Keeping Your Course Running Smoothly Practical Tips for Managers Series Part 1: In-House Inspections

By: Anonymous Course Manager

If you’re like me, you know that running a challenge course or zip line operation takes more than just good intentions — it takes solid routines and clear processes to keep risks low and efficiency high. Like many of you, our vendor points us towards the ACCT standards to make sure we are on track towards success. Reading the standards had me realize that these standards aren’t just standards; they’re practical tools to help us stay on top of our operations. 

Our operation has generated several ideas that have enabled us to achieve a more positive outcome. In the spirit of sharing our success, these ideas could benefit your operation as well. 

One issue we faced was with our internal inspections. The ACCT standards state that we must conduct one, but unlike the standard in Chapter 1 that outlines a Professional Inspection report, there isn’t much support for the periodic monitoring or pre-use inspection. By utilizing what was available to us and following some advice from our vendor, we compiled tips to help the available resources work effectively for an operation.

Internal Monitoring of Courses and Equipment

What Does It Say? B.2.12: The organization shall conduct and document periodic internal monitoring of the course and equipment as designed by the manufacturer or a qualified person. 

How We Make It Work:

• Create a schedule that fits your operation:  Build a schedule that makes sense for your site. Periodic monitoring is different from the Pre-use Inspection. We prefer to conduct ours monthly because we have a high throughput. In discussions with other operations, they report doing theirs quarterly. Both options are acceptable. We collaborated with our Professional Inspector to determine the ideal schedule for us. Some factors to consider include the level of participation, environmental conditions that may impact your course and equipment, whether your course operates year-round or seasonally, and any recommendations from your insurer. 

• Use the Right People for the Job: Whoever inspects your course internally needs to know what to look for — solid training is essential. Periodic monitoring is more comprehensive than a Pre-Use inspection. We do not send newer facilitators to conduct this task. Instead, we utilize individuals who have been with us longer and have shown interest in advancing beyond just facilitation. We consulted our Professional Inspector and began having our more experienced facilitators shadow them during our annual professional inspection. This provides them with hands-on experience and the opportunity to ask questions throughout the professional inspection, which aids them during our periodic monitoring. Additionally, a couple of our facilitators have completed Inspector Certification with ACCT for the In-House Inspector. These individuals also support and train the next generation of periodic monitors. 

• Document Everything: Write down everything you discover, whether it’s minor wear, questionable, or a more serious issue. A detailed checklist can help keep things organized and show a timeline for your course. We have gathered all our manufacturer documents and compiled the inspection information into a single report. What sets this list apart from our pre-use inspection checklist is that it also includes all the “Pass with Observation” items from our professional inspection report. We monitor for any changes and take pictures during every inspection to track alterations over time. This may make our report a bit lengthy; however, we have been able to identify issues early, saving us money in the long run.

Pre-Use Checks for Course Elements and Equipment

What Does It Say? B.2.13: Before participants use any element, staff shall complete a documented pre-use check following a written checklist from the manufacturer, designer, or a qualified person.

How We Make It Work:

• Build a Clear Checklist: Keep it simple and specific to your course. This helps your staff maintain consistency. As I mentioned earlier, we developed our pre-use inspection checklist from all our manufacturer’s documents, including the materials we received from our vendor for our course. (Did you know maintenance, inspection, and equipment replacement should be included in your course commissioning?) We detailed the course inspection from the ground to the anchor and every other visual point until every element was covered. For our zip line, we followed the same approach, starting from one side of the ground and moving through the entirety of the zip line until they get to the ground around the anchor on the other side. This helps us follow B.2.13.1. We have also designated spots where we allow (and encourage) our staff to use binoculars to ensure they can see higher up, like tree branches that could fall into the ride path.

• Train Staff to Spot Issues: Go beyond simply "checking the bolts." Educate your team on what to look for — cracks, fraying webbing, loose hardware — and the meaning of those signs. We developed an image guide that shows what is normal, how changes may appear, when to contact our vendor, and what a failure looks like. This has helped us identify questionable items early and bring them to our Professional Inspectors' attention, rather than waiting until someone gets hurt or we receive failed items during our inspection. 

• Document Every Time: Logging each check is critical — it shows you're doing your due diligence and can reveal patterns over time. There are helpful platforms that can assist you in digitizing your report, but paper reports are still reliable.  It's easy to fall into the inspection rut where you see the same things repeatedly. Our leadership establishes the importance of pre-use inspections by reminding everyone that they are not just checking boxes; they are protecting their teammates, our participants, and themselves. We have also incorporated questions or prompts in the report. Instead of saying, “check critical stitching,” we ask, “Are all critical stitching points intact, with no fraying or pulled stitches?” This gives them something specific to look for rather than glossing over it. Finally, we have a “Catch of the Day” board where we highlight someone who identified something minor before it becomes a bigger issue. We don’t post someone every day, but when we do, the facilitators find it really exciting to be recognized in front of their peers. 

Identifying and Addressing Critical Maintenance Issues

What Does It Say? B.2.14 to B.2.16: If you find a critical maintenance issue during inspections or pre-use checks, you shall document it, address it, and record what you did to fix it.

How We Make It Work:

• Be Thorough in Your Notes: We mitigate anything that is approaching critical as early as possible. Our managers review pre-use inspection reports before the first group of participants arrives. To ensure we stay ahead of any critical maintenance issues, we gather all the notes from the pre-user reports, review the content, and find the reporting trends. Although we don’t normally see critical issues, we can start to see trends in the reporting that lead up to making decisions like changing zip line cables or ordering new webbing. Picture support at our operation is strongly encouraged. This has helped our leadership team review notes and make maintenance decisions. It also supports conversations with our professional inspector.

• Track Your Fixes: Whether you make the fix in-house or call in a professional, keep clear records so nothing gets overlooked. 

These ACCT standards aren’t just hoops to jump through — they’re practical steps that can make your course more reliable. By building solid routines, keeping good records, and ensuring your staff are well-trained, you'll create a smoother, safer experience for everyone — and that's what keeps participants and staff coming back.