Snowboarding Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Poor decision-making — Educate participants on making safe choices, such as assessing conditions, recognizing personal limits, and avoiding peer pressure to attempt dangerous maneuvers. Incorporate discussions on risk management into lessons. Encourage a mindset of safety and responsibility.
• Inadequate warm-up/cool-down — Incorporate warm-up exercises at the beginning of each session, including dynamic stretches and light activity. Include cool-down routines after lessons to aid recovery. Educate participants on the benefits of proper warm-up and cool-down practices. Encourage adopting these habits independently.
• Steep or uneven terrain — Assess participants’ skill levels before attempting advanced terrain. Gradually introduce more challenging slopes as abilities improve. Teach techniques specific to steep and uneven terrain, such as edge control and weight distribution. Encourage scouting unfamiliar runs before descending.
• Sudden changes in terrain — Instruct participants on scanning the terrain ahead and anticipating changes. Teach techniques for handling variations like moguls, drops, or narrow sections. Encourage moderate speeds that allow time to react. Familiarize participants with trails before increasing difficulty.
• Lift malfunctions — Instruct participants on proper procedures for using lifts, including loading, riding, and unloading techniques. Teach how to respond in case of lift stoppages or malfunctions, such as remaining calm and awaiting instructions. Familiarize participants with safety features and signals used by lift operators. Encourage reporting any issues immediately.