The purpose of the Guide to Safe Scouting is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner. The policies and guidelines have been established because of the real need to protect members from known hazards that have been identified through eighty-plus years of experience. Limitations on certain activities should not be viewed as stumbling blocks; rather, policies and guidelines are best described as stepping-stones toward safe and enjoyable adventures.

Unit leaders should be aware of state or local government regulations that supersede Boy Scouts of America policies and guidelines.

When considering activities not specifically addressed in Scouting literature, activity planners should evaluate the benefit to the Scouting program versus the risk of injury. The benefit side includes the question: "Does this activity further the aims and methods of Scouting?"

Scouting Safety Begins with Leadership

Because the majority of Scout injuries and accidents occur during unit events, Health and Safety has developed a video and training course intended to heighten troop, pack, and crew leaders' awareness of safety and risk management issues. Contact your local council service center or your district or council training chairman to get the date, time, and place of the next Scouting Safety Begins With Leadership course.

Donald Smith, a risk management committee member in the Patriot's Path Council, created a PowerPoint® slide presentation, SafeScout, that can be used with the video or as a shorter stand-alone presentation for roundtable discussions. Get a copy of the slide show by calling or e-mailing Risk Management at 972-580-2228; vsavoy@netbsa.org. Let us know if you prefer disk or e-mail as the mode of delivery.

BSA Rules and Policies

Bold type throughout the Guide to Safe Scouting denotes BSA rules and policies.

Viewing the online Guide

The Guide to Safe Scouting is available here in two formats:

• One for reading on-line — this version is divided into chapters and includes a search engine.

• Another for reading off-line — the entire publication is presented in a single interface to facilitate print-out.

A bound hard-copy version (BSA Supply #34416D) is also available. To obtain a copy, contact your local council or call 1-800-323-0732 to request an Official Boy Scout Catalog.