Safer adventures: Managing
the risks of adventure travel
Your guide to the British Standard for adventurous
activities outside the United Kingdom (BS 8848:2014)

Safer adventures: Managing the risks of adventure travel

Adventure travel is supposed to be challenging.
But regardless of your age, destination orchosen activity, your safety should be ofparamount importance. BS 8848 sets standards
to minimize the risks of adventure travel.
Knowledge of the standard is importantto anyone organizing, or taking part in,an overseas venture.

Hundreds of thousands of people take part in organized activities abroadevery year. Overseas adventures can be great fun, broaden horizons, andteach new skills. But, if the venture isn’t managed properly, the consequences
can be very serious, resulting in accident, injury or even loss of life.
Whether you’re a student going on a geography
field trip; a young person planning a gap year oradventure holiday; someone in their forties taking
on a charity challenge; or a pensioner consideringa volunteering project; BS 8848 can offer you peaceof mind. Providers that comply with the standard
must endeavour to keep participants safe andinformed at all stages of the venture.
If you, a family member or a friend are planningan adventurous activity abroad make sure thatthe chosen provider complies with BS 8848.

Safer adventures: the basics
What does the standard cover?
BS 8848:2014 “Specification for the provision of visits,
fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities
outside the United Kingdom” can be used by providersof any adventurous activities abroad, including:• adventure holidays• gap-year travel• volunteering projects• charity challenges• expeditions• field research• educational visits.
Any UK organization (e.g. schools, charities or touroperators) planning an adventurous activity abroad,for individuals or groups, can use the standard andshould consider its requirements.

2

Your guide to the British Standard BS 8848:2014

How does the standard protect consumers?
BS 8848 details good practice for venture providers
to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone
taking part. It shows organizations how to planventures, identify potential risks and manage themeffectively. It also requires participants to be given
clear information so that they can make informed
decisions about risks to their own safety.

A single provider – one clearly identified person,or organization, to take overall responsibility for thewhole venture.

The standard covers all aspects of the venture– from planning, transport, staff and accommodation,
to the activities themselves. In summary,
BS 8848 requires:

Capable staff – all ventures to be run by competentand experienced people.

Informed choice – participants to be given clear
information about the venture, and potential risks,
before they book.

Good preparation and planning – policies andprocedures put in place to identify and manage risk
at every stage of the venture.

3

Safer adventures: Managing the risks of adventure travel

Safer adventures: the details
What should I expect from a good provider?
Organizations that comply with BS 8848 must:
Assign clear roles and responsibilities• Identify one individual or organization as the‘venture provider’ who is accountable for all partsof the venture, including those run by third parties.
• Assess the services of any third party providers,for example, for travel, accommodation orventure activities.
• Give clear instructions to the leadershipteam about following procedures andsupervising participants.
Appoint competent staff• Assign an overall group leader who knows
and understands the skills of the group.
• Recruit leaders with the right skills, training
and experience for the activity being undertaken.
• Carry out relevant checks on all staff working
unsupervised with children under 18.

4Plan and prepare• Plan and research all aspects of the venture –including the location, transport, accommodationand equipment – to assess them for suitability
and safety.
• Prepare an itinerary and budget for each venture.
• Collect information about participants, including
any pre-existing medical conditions, to assessthat the venture is suitable for everyone involved.
• Check the availability of local medical services
and support for each venture.
Provide clear, accurate information• Before booking – give potential participants
clear and detailed information about activities;
the expertise of the leaders; potential safetyissues; price; itineraries; and any prerequisites
for travel (e.g. fitness or training), so that they
can decide if it’s the right venture for them.

Your guide to the British Standard BS 8848:2014• After booking – provide detailed information
about accommodation, transport, meals, payment
schedules, insurance, and the participants’ own
responsibilities (for example to obtain relevant
visas or insurance).

• Make sure that everyone involved in the ventureis aware of the risks of specific activities andlocations – for example dehydration or altitude
sickness – and understand what to do to minimize
these risks.

Safety management• Develop written plans to identify, assess andthen manage potential health and safety risks.
These should cover the venture itself, plus thecapability and experience of the venture leadersand participants.

Emergency plans• Produce a written ‘incident and emergency
response’ plan for each venture to detail whatshould happen if things go wrong.
• Ensure that all staff are aware of the emergency
plan; have access to medical advice and support;
and know what to do and who to contact in theevent of illness, accident or emergency.

