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Relationships With Other Committees/OrganizationsERM Committee members should work within the council structure with other councilcommittees as well as unit and district leadership. The following considerations maybe helpful: In some councils, the ERM chair is a board-level position within the councilstructure. It other cases, it is an executive board position, or the chair reports toa board position. A supportive staff advisor is also a vital part of a successfulERM committee.ERM committees may work with program, camping, aquatics, COPE andclimbing, shooting sports, properties, and training committees on a regular basisand in a supporting role.Commissioner staff at the council, district, and unit level can help leaders tounderstand and execute the BSA program as designed. They may also shareERM findings at roundtables and be a resource for sharing support materialssuch as the annual health and medical record, tour-and-activity planninginformation, the Sweet 16 of BSA Safety, and the Guide to Safe Scouting.In some councils, district ERM chairs are the foundation of the councilcommittee. While there is no mandate for this structure, having these localrepresentatives may be beneficial.Finally, the ERM committee may wish to establish collaborative relationshipswith other non-profit or mission-driven service and professional organizations.The American Red Cross, the American Society of Safety Engineers, andothers can provide knowledge, expertise, and manpower aligned with thecommittee’s mission.7

Committee Members and Their RolesWhile ERM committees in various councils may be different based on council need andthe availability of volunteers, each committee should include the chair, district ERMrepresentatives, various subject-matter experts, a staff advisor, and (as needed)members of other council committees. More detailed sample job descriptions for thechair, district ERM representative, and subject-matter expert are provided in appendix 4.Chair This position may be held (when appropriate and desired) by a member of thecouncil’s executive board who has demonstrated ability to lead a group, drafta plan, and communicate effectively with other groups that need input fromthe ERM Committee. The chair should have expertise in health, safety, or risk management butmay also be a Scouter known to have effectively managed a group towardspecific objectives. The chair is responsible for planning and conducting the regular meetings andcommunicating the agenda, notes, minutes, and work plans to the councilexecutive staff advisor assigned to the committee. The chair is responsible for recruiting committee members. The chair should identify and name a co-chair to provide support when thechair is unable to lead a meeting or under some other circumstance. A cochair is also essential to effective succession planning.District ERM Representatives Serve on the ERM Committee as active members. Communicate with the district chair and key members of the districtcommittee on matters related to health, safety, and risk management. Provide training and advice on matters related to district program. Ensure that the council and district ERM training plans are executed viadistrict roundtables and other meetings. Serve as resources on ERM matters for unit leaders in their districts and thedistrict committees. Serve as liaisons between the ERM Committee and their districts when anevent is being planned. Assist in evaluating risks and potential hazardsrelated to the event.8

Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) Subject-matter experts should meet together regularly and provide specificinsight and information to help the ERM Committee accomplish its mission. Each council should select experts to serve based on their availability andtheir ability to meet specific needs. When appropriate, they may be engagedon an ad hoc basis. The list of potential SMEs is long and could includeexperts in the following areas: 9Youth protection/children at risk/child abuseEmergency preparedness/planning (state and local agencies)Business continuity planning or recovery operationsCommunications—crisis communication, PR, publishingEnvironmental protectionGeneral risk managementSanitary, civil, and/or environmental engineeringPublic healthFood safety and sanitationVeterinary careInformation technology backup and securityInsuranceLegal and regulatory affairsMedical professionals (physicians, nurses, behavioral healthpractitioners, EMTs)Health and safety managementFire and life safetyInfection control/infectious diseases/CDC standardsOrganized health care (hospitals, clinics, medical systems)Recreational industry liaison (e.g., local parks and recreation departments,outdoor retailer)Liaisons with other youth-serving/health and safety/risk managementorganizations (e.g., schools, American Red Cross, American HeartAssociation)Behavioral (mental) health—ideally, a crisis response team coordinatorwho has special skills or can access others with a variety of required skillsSearch and rescueScuba (PADI, et al)First aid/emergency medical response/risk management training

