Social Response to Risk Taking

3.2.2
Factors Influencing
Contemporary Societal
Relationships with
Outdoor Environments
Risks in outdoor environments,
What are they?
Key Words
Risk Taking
Misadventure
Perceived Risk
Real Risk
Portrayed
Regulations
Coroners Inquest
Industry Self-Regulation
Government Legislation
What is risk?
Risk Talking?
Unit 1?
What shapes our idea of risk?

The media reports from witnesses, costs

associated with rescues.
Other peoples experiences
Risk in the Outdoors

Risk is a major issue in many outdoor experiences

especially adventure and recreation.

The ways in which societies respond to risk, and to

accidents and incidents, is important factor in
influencing what people do in and with outdoor
environments.

You need to develop a deeper understanding of societys

responses to risk.
 Societies Response to
Misadventure
An incident involving serious injury, death or near death in
the outdoors leads to society responding in a typical chain of
events:
Media Coverage
Public Response
Investigation / Coroners Inquest
Media Coverage / Public Response
Legal Proceedings
Industry Self-Regulations
Government Regulations
Effects of Regulation and Activity
Expectations

Regulations imposed by governments on

outdoor activities will impact on:
-Participants
-The environment
-Certification of Participants or Leaders
-Erection of signs, shelters, tracks, lookouts ect
-Build, put in place measures to keep people safer!
 People and Risk
Perceived and Real

Murray
River Risks
like this??

Channels?
Perceived & Real Risks

Perceived Risk The risk in which we feel or

think an activity has
Real risk Is the actual risk of an activity.

Remember: The more experienced or

competent you become with an activity, the
closer the gap between Perceived and real risk
becomes.
Examples of Social Response to
Risk Taking

(Practices put in place to stop society/people from

getting injured because of certain risks)
In your work books list 2 examples for each:

List some examples for Torquay

List some examples in the Otways
Queenscliff Scuba Diving
Boardwalks, Footpaths, etc
Qualified Instructors
Ratio numbers 5:1
 PFDs & Helmets

Now a legal requirement for

many OE activities!
 Location of Activity

How would choosing the

right location decrease the
risks??
Scuba Diving Locations Queenscliff
Novice Level

What makes Popes Eye a good location for novice divers?

Port Phillip Heads

What makes the Port Phillip Heads a

more riskier Dive Site??
Walking Tracks, & Snow Poles
 4x4 Track
Snow Poles
 Huts

Emergency refuge
Tracks now have signs

Boardwalks

Parks Vic
enforce/advise certain
things like take water
purification tabs ect.
Others?
Certification of Participants or
Leaders

E.g. Uni. Or Tafe Courses in Outdoor

Education/Recreation
Makes activity safer, but more expensive.
Groups led by certified leaders likely to
be more responsible in regard to the
environment as well as peoples safety.
Safety Briefings
Erection of Signs, Shelters and
Snow Poles, rails at Look-Outs

E.g. Huts at Bogong HP, handrails at

look-outs in Otways/Queenscliff
Improves safety, gives false sense of
security, decreases sense of adventure
and responsibility for own actions.
Visual impact and encourages use.
Text Book Work

Read Coroners report on page 208.