Benefits

Direct benefits of registering to use UPLOADS

Once you register to use the UPLOADS Software Tool or UPLOADS Lite you can then request reports from the National Dataset. For example, you might be designing a new high ropes course – you could request a summary report on all high ropes incident data.

Benefits of collecting incident data for organisations

Gathering detailed information on incidents and identifying contributing factors is a valuable component of risk management in outdoor programmes.

• Incident rates can be used to evaluate the efficacy of risk management decisions or countermeasures over time and identify when changes to risk management strategies are necessary.
• Information on contributing factors provides an empirical basis to justify changes to policy, training, or program location or activity.
• Incident reports, if accessibly stored, can help retain organisational knowledge despite staff turnover. In addition, actual data on incidents can provide a basis for communicating with participants and their families about the real, as opposed to the perceived, risks involved in outdoor activities.

Benefits of a National Dataset

While collecting incident data at the organisation level has benefits, a national system compiling information on all led outdoor incidents, including near misses, would provide further benefits to the sector as a whole.

• A standardised, national system would potentially provide a common language for cross-organisational communication and learning within a very diverse ‘sector’ (i.e. those involved in the provision of led outdoor activities).
• Analysing aggregate data would potentially provide insights into the risks associated with different types of led outdoor activities.
• The types of activities facilitated by outdoor recreation, education or adventure organisations are typically seen as relatively high risk compared with traditional sports. Without empirical evidence, judgements about these activities, and their relative risks and benefits, will continue to be made on the basis of personal opinion.
• Comprehensive data, including participation rates, would assist professional associations and government agencies to make evidence based decisions about issues that affect those involved in the provision of led outdoor activities.