OPC Implementing All of Coroner’s Findings

The Coroner’s finding into the Mangatepopo Gorge tragedy is fair and balanced and the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre will implement all of the recommendations from the Inquest.

OPC Trustee Rupert Wilson said many of the Coroner’s recommendations focussed on the future use of the Mangatepopo Gorge, which has remained closed since the tragedy.

Over the two years since the tragedy the OPC Trust Board had made numerous changes to its safety systems that have included:

• Subscription to the MetService severe weather warning service and increased regularity in accessing weather reports
• The appointment of a permanent safety review team to monitor safety processes
• Review of the adventure challenge course that the Elim students undertook
• A new safety programme to ensure a substantial margin of safety to reduce errors of human judgement
• Longer training and induction for new instructors
• A requirement for two instructors to be present for a number of activities involving moving water and steep slopes
• Expanded safety process and documentation to ensure all instructors are aware of previous incidents, possible risks and the responses and learning from those events
• Commissioning an independent Review Team report, and OPC has responded to all points made by the Review Team

ENDS

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