Jackson Hole case could lead to more mandatory helmet policies for ski area employees
Jackson Hole to appeal OSHA citation
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort plans to appeal a citation given in May by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in response to a fatal accident involving ski patroller Kathryn Miller on March 13. The case, nonetheless, could prompt more U.S. ski resorts to join the five Vail Resorts-owned areas in requiring helmet use by employees on the mountain.
OSHA is the federal government agency within the Department of Labor that regulates workplace safety. The Jackson Hole accident occurred prior to Vail Resorts’ announcement in April of its rule to go into effect next ski season.
While no U.S. ski areas had mandatory employee helmet rules in place at the time of Miller’s fall, a few resorts outside the United States such as Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada, did have such regulations. Miller was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and suffered injuries to her head, clavicle and ribs.
Resort reviews employee helmet rule
Anna Olson, Jackson Hole’s resort brand director, told the Jackson Hole News & Guide that its employee helmet policy is under review. The new rule at the Vail Resorts areas– Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail and Beaver Creek in Colorado, along with Heavenly in California– was met with a mixed reaction from company employees.
Ski helmet use received extensive media coverage following a fatal accident just a few days after Miller’s that involved actress Natasha Richardson. The National Ski Areas Association released data for the 2009-10 season that 48 percent of recreational skiers and snowboarders use a helmet, up from 43 percent a year earlier. The effectiveness of helmets, particularly in high-speed accidents, is a hotly debated topic within the ski industry.
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