Standard Operating Procedures

KHC Standard Operating Procedures

Guidelines and Expectations

KHC will publish a Guidelines and Expectations page on the KHC website and review it annually.

Waivers

KHC will ensure that the Waiver in use is the one recommended by FMCBCC, as recommended by its insurers/risk managers. KHC currently uses an on-line waiver system. The waiver will be available on the website for the use of members, Guests, hike leaders, as needed.

KHC discourages the use of paper waivers, but if one must be used, then the completed form should be scanned/imaged and sent to khc@kamloopshikingclub right after the event.

All Guests must sign a waiver. No member or Guest may participate in a club event without first completing a waiver. Waivers are to be completed each calendar year as part of the membership process or guest registration process.

A link to the Club’s online waiver system will be found on Membership pages when membership is open, and on the Guests page and the Minors page all year.

Insurance

Insurance is to be renewed annually through FMCBC. A copy of the Insurance policy, incident report forms, and other relevant forms are to be kept by a Director and copies posted to the website, as required. The President or designate will ensure that insurance coverage is managed with due diligence.

Society Reporting

An annual report by all registered Societies is required each year. The President will ensure that the annual Society filing report with the Provincial Registrar is completed each year.

Membership

All members will be required to register annually using forms provided on-line by the club. Membership file will be kept (and backed up) by the Membership Director and updated, as required. Information from membership records will be provided to Hike Leaders or Directors on a need-to-know basis. Enquiries regarding membership will be directed to the Membership Director. The Membership Director will report to the Board, as needed.

The Board of Directors may establish and manage a membership “cap” for that calendar year, reviewing the status of the membership to events ratio at Board meetings. The purpose of setting the maximum number of members for the year is to ensure that the capacity of the club (the number of event leaders and total events) is sufficient to match the number of participating members.

As per the Society’s bylaws, a member retains his/her membership rights if he/she is in good standing – has registered annually with the club, has paid the relevant dues, and has completed a waiver. The Board may deem a member not in good standing through a motion of the Board, for a variety of reasons – safety infractions, repeated KHC policy/procedure non-compliance, harassment, unethical conduct, and/or relevant culpable behavior. The Board may remove the person’s website account and rights to book a place on an event. The member in question has the right to appeal in writing, addressed to the President who will take the matter to the Board of Directors for review. Membership fees will not be refunded if the member is deemed to not be in good standing with the Society.

An overview of KHC Membership is found on the website (Membership Information).

Membership Renewals

Annual memberships are for March 1st through to the last day of February in the next calendar year. Renewals for the upcoming year will start in February in a process defined by the Board and explained on the website.

During renewals season, a Membership Renewals page will be visible, accessible from the front page of the website.

Minors

KHC supports the inclusion of minors in appropriate hiking events on a limited basis. With the risks inherent in outdoor activities, some risk management issues arise that have resulted in some KHC policies.

we have hike leaders and Directors (and therefore Events) by virtue of an insurance policy, a legal waiver, and best-practice policies
all members and guests must sign a waiver prior to participating in an event; this waiver effectively waives the rights to successfully sue leaders and the Club for damages
under BC laws, no one can waive the rights of a minor, nor can the minor waive his own rights
the practice of including minors can still be achieved with the following steps:
Minors must be registered guests of the Club and parents of the minor are expected to explain expectations and guidelines to the Minor
Parents or guardians of the minor are expected to be on the hike/event with the minor and to supervise and be fully responsible for the minor
if the minor is experiencing difficulties, the parent/guardian is expected to accompany the minor on the hike or return to the vehicle with the minor
prior to the minor’s first event. both the parent/guardian must sign the KHC Acknowledgement of Risk Form in front of a Club rep
the hike leader has the right to refuse to include minors in any event, if circumstances are of concern

the most up-to-date policy and procedures regarding Minors can be found on the Minors Page on the website. If there is a discrepancy between the most recent SOP and the website page, the website page will be the “official” statement.

KHC has had a number of successful outings with minors and welcomes them and their parents/guardians for appropriate events each year, on a limited basis.

