ANSI Information

ACCT is an Accredited Standards Developer with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Founded in 1993, the Association for Challenge Course Technology, (ACCT) is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Developer focused exclusively on the challenge course, aerial adventure park, canopy tour and zipline industry. ACCT was responsible for the development of the first challenge course industry standards, published in 1994.

In 2006, ACCT became an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer and has maintained that status. This designation indicates that ACCT has an accredited standards development process that is open, fair and allows for equal representation of material affected parties.

Participation

Application to be a part of a consensus body: https://form.jotform.com/252165419432152.

Information on the Interest Categories as defined by our Accredited Procedures and pending Project:
Interest Categories. All members of the Consensus Body shall be classified into interest categories. The interest category of a voting member of the Consensus Body reflects the business or other interests of their primary source of support for participation in the Consensus Body. Interest categories, at a minimum, will include Producer, Servicer, User - Commercial, User - Educational, and General Interest representatives in accordance with the definitions listed below. Additional classifications can be added by the Consensus Body at their discretion. The definitions of any new classifications added will be made available to any interested party upon request.

a) Producer. This category includes representatives of interests directly involved in making or producing products, materials, courses or structures for User (see c., d.), including and not limited to: manufacturing of hardware, equipment, and gear; designing, constructing, and maintaining aerial adventure structures and challenge courses.

b) Servicer. This category includes representatives of interests directly involved in providing services to Users (see c., d.), including and not limited to: engineering, inspecting, training, reviewing operations, and reselling hardware and equipment. Services may also include training of operating personnel, providing insurance (for non-self-insured agencies), designing curriculum and producing documentation.

c) User - Commercial. This category includes representatives of interests directly involved in operating challenge courses, including and not limited to facilities offering facilitated, guided, and self-guided (or monitored) programs where the primary aim of the program or structure is recreational, and individuals who work as managers, guides, or monitors at commercial programs. Examples of facilities that use challenge courses for commercial purposes include: aerial parks, zip line tours, recreation and fitness programs, family entertainment centers, parks, and destination locations/resorts.

d) User - Educational. This category includes representatives of interests directly involved in operating challenge courses, including and not limited to facilities offering facilitated, guided, and self-guided (or monitored) programs where the primary aim of the program or structure is educational, and individuals who work as managers, facilitators, guides, or monitors at educational programs. Examples of facilities that use challenge courses for educational purposes include: educational entities, camps, retreat centers, hospitals and rehabilitation centers, community service organizations, social service agencies, and community entities.

e) General Interest. This category includes representatives with a variety of perspectives that are not Producers, Servicers, or Users. Examples include and are not limited to: regulatory agencies, trade associations (that represent interests other than Producers, Servicers, and Users), standards writing organizations, consumer groups, environmental groups, researchers, and members of the general public.
Requests for interpretations of the standard(s) developed by the Accredited Standards Developer:
Materially affected parties may submit comments about the overall standards, specific suggested language changes for the standard or requests for interpretation to the Accredited Standards Developer through the following link, (form.jotform.com/200135197124042).

Comments and ideas may also be submitted by email to StandardsManagement@acctinfo.org. Email submissions will only be accepted if they include complete contact information, including phone, physical mailing address, and email information, the chapter, and the number of the standard in question.