Re: RC: Re: Educating Ride Managers?

[David LeBlanc <dleblanc@mindspring.com>]

At 10:49 AM 4/13/00 -0700, Sue Brown wrote:
>>> Grievance Committee and to deny the Appeal.  However, a subsequent motion
>>> was made and seconded "that the Board educate this ride manager and all
>>> ride managers as to the need for safety throughout the ride."

>>Plus, just how
>>are you going to "educate"
>>all of the ride managers?

>I am not on the board, but this is my take...
>
>Coming from years of working in a very litigious surrounding, I know very
>well that education (getting the information *to* the individuals and
>recording that they have received, reviewed, or attended) is a major
>consideration with insurances, certifications, and so on...especially when
>it comes to safety standards!!  

It would seem to me that a good way to resolve the issue would to do the
following:

AERC issues a document detailing any requirements that ride managers have
with respect to safety, any 'best practices' (guidelines) that have been
developed given 20-20 hindsight over the years, and then you require the
ride manager to sign something indicating that they have read and
understood this document.  The ride manager has now been 'educated' - this
is the very minimum needed to establish that the ride manager is at least
aware of customary safety practices.  It would especially be helpful to a
newbie ride manager, and it would tend to help with the legalese that Sue's
pointing out here.

Something like that might be a bit of work to put together and worded the
way you want it, but it isn't an especially onerous requirement for a ride
manager to be asked to read a few pages and sign something saying they read
it.  If a new situation comes up, and we learn something new from the
school of hard knocks, then you just update the document.

Similarly, it would also be beneficial to come up with a document for
riders that is specifically aimed at safety - I'm not sure it ought to be
required reading, but lay out the basics - here's some suggestions for a
safe start, etc.


David LeBlanc
dleblanc@mindspring.com