Checklist
Top tips for anyone planning an overseas adventure:
Research – find a project that best suits yourrequirements and abilities. How challenging
do you want it to be? Do you want to be partof a supervised group or do something on
your own? Do you have the necessary skills,experience, mental aptitude or fitness to takepart in the venture? What training is required
before you go?
Compare providers – gather informationfrom several venture providers so that you
can compare what’s on offer.
 heck compliance with BS 8848 – be sure toC
choose a venture that complies with BS 8848.
If you’re not sure, ask.
Signing up – read the terms of the contract
carefully before you book. People under 18
will need a parent or guardian to sign on
their behalf.
Information pack – once you’ve booked, you
should receive a detailed venture information
pack. Make sure you have all the information
you need and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Find out who is responsible – there should be
one clearly identified ‘venture provider’ and,for groups, a named venture leader in charge.
Make sure you know who these are.
Emergency contacts – make sure that yourfamily knows how to contact you while
you’re away, and that the venture provider
has details of who to contact back home incase of an emergency.
L ook after yourself – take responsibility foryour own safety by following the venture rules
and ensuring that you have suitable insurance.
Raise concerns – if you have any concerns
during the trip tell the leader immediately.
Complaints – if you have any complaints
contact the venture provider in the first instance.
If you need any help or advice about making
a complaint, contact Citizens Advice(see Useful Information on page 7).

5

Safer adventures: Managing the risks of adventure travel

Frequently asked questions
Q. What is BSI?
A. BSI is the UK’s National Standards Body.
It’s been developing standards for more than
100 years to make products and services safer
for consumers. Standards set out good practiceand guidelines for organizations to follow.
Q. Must all organizations that run adventurous
projects abroad comply with the standard?
A. No, the standard is voluntary. If an organization
decides to use the standard, it can choose to‘self-assess’ or to employ an external auditor
to check that it complies with the standard.
Before booking, ask for written confirmationthat the venture is compliant and how thiscompliance was assessed.

6Q. If an organization doesn’t follow the standard
is it breaking the law?
A. It’s not a legal requirement to follow the standard.
But if an organization claims to comply with thestandard, then doesn’t, Trading Standards may beable to take further action. Consumers can get intouch with their local Trading Standards via theCitizens Advice Consumer Helpline (see Useful
Information on page 7). Even if an organization
doesn’t claim compliance, in the event of a serious
complaint or incident, the standard could be
used in a court of law to provide a benchmark
of best practice.
Q. Where can I find a copy of BS 8848?
A. Many libraries and universities can accessreference copies of British Standards, or copies canbe bought from BSI at shop.bsigroup.com/bs8848.

Your guide to the British Standard BS 8848:2014

Useful information
ABTA
Travel advice and details of UK
travel agents and tour operators
020 3117 0599
www.abta.com

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
For information and advice about
expeditions and field trips
020 7591 3030
www.rgs.org/GOBSI
For information about standards
0845 086 9001
www.bsigroup.com

Trading Standards
Enforcement of consumer-related legislation
www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

Citizens Advice
For advice about consumer rights
and complaints via national helplineor local bureaux
08454 04 05 06
www.adviceguide.org.uk/consumer
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
For advice about overseas travel
020 7008 1500
www.gov.uk/fco

Universities Safety and Health Association
Promoting health and safety in Higher Educationwww.usha.org.uk
Year Out Group
Information and advice about taking a gap year
www.yearoutgroup.org
Young Explorers’ TrustNational charity promoting safe and responsible
expeditions for young people
www.theyet.org

Contact us tofind out how BSI
helps to makeexcellence a habit.

7

BSI
BSI was established in 1901 and has beendeveloping standards for over 100 years.
Standards set best practice and guidelines
for organizations to follow. Standards makegood business sense, and make products
and services safer for consumers.
• BSI Group has 2,900 employees globallyand works in 150 countries• We publish around 2,500 standards a year• There are approximately 34,000 publishedstandards that help make our lives easier,safer, healthier and more sustainable.
CPIU
The Consumer & Public Interest Unit (CPIU) works
within BSI to represent consumers in standards
development and reflect the public interest in thedecision-making process. It investigates areas
where new standards might be beneficial toconsumers, and ensures that new standards
address key consumer issues, by working with
relevant consumer organizations to feed theirinitiatives and concerns into the standards
development process.

BSI Group
389 Chiswick High Road
London W4 4AL
United Kingdom
T: +44 845 086 9001
E: cservices@bsigroup.com
bsigroup.com

CPIN
The Consumer & Public Involvement Network
is supported by the CPIU, and is made up ofindividuals and representatives of consumer
and public interest organizations who takean active part in standards-making committees.
These people ensure that the interests of UK
consumers are represented in UK, European
and international standards.
Contact CPIU
389 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 4AL
United Kingdom
T: +44 20 8996 7085
E: consumer@bsigroup.com
bsigroup.com/consumer© BSI Group 2014

About us

BSI/UK/389/ST/0414/en/DD

Safer adventures: Managing the risks of adventure travel