This article by Marcus Bailie from the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority in the UK explores Human Factors as causes in accidents in adventure activities.Marcus is one of the leading risk management experts in the UK.
The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority is a branch of the Health and Safety Executive and is charged with Adventure activities licensing ensures that activity providers follow good safety management practices.
“The aim of adventure activities licensing is to provide
assurances to the public about the safety of those activity providers
who have been granted a licence.  In this way it is expected that
young people will be able to continue to enjoy exciting and stimulating
activities outdoors without being exposed to avoidable risks of death
or disabling injury.
A licence indicates that the provider has been inspected by the
Adventure Activities Licensing Service on behalf of the Adventure
Activities Licensing Authority, with particular attention being paid to
their safety management systems with young people, and has been able to
demonstrate compliance with nationally accepted standards of good
practice in the delivery of adventure activities to young people, with
due regard to the benefits and risks of the activity.’