Operation Review – Why You Need One & 3 Steps to Prepare For Yours
Operation Review
Why You Need One & 3 Steps to Prepare for Yours
Why you need an Operation Review
As a course operator you’ve probably noticed that most accidents in our industry are no longer from equipment or structural failures, rather they’re a result of staff errors. Often these errors can be attributed to gaps in supervision, training, poor policies or a lack of following established protocols. One of the best ways to mitigate staff errors is by having a qualified person conduct an operation review of your program. There are three primary reasons why you should have an operation review:
To help an organization meet ANSI/ACCT 03-2019 O.S.B.2.7. “The organization shall engage in a review of its practices by an external qualified person(s), at least once every five (5) years.”
To help your organization improve operations and reduce the likelihood of incidents.
Your insurance provider likely requires one.
What is an Operation Review?
A Synergo Operation Review seeks to assesses the organization’s alignment with the ANSI/ACCT 03-2019 Standards Chapter Two: Operation Standards. The review generally takes place over several days and evaluates compliance with standards AND internal alignment between documentation, management, staff and observed operations. This is accomplished through:
Documentation Review
On-site Program Observation
Staff Interviews
Management Interviews
Once completed, our findings are documented and summarized in a report meant to be interpreted alongside the ANSI/ACCT 03-2019 Standards. The report also provides suggestions for improvement for any areas found deficient or out of alignment with the standards. Lastly, we schedule and conduct a post-review meeting with management to review the findings and provide feedback.
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The documentation review can be completed before the site visit or on-site. We evaluate both compliance with the standards and alignment between documentation, staff interviews, and observed operations. Documents reviewed include:
Policies and Procedures / Operations Manual
Training procedures and documentation
Commissioning documentation
Pre-use inspections
Periodic Inspections
Equipment documentation
Employee files
Marketing materials
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We observe at least two staff operating the program being reviewed alongside clients in normal operations. In the case of a commercial tour operation, we like to observe two different tours as secret shoppers. For summer camp or traditional programs we like to observe a typical group and the operation of any specialty elements. We also observe any rescue procedures detailed in the Policies and Procedures manual. Items we’ll observe include:
Pre use inspection
Reporting
Getting equipment out and inspecting
Check in procedure
Orientation
Gear up
Briefing
Operations
Facilitation/Coaching
Wrap Up
Post-program equipment storage
Rescue demonstration
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While onsite we interview at least two operations staff members to learn more about your operation from their perspective. Often we find that the people closest to the work have great insights about what is working and not working well. The purpose of these interviews is to determine compliance with standards and alignment with documentation. The interviews are completed on-site in both an office setting and while on-course.
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We conduct three types of interviews with management/ownership: pre-visit, onsite, and post-report. During the pre-visit interviews we seek to learn about their general operations, changes that have occurred through time, previous incidents or any concerns that they have. Onsite interviews are generally focused on management related topics like equipment purchasing and tracking, insurance, human resource policies, marketing, etc. The post-report meeting summarizes our findings and presents ideas and options for greater internal alignment and compliance with the standards and industry best practices.
3 Steps to Prepare for an Operation Review
Don’t just hire someone and have them show up – get prepared! This is a once every five years event and you want to maximize your learning potential!
1. Decide what you want to know!
What parts of your program do you have questions about? Your reviewer has seem lots of programs and different operations and can probably advise on how others have solved similar issues. Compile a list of questions you have for your reviewer and what your desired outcomes are.
3. Clean up your documentation
Documentation in some form is often the best way to ensure compliance. Make sure your documentation is current and accurate – ie. Equipment logs are up to date with recent purchases, pre-use inspections are complete, etc. Also review and compile your old documentation to show a pattern of doing it right!
2. Conduct a self-review using the ACCT Standards
Your best tool in preparing for the operation review is to thoroughly read and align both your documentation and operations with ANSI/ACCT 03-2019 Standards Chapter Two: Operation Standards. Consider each standard and how you will demonstrate compliance/alignment with that standard. Generally, it will be in one of the following ways:
Documentation: An actual written policy, system, or procedure
Observation: Your reviewer will be able to observe your practice and see that it meets the standard
Reported: You can explain your practice and how it meets the standard
What’s the difference between an Operation Review and ACCT Operation Accreditation?
An operation review is an in-depth look at your operations that results in a report delivered to you with recommendations for improvement. It’s to be conducted by a qualified person and then it’s up to you what you do with the findings.
From the ACCT website,
ACCT Operation Accreditation is a review process administered by ACCT recognizing challenge courses, aerial adventure/trekking parks, zip lines, and canopy tour sites (referred to as courses) that meet the procedural and standard compliance requirements established by ACCT. The accreditation is conferred on one site which has demonstrated compliance with the ACCT Standards through inspection, training documentation, and a detailed onsite operation review.
The purpose of ACCT Operation Accreditation is to identify challenge courses, aerial adventure/trekking park courses, zip line, and canopy tour organizations that serve the general public through a commitment to quality, professional conduct/business practices, and ongoing use and adherence to industry standards. Organizations will be required to demonstrate compliance with all accreditation requirements and in compliance with the current ANSI/ACCT standards.
Often an operation review is a great first step for organizations seeking ACCT Operation Accreditation. If you’re interested in gaining ACCT Operation Accreditation let us know, we can help you prepare and guide you through the process.
Final Thoughts
Incidents resulting purely from course or equipment failure are uncommon – yet incidents from operator error continue to abound. In addition to being a requirement of both the standards and many insurance companies, an operation review is a great tool to illuminate hazards within your operations or simply opportunities for improvement. Seeking a qualified person/organization to conduct your review, properly preparing, and then making changes based on the reports recommendations will strengthen your program and reduce your likelihood of incidents.
At Synergo we’d be excited to walk through the operation review process with you and are grateful for your attention to detail and professionalism. If you have other questions about operation reviews, ACCT Operations Accreditation or other operations issues please let us know – we are happy to help!
We’re thrilled to be your Op Review Guide
If you have other questions about operation reviews, ACCT Operations Accreditation or other operations issues please let us know – we are happy to help!