Staff Advisor Meets regularly with the chair and the full committee to provide support andresources. Communicates with district directors, district executives, and others on thecouncil executive staff. Assists in communicating the message of the BSA ERM group to theexecutive board and other key leaders. Serves as a key resource for updating national BSA literature and references. Connects the ERM Committee chair with appropriate resources at thenational office. Provides materials for distribution to professional staff and access toinformation found on MyBSA and other professional sites. Serves as a liaison to staff advisors on other council committees (i.e.,aquatics, camping, climbing, properties, finance, training, advancement,commissioner service). Coordinates with other council committees to avoid duplication and confusion. Communicates information to the committee regarding enterprise riskmanagement policies. Promotes knowledge and use of risk management resources by professionalsand volunteers.10

Summary and ConclusionsSo what are the outcomes of participating in all of this work? The BSA mission andvision will be met, risks will be mitigated, and youth will be able to enjoy the Scoutingprogram with fewer injuries and illnesses. In addition, the council may benefit from areduction in insurance rates.What Scouting achieves, in the end, is directly related to how well the committee comestogether to make things safer for the youth and volunteers.Dr. James West, the BSA’s first Chief Scout Executive, put it best in his foreword to theLocal Council Manual: Health and Safety, published in 1940. Though the words we usetoday are a bit less formal, the message and our objective remain the same—safer,happier, and healthier youth:“I know of no more important service that Scouting can render than, through itsleadership, to create early in the life of the boy a sense of individual responsibilityfor making and keeping himself physically fit, reducing to a minimum theprobability of his being handicapped through accident, reducing to a minimum thelikelihood of his life being carried on with unhappiness because he does not knowhow to live.“So many things are the result of lack of careful planning, lack of careful thinkingthrough, thoughtlessness. And the health and safety practices of Scouting, wehope, are going to help boys to plan more definitely to avoid accident and illness,and to prepare themselves in a positive way to face life.”11

Appendix 1:BSA Risk Assessment Strategies and Tools1. IntroductionThis document was developed to provide Scouters with the necessary strategies andtools to assess risks within the Scouting program. The need to assess risk and itspotential impacts on the program is stated in the Guide to Safe Scouting:“In situations not specifically covered in this guide, activity planners should evaluate therisk or potential risk of harm, and respond with action plans based on common sense,community standards, the Boy Scout motto, and safety policies and practices commonlyprescribed for the activity by experienced providers and practitioners.”No organization, including the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), can develop acomprehensive set of guidelines or procedures that will cover all possible risks. TheBSA has already identified the need to address specific high-risk programs such asaquatics and shooting sports. In these instances, clear guidance is given through SafeSwim Defense/Safety Afloat, BSA National Shooting Sports Manual, and Belay on.However, when activities and programs fall outside Scouting guidelines, theresponsibility of identifying, evaluating, and executing a safe program belongs to theScouting entities wanting to conduct the activity or program (e.g., councils, districts,units, etc.).1.1. What Is a Risk Assessment?A risk assessment is a review of what could go wrong, the potential impact whenthings do go wrong, and how to eliminate or lessen the risk.1.2. Hazards and RisksA hazard is a condition or practice with the potential to cause harm (e.g.,extreme heat, riding in a car, etc.). It is vital to identify potential hazards, or wewill not be able to assess risks.Risk is the chance that a negative event (e.g., injury, property damage, etc.) willoccur if exposed to a hazard. Risk is assessed by looking at two components:probability and severity.Probability is the odds of something occurring. For example, if you flip a penny,the probability that it will end up heads is 50 percent.Severity is the seriousness of the consequences. Consequences can be minoror major. For example, an incident may cause 100 versus 100,000 of propertydamage. An injury may be a minor scrape versus a broken bone.12

