management Committee
- Role; composition; training
- Risk Management Resources