These are perhaps two of the most important services offered by Experiential Systems. To minimize risk for your participants and to protect your programs integrity, it is important to have your physical structures inspected and ensure that your staff is properly trained and ready to deal with any possible situations that might arise. For these reasons, ESI strongly recommends updating your training yearly, and having regular inspections of your site. Staff turn-over and staff inactivity (some may not work on activities all winter) are two reasons why your staff should be retrained yearly. Insurance companies are moving toward requiring an annual inspection of challenge activities and we think it is a great idea. Things change; having ESI come in to look over your activities can ensure their safety.

STAFF TRAINING AND PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION

No matter what product or element ESI installs at your facility the goal of the Experiential Systems, Inc. training course is to educate facilitators in the skills and procedures to necessarily ensure a supportive experiential learning environment. This will be accomplished by a comprehensive program that includes technically sound operational procedures and group processing guidelines.

Facilitators will be trained to implement and adhere to all procedures. They will also be trained to inspect all equipment and hardware at regular intervals as well as before every use. Clear and concise technical procedures are utilized at all times during program operation. Utilizing proven practices and procedures, facilitators will provide the participant with a supportive place to try beyond his/her preconceived limitations.

Facilitators will learn the importance of defining goals and expectations before an activity period begins. Following each activity period facilitators will then initiate a discussion or debriefing session. These discussions are essential for helping participants to understand how they can take the lessons just learned and incorporate those lessons into their everyday life.

New facilitators need as much information as possible before they head to the woods with their first groups. Having worked with literally thousands of participants on adventure activities we can fill that gap. Rarely will you find a company with such an extensive background that can offer innovative design, construction and training components all together.

Training courses are also offer for elements and facilities built by vendors other than ESI. Call one of our offices to discuss the elements you have installed at your site and receive a very competitive price quote on training.

ESI provides Annual Challenge Course Inspection Services for indoor and outdoor ropes courses, and climbing structures.  The annual inspection entails a complete hands-on inspection of all low and high challenge course elements installed. This includes but is not limited to an inspection of the following:

• Trees – If trees are used in the construction of your course ESI will note tree size and species, look for damage caused by insects and weather and check for deadfall and root damage.
•  Utility Poles - If utility poles are used in the construction of the course, they will be inspected for appropriate classification, size, age and damage caused by animals and/or weather.
• Structures – If building or structures are used in the design of your course, ESI will inspect the connections to the structure, monitor for metal fatigue, inspect for  broken or cracked welds, etc.
• Cable – All cable used for belay lines, zip lines, guy lines and foot lines will be inspected for appropriate terminations, proper drape, tension, peening and rusting.
• Ropes – All ropes will be inspected for appropriate use, storage and record keeping.
• Bolts – If through bolts are used in the design of your course, all bolts will be inspected for wear, rusting and growth into trees.
• Lumber – All lumber will be inspected for aging and protruding nails or screws. Additionally all lumber used for structural elements like a platform will be inspected for proper attachment technique.
• Programming Equipment – All programming equipment will be inspected for age, wear, and storage and to ensure that proper retirement schedules are kept.
• Training Manuals and Policies – ESI will inspect all training and policy manuals as they relate to the maintenance, use, facilitation, training and record keeping of the high and low ropes course.

 Upon Completion of the inspection a verbal report will be provided before leaving the site and a written report will be mailed within 10 days of the inspection. Both the verbal and written report will use one of three findings to respond to each element of your challenge course. Those three findings are as follows. 

PASS – When a challenge course element passes inspection, ESI is ensuring that the construction materials and techniques meet all minimum standards set by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT). When a training and policy manual passes inspection, ESI is stating that the policies and procedures outlined within the manual meet the minimum standards set by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) (where applicable the American Camping Associations (ACA) and/or the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Standards will be used.)

FAIL – When a challenge course element receives a finding of FAIL, ESI has determined that some part or all of the materials and/or techniques used in the construction of the element are below the written standards set by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT). When a policy or technique use in training or facilitation of the element Fails that is because ESI determined that the specific policy or technique was below the written standards of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) (where applicable the American Camping Associations (ACA) and/or the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Standards will be used.) 

Following the finding of FAIL, and the description of why the element or policy fails, ESI will offer the recommendation of TIMLELY REPAIR (with a specific date given to have the element repaired or policy changed by) or REMOVAL (element as found is dangerous and should be removed immediately as it poses a physical threat to users or people in the vicinity). 

 INCOMPLETE – A finding of incomplete for a specific element states that all of the materials necessary to use that element were unavailable at the time of inspection and therefore ESI is unable to verify its condition at the time of inspection. When a policy is found to be incomplete, that means that a required policy is missing from the policy or training manual. ESI will provide a TIMELY REPAIR (with specified date for policy implementation). If no policy manual is available, or several critical policies are missing that would result in a finding of FAIL. 

If all elements and policies PASS during the initial inspection, enclosed with the inspection report will be a certificate stating, “The Challenge Course and Training Policies of the (Program Name) were found to meet all minimum standards set by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and Experiential Systems, Inc.” The certificate will be dated and signed by the inspecting agent and is good for one year from the date of inspection.  This certificate is renewable annually pending Experiential Systems conducts the annual inspection. 

If all elements and policies do not pass inspection the report will specify TIMELY REPAIRS. Only after those timely repairs have been completed and verified, will ESI forward the above noted certificates. 

Maintenance – Where applicable ESI will complete minor maintenance during a scheduled inspection. This maintenance includes: the tightening of bolts, hammering in exposed nails, screwing in exposed screws, and the taping of cable and/or rope ends. This maintenance does not include: the replacement of any cable, bolt, rope or wood product, or trimming of any trees or removal of deadfall or downed elements. These services are available form ESI but are not part of the Annual Inspection Fee. If you are aware of any such maintenance work that needs to be completed during your inspection please contact one of our offices for a price quote.