PROBABILITYLooking at risk using probability and severity helps determine if the risk isacceptable or if changes need to be made. Here’s what that looks like:SEVERITYMinorMajorLowBug flies in my eyeFalling from a rockwallHighCutting finger atwood carving classDriving whiledrowsy1.3. Luck Versus RiskIf nothing has been done to prevent risk and a negative event still does notoccur, that’s simply luck. For example, if the probability of a canoe tipping over is25 percent when someone stands up in the canoe, this means that 75 percent ofthe time it won’t tip over. If your canoe hasn’t tipped over, this doesn’t meanstanding in it is less risky. You’ve just been lucky!2. Philosophy2.1. Subjective ExerciseRisk assessing is a subjective exercise. It’s not uncommon for two differentgroups to evaluate risks associated with the same program or activity and endup with a different result. The true power of risk assessments does not comefrom creating the “right” assessment or operating under the belief that all riskswill be eliminated. Rather, the value comes from gathering those involved withthe program or activity and having discussions about risk and what can be doneto address risks. It’s not about Scouting having “no risks.” It’s about Scouters“knowingthe risks.”2.2. Controllable RisksStay focused on risks over which you have some degree of control. Forexample, someone being hurt from a meteor strike at summer camp is possible,but what control do we have over that risk? However, don’t confuse an inabilityto control the risk with an unwillingness to address it. For example, we have nocontrol over lightning strikes during a campout, but we can control the likelihoodof being struck by lightning by going inside when a thunderstorm comes.2.3. Selecting Risk Assessment ToolsWhen it comes to assessing risk, you need to use the right tool for the job. Someof the tools in this document may require several resources to conduct. Make13

sure to choose the “right-size” tool for your activity. (See Attachment A – RiskAssessment Selection Tool.)2.4. Risk AppetiteScouting entities will need to determine their risk appetite by choosing whatactivities they are willing to take on. For example, adult leaders in one troop maybe willing to become certified climbing instructors in order to run a safe climbingprogram, but another troop may not want that risk. One council may want tobuild a BMX bike track and program to deliver to units; another council may beunwilling to take on the potential risk of injuries on the track.3. ProcessScouting entities can assess risks by following these steps: Define the scope of the risk assessment Gather the experts Identify, assess and document hazards and risks Decide control measures Routinely review risk assessments3.1. Define ScopeThe first step in the process is to clearly and concisely define what you areassessing. For example, “Expanded use of pellet guns in a Webelos residentcamp program” is clearer than “Cub Scout shooting program.” Defining thescope too broadly can make the assessment overwhelming and inefficient. Theperson who has championed the program should be the one responsible fordefining the scope.3.2. Gather the ExpertsRisk assessments are best conducted in a group. If you are reviewing changesto the shotgun range at summer camp, you may need Scouting professionals,Shooting Sports Committee members, troop or Venturing crew leaders, NRAinstructors, Health and Safety Committee members, etc.3.3. Identify, Assess, and DocumentThe group should brainstorm potential serious hazards and what the possibleconsequences are if those hazards are not addressed. Documenting potentialhazards and risks provides a way to communicate that an assessment wascompleted. The documentation can also be used to train individuals that are newto the program or activity.14

3.4. Decide Control MeasuresOnce risks have been assessed, the group needs to decide if the risks areacceptable or if additional measures need to be implemented. The differentmethods for doing this are covered in the various tools in this document.3.5. ReviewRisk assessments should be reviewed on a routine basis. Keep in mind thatthings change over time, and the risk assessment should be reviewed andrevised accordingly. For example, a troop may have put together a riskassessment last year for their “first annual” canoe campout. However, this yearthe same spot is not available and a new location is being used. Summer campprogram areas should be looked at on an annual basis.4. ToolsThe following tools are the preferred way of assessing risks in the Scouting program,but other tools used in private industry could be used as well.4.1. Enterprise AnalysisThis tool is primarily used to record, assess, and manage councilwide risks. Therisks identified using this tool should be serious enough to jeopardize counciloperations. This tool may cover many areas, but it should at least address thefollowing risks: Financial Operational Market Legal Environmental Reputation Brand Liability Property4.2. Program Hazard AnalysisThis tool is primarily used for program areas within camps or high-adventurebases. It covers specific risks to the program areas. This tool has a defined wayof assessing probability and severity of risks. The tool initially assesses risks asif there are no protective measures in place; then you look at the risk again, thistime with the protective measures applied.15

