CAMPS

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 ESI designs, builds, and inspects camp challenge courses to meet rigorous standards set by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA). Additionally, we ensure your facility meets the risk management guidelines required for American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation and any applicable ASTM standards.

 In many states, the Department of Labor or state amusement departments classify high ropes and zip lines as "amusement devices." When regulated under amusement codes, states typically enforce the ASTM F2959 standard rather than ACCT or PRCA. ESI meticulously verifies your exact jurisdictional requirements to ensure your camp is engineered, inspected, and operating under the correct regulatory framework.

 Yes. Beyond industry standards and state regulations, many camps must adhere to overarching parent organization policies. Whether you operate under the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Girl Scouts of the USA, 4-H, or the Lutheran Camping Association, ESI ensures your facility's design, operational procedures, and staff training strictly align with your parent organization's specific safety mandates.

 ACA accreditation requires camps to have specialized adventure activities inspected annually by a qualified professional. ESI performs these mandatory structural inspections, providing the comprehensive, objective documentation your camp needs to satisfy ACA peer reviewers and prove your challenge course operates at the highest safety standards. 

 To satisfy industry standards (ACCT/PRCA/ASTM F2959), parent organization policies, and state regulations, camp challenge courses must undergo a documented structural inspection by a qualified third party at least once a year. Camp staff must also conduct and document regular in-house visual and tactile inspections before daily use.

 Yes. ESI’s AEE-accredited training department provides comprehensive, on-site training before your summer season begins. We ensure seasonal counselors are fully competent in spotting, belaying, participant screening, and executing emergency rescues on your exact equipment, fulfilling strict ACA and state health department requirements for specialized activity training.

 Under ACCT & PRCA  standards, a certified Course Manager is responsible for overseeing daily operations, supervising facilitators, and ensuring routine equipment inspections are conducted. ESI offers specialized Course Manager certification to ensure your camp leadership is fully qualified to manage seasonal staff safely and maintain required supervision ratios.

 Yes. State health departments, amusement codes, and the ACA require rigorous emergency protocols. As part of our risk management consulting, we audit and refine your camp’s Emergency Action Plans (EAPs). We ensure procedures cover high-angle rescues and weather emergencies, and that seasonal staff actively practices these critical drills. 

 Low ropes courses focus heavily on ground-level team building, trust, and problem-solving without the need for harnesses. High ropes courses are elevated structures designed for individual challenge, strictly requiring active belay systems, specialized safety gear, and much more rigorous state regulatory oversight.

 Yes. ESI specializes in major modifications and repairs. If your course is failing state amusement inspections or falling behind ACA standards, we can evaluate your existing structure, replace rotted wooden utility poles, upgrade aging hardware, or retrofit your course with modern safety technology to bring it into full compliance.

 Absolutely. Whether you need to outfit a brand-new course or replace your camp's entire aging fleet of harnesses, helmets, and carabiners before opening day, ESI provides turnkey, bulk equipment packages from trusted, industry-leading brands like Petzl, Edelrid, and ISC 

 Yes. While campers use recreational harnesses, counselors operating the course are employees, and their safety is governed by the Department of Labor and OSHA. They require specialized occupational work-at-height gear, including OSHA-compliant full-body harnesses, certified work-at-height helmets, and shock-absorbing lanyards that comply with ANSI Z359.