ISO 31031: managing risk for youth and school trips
The international standard ISO 31031:2024 Managing Risk for youth and school trips is intended to help organisers of such activities in countries where standards relating specifically to youth and educational visits are less established than in UK.
This guidance has been developed with the involvement of expert Fellows from the BS 8848:2014 technical committee, and is one of the many ways in which the RGS works to help establish good practice in field safety and risk management on overseas expeditions and field projects.
Key benefits of implementing ISO 31031
- Enhanced safety and security measures for young people and their organisers.
- Improved risk assessment and management processes.
- Clearer communication and coordination among all stakeholders.
- Greater focus on the educational and developmental value of trips.
- Increased confidence and support for parents, guardians, and participants.
- Alignment with international best practices in risk management.
By applying ISO 31031, organisations can demonstrate their commitment to providing safe, enriching experiences for young people. It offers a common framework that can help streamline planning processes, reduce potential liabilities, and ultimately lead to more successful and rewarding trips for all involved.
UK providers of such trips already have access to a range of accreditation schemes and standards that are more specific to the UK context so there is no expectation that they will directly need to use this Standard.
ISO 31031 defines ‘youths’, regardless of whether they are part of an educational establishment or not, who have not yet reached their twenty-fifth birthday. This is in line with the UN definition of children/youth.
Within the UK, most educational visit providers who have experience of providing offsite visits for schools or similar organisations should have no issue in conforming to this standard.
UK providers organising overseas visits are likely to find the British Standard 8848:2014 Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom more useful for benchmarking good safety management practices.
In the context of BS 8848, ISO 31031:2024 will be particularly relevant to overseas Third Party Providers wishing to demonstrate their robust risk management provisions as part of the compliance process.
How to purchase a copy of ISO 31031:2024
More information
- About the British Standard 8848:2014
- Free advice on organising educational visits overseas from the Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel (OEAP)
