Adventure Activities Regulations
The Adventure Activities Regulations (Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016) set out the process for becoming registered as an adventure activity operator and make it an offence for unregistered operators to offer adventure activities to participants.
Are you covered by the regulations?
WorkSafe NZ has published guidance to help operators work out if they are covered by the Adventure Activities Regulations:
- What is an adventure activity?
- Information for contractors and organisations using contractors
- Decision tree
- Information for providers of maritime activities
- Guidance for PCUBs (person conducting a business or undertaking)
Would you like to discuss your business or proposed activity with someone from WorkSafe? You can reach a member of the Adventure Activity team at this email address: aao@worksafe.govt.nz
Who is registered?
See this public list of registered adventure activity operators.
Safety audits
Operators must undergo safety audits in order to be registered under the Adventure Activities Regulations.
The safety audit standard for adventure activities (March 2017) sets out the requirements of a safety management system for operators covered by the adventure activity regulations.
See more information on the rules auditors must work to.
Safety Management Plan template
See the Safety Management Plan (SMP) template. This is designed to ensure your SMP meets the requirements of the safety audit standard.
The audit and registration process
Operators are free to choose their audit provider from one of the recognised providers available.
The audit and registration process, including auditor contact information .
Monitoring & surveillance audits
Auditors will monitor an operation throughout its certification period to ensure it’s continuing to confirm to the audit standard.
This could include:
- a surveillance audit – not a full audit, this could cover equipment checks; incident records; management plans; evaluations of emergency response practices
- completed inductions; performance appraisals; documented reviews of activities or systems
- request a declaration of conformity in which you confirm that that you continue to conform
- undertake a special audit as a result of a change of your circumstances
Managing re-registration
Operators are required to undergo a full audit every three years.
WorkSafe NZ can’t re-register you until you have a valid safety audit certificate. They advise you to plan for this well in advance.
If you don’t achieve at least conditional certification before the expiry date of your current audit certificate then your registration will lapse.
Non-compliance
Auditors can suspend, withdraw or limit the scope of certification based on the outcome of surveillance activity.
If they find serious issues, they will advise WorkSafe NZ and the Registrar may suspend or cancel registration. Operators will be given an opportunity to respond.
In either case, you would first be given the opportunity to be heard.