ACCT Challenge Course Standards Development

In July 2006 the ACCT was awarded the status of Accredited Standards Developer for the challenge course industry by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

ANSI facilitates the development of American National Standards by accrediting the procedures of standards-developing organizations. These groups work cooperatively to develop voluntary national consensus standards.

Accreditation by ANSI signifies that the procedures used by the standards body in connection with the development of American National Standards meet the Institute’s essential requirements for openness, balance, consensus, and due process.

As a part of its Accredited Procedures, ACCT has formed a Consensus Group made up of 15 members who have the responsibility to review draft standards and process them through these procedures. These 15 members are persons with experience in areas of challenge course training, installation, inspection, programming, direct service, and equipment manufacturing.

In addition to the Consensus Group, ACCT maintains several Standards Writing Committees who have the responsibility to write draft standards for consideration and to help in the processing of comments and revisions to draft standards processed by the Consensus Group. These include the Operations/Certification Committee, Installations Standards Committee, and Canopy/Zip Line Tour Committee.

In November 2009 ACCT submitted its Draft Challenge Course Standards, currently in its 7th Edition, for public review. During the public review period more than 90 comments were submitted for processing by the Consensus Group.