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BS 8848 British Standard

BS 8848 is the British Standard for organising and managing visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities outside the UK.

RGS-IBG was on the BSI technical committee that first drafted the standard in 2007, and was involved in its revision. The current edition of the standard was published in April 2014 and reviewed without change in 2019.

What is BS 8848 for?

The standard aims to reduce risk from injury or illness and provides those that comply with the standard with a way of being able to demonstrate that they are following good practice to manage the venture safely. 

BS 8848 specifies operational requirements for organisers of a wide variety of ventures. These include adventurous and educational activities abroad including university and academic fieldwork, gap year experiences, adventure holidays, charity challenges and research expeditions.

BS 8848 is nationally recognised as an important way in which organisers can demonstrate that they have good safety practices in place when offering to provide any venture outside the UK. Many of the major overseas providers are declaring conformity with its requirements.

BS 8848 has been designed and built on existing UK guidance and through wide consultation to create an agreed national standard that will benchmark current good practice in safety management procedures. It is aimed at both those who organise such ventures and those who participate. All who understand BS 8848 will be better informed about the risks and safety management procedures that good practice indicates should be in place before any agreement to take part is distributed and signed.

Download the BSI Consumer guide to BS 8848 to learn more about what the British Standard and check if a venture you (or your children) are hoping to take part in is likely to be following safe practice.

The new standard is available to purchase or to view a copy of BS 8848:2014, contact your local public or university library.

Purchase copy

 

Compliance workshops

For dates of the next BS 8848 compliance workshops or to arrange a bespoke compliance workshop please contact Geography Outdoors.

Downloads

  • BSI Consumer Guide to BS 8848 (.pdf)
  • FCO Guidance on Safer Adventure Travel (.pdf)
  • Information About Standards and BS8848 (.pdf)
  • Download all

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