Privacy

KHC will ensure member’s privacy rights wherever possible through a number of measures which may include:

providing email addresses for hike leaders and directors, on request
ensuring membership lists/data are available on a request and need-to-know basis only
restricting selected pages on the website to logged-in members only
restricting event-related membership information to logged-in members only
responding to specific requests by members for additional measures, where possible
establishment of a Privacy page on the website (to be done)

Treasurer/Finance

The Society’s Treasurer will be responsible for the Club’s bank account, deposits, payments, and financial records. All financial records and reports will follow widely-accepted accounting procedures. An official annual financial report is required for the AGM each year. All transactions will follow approved policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors.

Member Voting at the AGM

All members in good standing have a right to a vote at the AGM. Voting will be by a show of hands. in the event of a tie, a ballot system will be used and if a tie still exists, the President will cast the final vote.

AGM

The annual AGM date and agenda will be posted at least a month in advance and all members will be invited through the website and social media.

The AGM will follow this general format:

The meeting is chaired by the President (or designate).
All parties are welcomed as the meeting starts.
President’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Membership Report
Other reports, as determined by the Board
Questions and Answers
Nominations and Elections
Welcome to the New Board and any comments by the incoming President
Adjournment of the Business Meeting
A social and/or discussion may follow

Board of Directors

The Board will meet within 6 weeks after the AGM. Prior to or at that first meeting, the meeting schedule for the year will be initiated and Director’s duties will also be established. The President (or designate) will chair Board meetings.

An agenda will be established prior to the meeting and sent to all Directors. Directors may add an agenda item in advance or at the start of a meeting. Matters of policy or expenditure (over a $value established by the Board) require a motion and seconder and are put to a vote, following well-established rules of order. Minutes of meetings are kept by the secretary. Minutes are published to the website, once approved.

A tentative meeting schedule for the Board will be established at the first Board meeting after the AGM. The schedule may be revised, as required.

Board of Director’s Duties

The following positions will be nominated at the AGM – President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary (may be combined with another role), and Membership. Other members may be elected either as Directors-at-Large or as Directors with specific responsibilities. Some of those duties may include:

Public Relations, Marketing, Social Media, Newsletter, Communications
Equipment
Hike Leaders
Website
New Members
Risk Management/Insurance/Safety
Club Programs/Social Events
Liaison – FMCBC, Trails Alliance, Sports Council, KOC, Sponsors and Suppliers

The Past President is created by a motion at the AGM, if the retiring president is willing to accept the position on the Board of Directors.

At the first Board meeting following the AGM, duties will be defined for Board members.

Committees

From time to time, a committee (ie hike leaders) may be convened to further the mission of the club. The Board will appoint the Chair of the Committee and establish criteria for the Chair, Director-members, and individual members.

Fees

Fees for the calendar year are established by the Board before new memberships are accepted. Fees for the upcoming year will be posted on the website.

Affiliations

Kamloops Hiking Club has established affiliations with the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC and the Kamloops Thompson Trails Alliance. Affiliations will be reviewed by the Board each year and a representative will be appointed to liaise of behalf of the club, reporting to the Board, as required.

Sponsors and Supporters

Sponsors provide cash or an offset to cash for part of the Club’s budget. Supporters provide unbudgeted benefits to members of the Club. Sponsors and supporters are recognized on the website. Sponsors and supporters must be approved by the Board. The Board will appoint a Director to liaise with Sponsors and Supporters, as required.

New Members

The Board of Directors and/or a designate will welcome new members and provide information to new members, as required. An offer of liaison and support will be made through a newsletter.

Events

To ensure all KHC events are covered by insurance, all events will be published on the website. All events will follow the policies and procedures established by the Club, approved by the Board, and listed on the website.

It is the Board’s responsibility (or designate) to review posted events and advise the Event Leader of any required changes. Events that do not follow established policies and procedures will be revised or removed from the website. The Board will follow-up, as needed.

Event Leaders are expected to follow established procedures and policies in their event postings, meet-up arrangements, and during the event. Safety of all participants will be the presiding consideration.

Expectations and guidelines for all participants are established on the website and are also part of the registration process for each event. If an Event Leader determines that a participant is not sufficiently fit, properly prepared, or experienced enough for that particular event, the Event leader may refuse to include the participant on the outing. Such actions may be reported to and reviewed by the Board. The Board will appoint a representative to discuss the event and future events with the individual in question.

