Outdoor Education Tips for Creating a Culture of Safety-Mindedness for Grades 1 to 8

To facilitate a culture of safety-mindedness make sure all teachers and monitors are knowledgeable about the following:

• School board policies, procedures, and approval processes
• The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE)
• The activity area: Survey the route (walk the area) before involving students. Become familiar with the area and check for safety hazards.
• Activity preparation:
  • Document student participation in lessons to prepare for the activity (for example, appropriate clothing, rain and sun protection, inclement weather procedures).
  • Maintain sufficient and ongoing communication with the school administration, parents/guardians/caregivers about the activity and student preparation for participation (for example, packed lunch, clothing, rain and sun protection, medical conditions).
  • Be aware of students’ medical conditions and school board policies and procedures on medical conditions, including considerations for carrying medication for use in emergencies (for example, asthma inhalers epinephrine pen).
  • Ensure that adequate liquid replacement (for example, personal water bottles, water fountains) is accessible for students before, during, and after the outdoor education activity to prevent dehydration.
  • Ensure students have access to washroom facilities in urban areas (for example, a local community centre, on-site portable toilets) or are taught sanitary procedures when in wooded areas where permitted (for example, cat holes, latrines, thunderboxes, outhouses).
  • Have a First Aid Plan and First Aid Emergency Response plan and make sure other activity monitors and students are aware of the plan and their role during an emergency.
  • Consult the relevant OPASSE activity page(s) to make sure all the minimum standards for the activity are in place.
  • Modify the activities according to the age, ability level, language and experience of students, number of students, and the facilities available.
  • Prior to participation address any safety concerns for students with special needs and make appropriate accommodations/modifications to provide a safe learning environment.
  • Allow students to select a challenge at their comfort level, including the choice to not participate.
  • Verify that the teacher or any of the monitors and/or activity providers have the appropriate level of knowledge and competency required for the activity as listed on the relevant OPASSE activity page(s). For example:
    • Skills related to the specific activities involved (for example, hiking, camping, canoeing)
    • Certifications related to the specific activities involved (for example, Ontario Recreational Canoeing and Kayaking Association (ORCKA) Basic Canoe Instructor, Paddle Canada Intermediate Tandem Lake Canoeing (Skills), Advanced Wilderness First Aid)
    • Outdoor food preparation, and cooking skills
    • Navigation skills
    • Group facilitation and problem-solving skills
    • The ability to communicate and interact with colleagues and students in a positive and constructive manner

Make sure students are knowledgeable of the following:

• Know safety procedures related to environmental conditions and be aware of ways to protect themselves (for example, sunburn, dehydration). Consult the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE), Weather section in the Tools & Resource section, for safety standards related to specific weather conditions.
• Have received information on concussion prevention specific to the activity, the inherent risks of the activity, and procedures and rules for safe play, and understand the importance of reporting symptoms related to a suspected concussion.
• Know how to identify and avoid potential hazards to prevent injury.
• Know the required and correctly/comfortably fitting gear needed for the outdoor education activity and have packed it (for example, closed-toed shoes that provide traction, rain gear, hats for sun protection).
• Know the First Aid Emergency Response plan. Know where and how to access who and what they need in an emergency.
• Know the location of the First Aid kit and how to signal for help (for example, 3 blasts from a whistle, 3 shouts).
• Have the required skills and abilities to safely participate in the activity (for example, tent set up, fire building, safe food storage).
• Know the boundaries for the designated activity, and the rules and procedures.
• Awareness of expectations as they relate to signals to assemble, a system to keep track of students (for example, a buddy system), proper use of equipment, and boundaries of the activity.
• Know the route, if travel is involved in the activity.
• Know the importance of avoiding wild animals and how to stay safe when encountering them.
• Know the importance of staying hydrated and adequate nutrition to safely participate in the activity.

Council of Ontario Directors of Education. (2017). An Update on the CODE Student Injury Prevention Initiative: Phase Three.