Or. Admin. Code § 414-320-1320 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Climbing Natural Feature Activities
(1) Certified ONB
programs may allow children to climb natural features, including trees and
boulders.
(2) Before allowing
children to climb natural features, a certified ONB program must follow the
program's written policies and procedures to determine the appropriate methods
to remove or mitigate the possibility of injury.
(3) To prevent injury to children, a
certified ONB program must comply with the requirements described in this
subsection.
(a) ONB Staff members must remove
hazardous objects and mitigate hazards whenever possible from the surrounding
area where children might fall. This includes, but is not limited to, removing
rocks and covering sharp edges or potentially harmful protrusions including
harmful protrusions or branches that may extend from trees or stumps.
(b) Before a child or children climb on
trees, a certified ONB program must inspect the trees for weak or loose
branches or other potential hazards.
(c) ONB staff members must be able to provide
immediate assistance to any climbing child. To ensure adequate supervision and
after conducting the benefit risk assessments described in OAR 414-320-0215, it
may be necessary for ONB programs to limit the number of children climbing at
one time.
(d) At all times, an ONB
staff member must be within reach of the midriff of a child who is climbing a
natural feature 30 inches above the ground. A climbing child must not be
allowed to climb out of reach of staff.
(4) For school-age children and activities
that involve climbing natural features or challenge courses 48 inches or higher
from the ground, certified ONB programs must comply with the requirements
described in the American National Standard Institute/Association for Challenge
Course Technology (ANSI/ACCT) Challenge Course Standards. ONB program staff
that provide climbing and challenge course activities must possess a valid and
current Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) Practitioner
Certification.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 329A.260
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 329A.280
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