Informed Consent

Participants need to know what they will face on a given club event. This is a two-sided set of responsibilities:

Participant’s Responsibilities

Carefully read the event listing
Register for the event, having read the information
Register for the event only if fitness, experience, equipment and listed requirements can be met
Read and understand KHC’s Guidelines and Expectations; click the checkbox if the expectations are understood
Ensure that any sponsored guests can also meet the event’s expectations
Comply with KHC’s policies, procedures, and expectations during the event.
Communicate with the event leader if staying with the group will be a problem; ensure mutual consent if venturing away from the group (alternate routes, turning back, etc.)

Event Leader’s Responsibilities

provide an event listing that lists expectations, possible risks, and requirements (beyond the usual ones faced in the outdoors)
communicate with the registrants if there is a question of fitness, health, experience, or preparation; if the leader perceived that the participant can’t meet the expectations, KHC expects the leader to cancel the participant’s booking
Ensure that all participants have registered properly (implying informed consent) and have completed waivers
Verbally confirm any expectations or arrangements at the trailhead or meet-up
Communicate with participants during the event
Communicate and ensure mutual consent is achieved if the participant will not be with the group (alternate route, return early, etc.); KHC expects that any such verbal agreement will be witnessed by other participants

The Club’s Responsibilities

Establish policies, procedures, guidelines, and expectations through the Board of Directors; publish these on the Club’s website
Communicate and promote understanding of the policies, procedures, guidelines, and expectations through various means (verbally, email, newsletter, website, etc.)
Appoint Director(s) to oversee Risk Management and Event Leadership
Develop a registration system that supports KHC’s informed consent principles

Event Listings

Each event is different, but some basic requirements allow for efficient registration and management in advance of the event. The following would normally be included:

Event Name
Location
Date and Time
Duration
Meet-up time and location
Carpooling information
Leader (and co-leaders, if needed)
Distance
Difficulty
Category (hike, snowshoe, bike, etc.)
Registration (number of places max, cut-off date/time, number of spots)
Any specific items required (ie Ten Essentials, risks, special requirements, equipment, etc.)
Cycling, paddling, and snowshoeing events may have additional information required

Managing Risks

Any organization needs to develop a strategy and implement measures to reduce risks. For a hiking clubs, we can group risks into three categories:

Risks to participants
Risks to the Event Leader
Risks to the Club

Risks to Participants

We need to minimize risks to participants during an event (injury, getting lost, etc.):

Careful event listings (informed consent)
Communication with registered participants prior to the outing, where required
Reviewing participant abilities, if required
Cautions, as needed
Interventions during the event, as required
Precautions in case of an emergency (radios, Spot, cell phone, cell numbers, first aid, contact info, etc.)
Understanding of KHC expectations and guidelines

Risks to the Hike Leader and the Club

In the event of an injury or harm, if the event leader acts responsibly, most risks are considerably reduced
It is only where the leader can be accused of gross negligence that risks are increased
Nonetheless, anyone can start a legal action against a leader and the Club and legal costs and damages are the main risks
The Club has insurance to cover the legal costs
Waivers considerably reduce the likelihood of a successful lawsuit for damages
In addition, a number of other measures improve protection for the hike leader and the Club, as follows:
Event listings should be clear about risks, responsibilities, and expectations (informed consent)
Leaders should Intervene to ensure that participants are able to handle the event or not (mostly fitness, experience, and preparation issues)
Clear policies, guidelines, and expectations should be listed on the website and featured in stories, emails, newsletters, etc.
Online Registration (a type of written agreement, recorded by the club)
Agreement with Club Expectations and Guidelines (registration)
Expectations that participants with medical conditions will disclose issues to the leader
No waiver; no hike (leaders are expected to enforce the policy)
An event leader may find that a participant refuses to comply with policies, expectations, guidelines, etc. The leader should intervene, if possible, where risks are involved, but can’t be responsible for all choices made by participants.
If leaders act with common sense, with care for safety , acts in compliance with Club policy, and in a reasonable way, he/she is managing risks and is very unlikely to have any issues with personal risk or risk to the Club.

