RISK MANAGEMENT — A TEAM EFFORT

A park district's total effort — from the board members to the Playground employes — is necessary to promote and implement a good risk management program. Without that cooperation, a program may falter.

By Henry C. Deihl, Jr.

With the current climate of our judicial system, the public's demand for high risk activities, and the characteristics of people during their leisure time, it behooves park districts to become involved in risk management. Park districts have always been concerned with safety; however, risk management goes one step futher. It involves safety of the public, and at the same time concern with protecting the taxpayer's dollar from harassment suits.

Risk management and safety should not be considered the same. We have long been dealing with safety and safety procedures, and the two areas parallel each other, but risk management is not just the creation of a set of rules and regulations to be adhered to as dogma. A set of dogmatic rules alone will not manage the risk. Risk management does just what it says, manages the risk in every way possible, then informs the participants of any remaining risk. It attempts to demonstrate that sound and prudent management practices are being used by an agency to eliminate or reduce negligence to a minimum.

Not too long ago park districts enjoyed a certain immunity from suit. This is no longer true. Moreover, in recent years the public has become more litigation-minded. The suits today are far more complex with many facets focused on matters that were overlooked in the past. Was there a written procedure established for this or that activity, giving guidelines as to rules and regulations and methods to make the individual cognizant of the remaining risk? Was the person responsible for the activity certified and was his certification current, reviewed by the district, and was he examined to see if he was following the procedures and practices described in the manual? Was the right and prescribed equipment used for the activity? Was the facility suitable for the activity? These are but a few of the complexities that may be presented in courts today.

The challenge in boxing, hang gliding, scuba diving, mountain climbing, and river rafting are examples of physical derring-do that have become increasingly popular in our society.

High risk activity is the second factor in this situation. The element of challenge is becoming a very important part of the lifestyle of our society. Recreational agencies are now facing a new era in which the public is demanding high risk activities such as boxing, scuba diving, hang gliding, mountain climbing, rafting and so on. The public is expressing its desire for challenge and for the opportunity to break away from the bonds and restraints of jobs. They look to the skies, to the raging rivers, to the mountaintops, to any area that challenges their skills and holds a certain danger. These challenges have inherent risk, but many times people take these risks without the proper preparation. A potent example of a high risk activity is the sport associated with ultralight aircraft. Ultralight aircraft are hang gliders with small motors which can reach heights of over 10,000 feet. This has with it all the thrills and excitement one experiences in breaking earth bound restraints and soaring with the eagles. There are no licenses or certification required nor any agency responsible for testing skill levels. A few hours training and one is off! Again it is impossible for park districts to completely control the risk in these activities, but they must be able to prove that they have taken steps to eliminate danger where possible and to inform the participants where inherent dangers may lie.

The attitude toward leisure is the final element in this equation of risk management. People have a tendency to challenge their leisure time by over-exerting, over-estimating, and by being over-zealous in enjoying it. The time they are with the recreational agency is the time they value the most. They have a carefree attitude. This is their free time. They can do anything they want. They do not want to be restricted by rules.

With all these variables to deal with, risk management must involve the total park district from the board all the way to the playground personnel. Obviously if the board is not concerned and aware of the risk, this attitude filters down to the personnel. The board must set a policy indicating its concern with risk management. Management must implement this policy, and personnel must carry it out. A concerted effort of the entire organization is the only effective way to reduce injury, to insure safety for the public, and to reduce potential elements for suit.

The Board may set the tenor by creating a risk management committee consisting of one or more board members, outside personnel from industry or the community, management, and rotating members from each department of the agency, contributing insight from the personnel who have the daily contact with the public. The complexion of this committee can be of any design to reflect

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the needs of the particular agency. The committee's function would be to make recommendations, review accidents, recommend procedures to prevent a repetition of the same type of accident and maintain contact with other safety groups throughout the community and beyond.

Administration would then meet with insurance carrier, agency's attorney, and vendors for additional input, coalesce all recommendations into a safety manual, develop procedures for each area, establish workshops and training sessions for personnel to develop an awareness of risk management on the part of personnel, continually update manual and workshops and acclimate new personnel to these procedures.

The most vital person in the all-out effort is the one who has face-to-face contact with the public. One can have all these procedures and if they are not implemented, they are of no use. Most of the certified instructors we have in recreational agencies are aware of these areas of risk, but it is important that they communicate these risks to the participants and adhere to all procedures and methods to eliminate or minimize most of the danger. It may be necessary to distribute printed material outlining the steps to limit the risks and where the apparent and hidden risks may present themselves.

An accident rarely occurs because of the failure of one element. The scuba accident occurred because the wet suit was over the weight belt, because the training session was missed, because there was no supervisor checking the equipment, because it was assumed that everyone understood. In order for the participant to protect himself and enjoy his leisure to the fullest, he must know and understand risk. Through a park district's total effort in risk management, we may reduce the danger to the participant and protect the district from suits costly in time and tax dollars.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Henry Deihl is coordinator of the Leisure Studies Program at Triton College. Mr. Deihl has had the opportunity of being a park director, a park commissioner, and an educator. He is a past president of Illinois Association of Park Districts, and has been involved in the passage of legislation favorable to park districts.

Illinois Parks and Recreation    33    March/April 1983