Safety Procedures

Aim

To take all practical steps to ensure that clients, employees and others in the vicinity of our guided tours are kept safe and unharmed by any potential hazard that may arise.

Hazard Management

The following items and procedures are in place with Farewell Spit Nature Experience to appropriately manage hazards on guided tours involving the use of Department of Conservation administered lands.

• A comprehensive First Aid Kit is carried at all times to enable employees to administer medical care as required.
• Clients will be asked to declare any medical or health conditions relevant to the tour activity when booking and any measures deemed necessary pertaining to this information will be actioned. Declarations and measures to be taken/will be kept with relevant guides while tours are in progress.
• Before each guided tour a Client Safety/Hazard Briefing takes place and covers relevant information on the tour about to be undertaken, including any safety issues or hazards which may be encountered.
• Farewell Spit Nature Experience ensures that adequate clothing, food and water for all conditions which can reasonably be anticipated will be taken by all clients and guides on all tours.
• Communication devices are carried in case of emergency. (Fleet Radios & cell phones)
• All guides complete an information sheet recording details of the tour including number and names of clients, any relevant medical factors, estimated time out etc. This information sheet will be accessible to appropriate authorities in an emergency.
• All guides are first aid proficient and undergo training in driving in off-road conditions. New drivers are not allowed to tour by themselves until they are competent in all aspects of Farewell Spit Nature Experience driving operations.
• Fire fighting equipment is carried on all vehicles.
• Smoking is prohibited by Farewell Spit Nature Experience when on Farewell Spit, Pillar Point and their environs.
• Should vehicles become bogged in soft sand etc shovels, planks and tow ropes are carried to enable self extraction if necessary.
• Prior to clients disembarking the vehicle at any giving view/tour stop point the guide will remind clients of potential hazards they may encounter.

Emergency Procedures

Farewell Spit Nature Experience will establish Emergency Procedures that will be accessible to clients and guides. Farewell Spit Nature Experience will ensure that both employees and clients are familiar with these procedures, which include:

• Evacuation of fleet vehicles in the event of an accident.
• Safety of clients and employees when extracting a vehicle from soft sand.
• Urgent transfer of ill, injured or incapacitated clients from a tour to the nearest medical services.
• Response to a fire situation including safety of clients and employees

All of the above scenarios will be managed by staff trained in the appropriate emergency response, communicating critical information to staff at base headquarters, assigning roles to those present, ensuring all clients are present and accounted for, and establishing a safe assembly area while immediate response actions occur.