Event Procedures

Any specific expectations for the event may be included in the event posting, but the Hike Leader should emphasize any safety concerns for the outing at the meet-up or trailhead. A head-count will be taken at the start of the event. The Event Leader will determine the best process for managing the group, including faster and slower participants, bathroom breaks, lunch stops, rest breaks, and change of plans. Participants are expected to comply with these expectations while on the event. If participants would prefer alternate plans, they should discuss these with the leader prior to the event or after the event. If the issue is substantive (ie safety), the participant should address the issue with the leader at the time. If the issue is a matter of preference, the discussion can happen after the event with due respect to the volunteers in question, or alternately, the participant can register for other leaders’ events in the future.

A number of practices are recommended to Event Leaders, but are left to the Event Leaders discretion, depending on the event circumstances:

Use of two way handheld radios
Mobile radios for radio-controlled backroads
Spot/InReach devices
GPS, map, compass
Mobile phones
Whistle
Establishment of a “sweep”
Sharing of cell phone numbers
An emergency contact list
Safety and survival gear
Ten Essentials (specify which ones are required for participants)
Water filter
First Aid Kit

Co-leaders and Sweeps

KHC supports the practice of having a co-leader/sweep for each event. In some cases more than one person may be required and in some circumstances, one may not be needed. The Co-leader/sweep takes direction from the Event leader, but on the whole, stays near the back of the group to make sure no one is left behind or off-track. KHC also recognizes that situations and circumstances arise whereby the leader will have to adapt and make changes in the field. The presiding principle is a “duty of care” for the participants.

Injured or Lost Participants

The Club and its Hike Leaders will emphasize personal responsibility for staying with the group and avoiding accidents. Participants are expected to all carry their own first aid kit and to follow safe practices while on Club events.

The Website will provide “what to do…” advice and Hike Leaders will discuss the procedures, as needed:

stop immediately (Do not try to find us; we will find you. )
sit down and wait to be found.

Sharing of mobile numbers is a good practice.

If a hiker has to leave the trail for a nature call, they are to tell another hiker where they are going, then drop their pack, poles or something else on the trail at their exit point, and go no further than they have to into the bush.

If one of our members is missing, it is necessary to conduct a hasty search immediately for no more than 30 minutes to an hour, then notify the Police (911).

If the member is injured and unable to walk out, the authorities must be notified as soon as possible.

Search and Rescue is free. Notify the police or Park Ranger asap . It is far better to alert the authorities and SAR right away and cancel them later if not required, than to make a delayed call for help.

Search and rescue groups across BC and Alberta as well as the National Parks are trained and ready to transport injured hikers, bikers or snowshoers back to safety.

Event Leaders will need to complete an Incident Report Form following any incident in which a participant has been injured.

Medical Risks

Members or guests may choose to register on a hike/event with a pre-existing medical condition. Participants are responsible for their medications/emergency items. It is expected that the participant will confidentially advise the hike leader of any condition or risk before starting on the outing. The Board reserves the right to share medical risks with individual event leaders on a need-to-know basis.

Guests

The Board of Directors will establish a Guests Policy and publish the policy and procedures to the website. All guests must sign a waiver prior to participating in any event. An Event Leader may not allow an unregistered guest to come along on an event for reasons of risk management, insurance coverage, safety, and fairness.

KHC’s Guest Policy is detailed on the website on the Guests Page.

Special Events

The Board may designate specific events as a special event at which the Guests policy may be amended to allow additional guests for that event. For all activity-based events, a waiver is still required. At social events (ie potlucks, meetings, etc.) waivers may not be required.

Meet-ups

Members can arrange any outings they wish with other members or friends outside of listed Club events. These “meet-ups” are not official KHC events and as such are not covered under the Club’s insurance policy and are the sole responsibility of the people involved.

Dogs

The Board of Directors will establish a policy regarding the inclusion of dogs on club events and provide the statement to the website. the most recent version of the KHC polciy and procedures for inclusion of dogs is found on the Our Furry Friends page.

