As at 24th May 2010 the following questions frequently come our way.....
Do you have selection standards for the staff you employ?
Do you employ staff who are in training?
Can our school staff run the activities at the Boyle?
Do you have training standards?
What is the ‘Boyle Standard’?
Do you monitor compliance to standards?
Do you have safety rules?
So who has the ultimate responsibility?
Who is responsible for identifying the risks?
Can I see your safety plans?
What about incidents you have had over the years? What happens? What evidence is there for me to see?
I heard you were once 'an emergency centre'
What emergency procedures are in place?
What if a staff member is hurt?
Can our students be assessed against unit standards?
Am I able to come to the Boyle to do some work experience, an internship or research studies?
Do you have selection standards for the staff you employ?
Yes. We employ staff who have current outdoor and first aid qualifications, and relevant experience. All staff must be familiar with the area and activities before instructing. The Centre Manager is responsible for employing staff and checking their competency.
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Do you employ staff who are in training?
We most certainly do. When they have been given responsibility for leading an activity for which they are not fully qualified, we always place a qualified staff member at that site and they must over-rule if the need arises.
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Can our school staff run the activities at the Boyle?
Yes, provided they have achieved the same competencies as the the Boyle staff are required to have. This means they have to be assessed by the Centre Manager, or delegate. Usually this is done at the Boyle. Their qualifications, training and experience at the Boyle are all considered on application. We require evidence of current practice.
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Do you have training standards?
Our staff are usually engaged in at least two weeks of in-house training per year. Where necessary specialists are employed to deliver the training. Anyone working at the Boyle must have achieved ‘the Boyle standard.’
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What is the ‘Boyle Standard’?
Requirements and competencies for instructing each of the activities are available on request.
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Do you monitor compliance to standards?
We insist that staff have done our in-house training.
We keep a register of staff training requirements and qualifications.
Staff are monitored and supported throughout the year by senior staff.
The Centre Manager reviews staff performance at least once a year though an appraisal process.
Feedback from user groups is welcomed.
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Do you have safety rules?
We most certainly do. There are written minimum standards for all our activities. They form part of our Safety Management System (SMS) which includes Code of Practice (as for the Ropes Course), or a Safety Operations Plan (SOP) as in the case of Rafting, or a Risk Analysis and Management Matrix (RAMS).
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So who has the ultimate responsibility?
There are two parts in the answer to this question.
(1) The Teacher-in-Charge or group leader attached to the user group.
(2) The Centre Manager.
Responsibility is shared between the Boyle Staff and the school staff for the safety and pastoral care of the students. A combination of Boyle rules and expectations are combined with the normal school rules for each group. This is negotiated between the TIC and the Manager.
The Centre Manager will give advice. What s/he says must be acted upon. If you choose to ignore this advice/direction, the support the Boyle provides will be withheld.
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Who is responsible for identifying the risks?
All staff, including the ones accompanying groups to the Boyle.
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Can I see your safety plans?
Most certainly. Please ask the Centre Manager.
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What about incidents you have had over the years? What happens? What evidence is there for me to see?
Yes, we have had our share of incidents. Muscle strains and temporarily 'lost' while doing the compass bearing activity are amongst the most common. No fatalities to date.
Wasp stings, rope and hot water burns, broken bones, tendon stretches and illnesses do happen very occasionally. In 32 years we have used a helicopter twice (injury on Mt Faust; illness at Magdellan Hut) and the ambulance twice.
In analysising our incidents we always look at what the rating may have been and then act on that. We use the National Incident Database, report to the Trust annually and our reports are available to users groups to study. We have a case study file that we use to inform staff of potential risks.
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I heard you were once 'an emergency centre'
Independent of the Centre a bus rolled over on SH7 and our staff became the front-line providers of care for 22 people. The facilities held up well including the radio communication system.
We often get involved in supporting the general public who have had an accident in the area.
We are also a Welfare Centre for Civil Defence in the event of an emergency.
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What emergency procedures are in place?
We have procedures for:
Evacuating the building; extra overnights in the Lodge due to snow (food is available); administering first aid; searching for a lost person; rescuing someone from further harm; evacuation from an outdoor site; dealing with a fatality; dealing with the follow-up; and dealing with trauma. For the most part, the Ministry of Education Group SES trauma team would be called in to look after the school students and their staff. It is expected that this would occur back at school. Our trauma procedures have our staff as their main focus.
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What if a staff member is hurt?
Boyle Staff: If necessary and appropriate the Police and DOL will be informed immediately and before the person is removed from the situation (provided no risk of further harm).
After treatment, the Centre Manager will inform the NCAT chairperson who is our media spokesperson and 'go to' for matters relating to trauma.
User Group Staff: After treatment the employing authority is notified.
They are responsible for reporting the incident to the DOL if a serious harm situation has occurred. If necessary and appropriate the Police and the DOL will be informed immediately and before the person is removed from the situation (provided no risk of further harm).
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Can our students be assessed against unit standards?
Yes. This is done through Kaiapoi High School’s accreditation. Details from the Centre Manager on request.
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Am I able to come to the Boyle to do some work experience, an internship or research studies?
We receive a lot of questions like this from all around the world and in some cases we are able to help out. Because each individual case is so varied we recommend you contact us and let us know what you'd like to do.
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