BSI Standard for School and University Trips Abroad

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Published: 09 October 2006

BSI Standard for School and University Trips Abroad

The British Standards Institution (BSI) has released the Draft for Public Comment (DPC) for a new standard which will establish guidelines for good practice in the provision of adventurous educational activities overseas.

BS 8848 Specification for the provision of adventurous activities, expeditions, visits and fieldwork outside the United Kingdom applies to all adventurous activities and establishes best practice for anyone involved with the organization of such activities, expeditions, visits and fieldwork outside the UK.

It is intended to pull together a wide range of expertise, good practice & standards developed by organizations into one new national standard.

Shane Winser of the newly expanded Centre for Geography Outdoors at the Royal Geographical Society said: “For years the outdoor sector has been desperately calling for a standard that clearly outlines how to recognise a safe and well organised overseas venture – with more and more people relying on companies to take them overseas, the development of this new British Standard couldn’t be more timely.”

This is your chance to help shape the new standard

Experience shows that activities undertaken without the appropriate experience or background can be high-risk and dangerous. BS 8848 is therefore being developed to provide:

· organizers with the principles of good risk management and

· educational establishments with the reassurance that such risks are being controlled

To express your views on the DPC and help to establish best practice to maximise the safety of overseas educational adventure activities click HERE. Then download your FREE copy, complete the response form and send your comments to BSI by Tuesday 31st October 2006.