It will be up to the Event Leader to determine whether dogs can be included on the specific event, and or any further restrictions (ie leash). Problematic dog incidents can be reported to the Board, if additional follow-up is required.

Website

A webmaster will be appointed by the Board. All members in good standing will be provided with user accounts to the website for the duration of their membership with the Club. Event Leaders will have accounts upgraded to allow them to post and edit events.

Any structural changes to the website will be done by the webmaster who will report the changes to the Board. All costs for the website will be borne by the Club.

Expenditures

All expenditures exceeding $100 thjat are not in the annual approved budget need to be approved by an approved motion of the Board. Reimbursements for expenditures require invoices and/or receipts before the treasurer can proceed. KHC does not normally provide expenses, unless approved in advance by the Board.

Code of Conduct

KHC expects all of its members to demonstrate respect in all Club-related Activities. The Club does not tolerate harassment in any form. Board members, Hike Leaders, and participants are strongly encouraged to be positive and supportive role models.

Club Events

The following event categories are approved activities of KHC: hiking, scrambling, backpacking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, cycling, paddling, trail running, and camping.

Event Notes – Hiking:

Hiking events may include scrambling, but participants should be warned in advance and a procedure established for all hikers on the event.
Risks like getting lost, wildlife, ticks, snakes, and falls should be addressed up front, when required.
Leaders should establish procedures and expectations for faster and slower participants on their events.
Leaders may establish an event pace and ask that participants meet that requirement as part of registering for an event. Events that permit a wide range of fitness and ability should use co-leaders and/or a sweep to support slower participants.

Event Notes – Paddling:

All Nav Canada safety requirements must be met for all boats.
Event leaders must be knowledgeable of safety and rescue techniques while on the water.
PFDs must be worn by all participants while on the water.
Event leaders and participants must ensure that the boat type and experience matches the type of route. Small lakes and shorelines are suitable for most boats. Rivers, larger lakes, and the ocean will require seaworthy boats.
The Event Leader has the right to refuse any participant who is not properly equipped or does not have a boat suitable to the outing.
KHC will appoint a volunteer to oversee the paddling program for the year.

Event Notes – Cycling:

Helmets are required for all participants.
Participants must follow the rules of the road while on Club events.
Participants are responsible for their own punctures/replacements while on Club events.
Bike leaders need to address unsafe behavior from participants.
KHC will appoint a volunteer to advise the Board on proposed cycling events.

Event Notes – Backpacking:

It is recognized that each backpacking trip is different, so KHC relies on the Hike Leader to establish the criteria for the event.
Since the success of the trip is reliant on the cooperation/collaboration of all participants, the Hike Leader will retain the right to refuse any participants who cannot meet the group standard.
Since the ability of participants may vary a great deal and the effect is magnified while carrying a backpack, the hike leader has to establish a process to manage safety and communications with slower and faster hikers.

Event Notes – Winter

The Event Leader is responsible to know the risk of avalanches in the proposed area and to make decisions that reflect safety and caution.
Any leader traveling into the backcountry where avalanches may occur is expected to have avalanche safety knowledge (or training).
The Board of Directors may intervene to cancel any outing that is slated to go through avalanche terrain during a period of risk.
Scheduled events may land on a cold weather day. Any event on a day below -15 degrees C should be considered very carefully. Any day with a wind chill of -20 should normally result in cancellation/rescheduling.
On a cold weather day, leaders should check with each participant to make sure they are adequately prepared for that day. A designated sweep is a recommended practice for cold weather outings.

Avalanche Risks

Using the Canadian Avalanche Center as a resource, KHC will cancel any event in a area that has an Extreme or High avalanche rating.
Any event in an area that has a Moderate Rating must be led by led by a leader with avalanche safety training and all participants must have either the training or sufficient experience to venture into the backcountry in these conditions.
The Board will intervene in situations of risk, if needed.

Difficulty of Events

A common definition of the difficulty of events is a goal for KHC. A descriptive statement can be found on the Difficulty of Events page on the website.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

The Board will appoint a chairperson to oversee a committee which will review the SOPs each year. The Chair will make recommendations to the Board, as required.

Das/KHC Standard Operating Procedures/January 15, 2020