The report said there was "no one single measure" which would address the issues identified in the report, which was why the department had recommended the Government adopt a package of measures to address safety concerns.
The report, released on Tuesday, said while people participating in adventure activities in New Zealand should not expect all accidents in the sector to be eliminated, there was insufficient evidence all activities involving "heightened inherent risk" were being managed safely and preventable accidents would not occur.
The report found there was no fundamental problem in the sector's ability to develop appropriate systems, but there were gaps in the "safety management framework".
The recommended changes were a mix of regulatory requirements, industry initiatives and system improvements but the review team "strongly recommends that a registration scheme is introduced with a requirement for upfront and ongoing external safety audits of operators' safety management provisions."
"This would go a considerable way towards providing assurance that activities are being managed safely," the report said.
The review was sought by Prime Minister John Key last year, after he received a letter from Chris Jordan, whose daughter Emily drowned in the Kawarau River while on a Mad Dog River Boarding trip.
The Department of Labour formed a steering group of senior officials from a range of government departments and Crown entities, the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand and representatives of Local Government New Zealand.
A working group with a similar mix was also established to support the governance group and a 67-member external reference group of relevant people and organisations was drawn from the sectors.
Forty-four adventure and outdoor commercial sector activity types were identified as coming within the scope of the review.
Phase one of the review was to scope and establish the knowledge base, with phase two to analyse, define the problem and report.
"Available data on serious harm accidents and fatalities in the adventure and outdoor commercial sectors in New Zealand suggests that most are managing risk well," the report said.
"Many of the activities carry heightened inherent risks, but the number of serious harm accidents and deaths appears low when compared to known participation levels."
However, the review team found insufficient assurance all activities involving heightened inherent risks were being managed safely and that preventable accidents would not occur.
"Such accidents could result in harm to individuals and their families, as well as damage to New Zealand's reputation as an international visitor destination.
"In general, the problem is more one of unidentified gaps where, for a variety of reasons, businesses can start up and operate at a different standard than what is accepted across the sector as safe practice."
The Labour Department is charged with reporting back by November 30 with detailed proposals.
Review team's recommendations
• Introduction of a registration scheme.
• Requirement for upfront and ongoing external safety audits of safety management provisions.
• Partnering with an industry-led entity to strengthen the safety management framework for the sector.
• Developing a practice guide for the sector.
• Evaluation of the voluntary safety-auditing schemes for adventure and outdoor commercial-sector operations, and developing a register of government-accredited safety-auditing schemes.
• Promoting qualifications.
• Clarifying which government agency is responsible for which activities.
• Better information collection and collation.
• Improving information about operators' responsibilities.
Further initiatives worth considering
• Linking taxpayer-funded promotion to a satisfactory safety audit and educating consumers to look for a safety mark from an accredited safety-auditing scheme.
• Expanding the rules-based approach taken under the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime Transport Act.
• Linking Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) payments to evidence of audited safety management plans.
• Increasing the level of inspection under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.
• Investigating whether New Zealand should be represented on the International Organisation for Standardisation TC 228 Working Group for Adventure Tourism.
• Scoping the development of guidance on landowners' and land managers' safety-related responsibilities when they grant permission for adventure and outdoor commercial-sector activities to operate on land they own or manage.