4.3. Safety ChecklistsThese tools are used for small events or campouts. Checklists are a “body ofknowledge” for running Scouting activities safely. Like an airline pilot reviewing achecklist before takeoff, these tools help to make sure critical safeguards are inplace to ensure a safe Scouting activity.4.4. Safety PAUSEThe Safety PAUSE process stresses the importance of a last-minute safetycheck in the field. By encouraging each Scout or adult leader to pause andreflect on the tasks at hand just before beginning, you have an opportunity totake necessary precautions to prevent any present or potential hazards.This is not a standalone tool. A formal risk assessment should be done first,such as a safety checklist or a program hazard analysis (PHA). PAUSE before you startASSESS possible hazardsUNDERSTAND how to proceed safelySHARE your plan with othersEXECUTE the activity safely5. Acceptance and Resolution of RiskWhen evaluating risks, it is always difficult to determine how much risk to accept. Aspreviously stated, the idea is for Scouters to “know risks,” not for Scouting to have“no risks.” This is why gathering the experts and having these conversations is sovital. You need to consider differing opinions and approaches to addressing risks.16

When determining how to deal with risks, keep in mind that there is a hierarchy ofcontrols. In other words some actions work better than others. Here is the hierarchy,in order of preference:5.1. Eliminate the RiskUnfortunately, sometimes the answer to certain risks is to not have thempresent. This may mean that you will eliminate risky activities or decide not toconduct the program at all.5.2. Engineer Out the RiskDesign the environment so that the risk is eliminated. This could be as simple asputting a fence around a climbing tower or building a canopy over your shootingranges. In the first instance, you engineer a protective barrier to eliminateunauthorized access to a high-adventure area. The canopy over the shootingsports area eliminates the hazard of being sunburned.5.3. Administrative Controls (including work practices)These controls could be written procedures or training. They don’t eliminate therisk, but they do make Scouters more aware of the potential dangers. Almost allrisks will involve some form of administrative control, but you should be leery ifthis is the only protective measure being taken.5.4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Personal protective equipment (e.g., safety glasses, vests, hearing protection,etc.) is the lowest form of hazard control. Like administrative controls, PPE doesnot eliminate risks; it simply tries to reduce the severity of a hazard.For example, wearing helmets at a climbing tower do not eliminate the risk of anobject falling from the tower and hitting someone on the ground. However, thehelmet will help lessen the seriousness of the injury.Program areas will have PPE—but, again, you should be leery if this is the onlyprotective measure for an activity.5.5. Advice to ERM CommitteesWhen it comes to evaluating risks, ERM committees should not be the only onesinvolved in this process. Persons who are asking for activities outside theScouting program need to be responsible for facilitating the risk review. ERMcommittees should be utilized as advisors or, in essence, the conscience of theScouting entity.17

In the business world, safety and health are not the sole responsibility of the“safety and health department.” It is also not something that you do in addition torunning Scouting activities. We don’t run “a climbing program with some safetyand health components” . we run a safe climbing program. Safety and health iseveryone’s responsibility, and it is led by those at the front line.Approve plans, not ideas. Often, when ERM committees are asked to evaluaterisks, they are reviewing an idea that someone has suggested. Ideas can onlybe safely brought to fruition if there is a plan in place. Therefore it should neverbe the sole responsibility of the ERM Committee to find a way to make theprogram work. Rather, the originator of the idea should be presenting a wellthought-out plan for running the program safely and seeking the committee’sadvice.6. ResourcesGuide to Safe Scouting, www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34416.pdfScouting

The chair is responsible for planning and conducting the regular meetings and communicating the agenda, notes, minutes, and work plans to the council executive staff advisor assigned to the committee. The chair is responsible for recruiting committee members. The chair should identify and name a co-chair to provide support when the