SAFETY SEMINAR

1
SAFETY SEMINAR

• Stuart Ward
• ARA Hon Water Safety Adviser
• Chairman ARA Water Safety Committee

2
My Background

• Rowed since 1961
• Club Captain President
• Club Water Safety Adviser
• Yorkshire Regional Water Safety Adviser
• ARA Umpire
• Organising Secretary of the Yorkshire Head
• Club Coach Project Oarsome
• ARA Hon Water Safety Adviser since 2003
• Member of the National Water Safety Forum Water
  Sports Advisory Group

3
What outcomes are we looking for from todays
seminar?
To agree an effective way to develop and manage
the culture of safe rowing practice in Wales
4
What do we mean by culture of safety?
Safety on the Water Safety in the Mind

• Who should be concerned?
• What is in it for us?

The Clubs The Participants Competitions WARA
?
5
The Club - Has a duty of care towards its
members, the public and other water users

• How can the club fulfil its duty of care?
• What organisation does the club need to have in
  place to fulfil its duty of care?
• How can the club know know how well it is doing?

Duty of Care was described by Lord Atkin in 1932
You must take reasonable care to avoid acts
or omissions which you can reasonably foresee
would be likely to injure your neighbor. Who
then is my neighbor? Someone who is so closely
and directly affected by my acts or omissions
that I ought to have them in mind when directing
my mind to the acts or omissions which are called
into question.
6
What safety issues does a club need to address to
fulfil its Duty of Care?
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Safety issues for Clubs

• Local risk assessment
• Safety plan
• Emergency action plan
• Safety Adviser
• Defined safety roles
• Guidance for Coaches
• Membership information
• New member induction
• Induction Progress Log
• Capsize training
• Incident log book

• Safety a permanent agenda item
• Communication
• Risk assessment training
• Suspension of rowing activity
• Safe equipment
• Training Camp safety
• Competition information
• Trailer safety
• First Aid/Resuscitation training
• Launch driving
• Safety Audit

8
How safe is my club?
The Club Safety Audit

• What is it?
• What use is it?
• Who is it for?
• Who should undertake the audit?
• When should it be undertaken?
• How often should it be undertaken?

9
Organising Club Safety

• Clubs have a responsibility for safety and the
  development of the culture of safety for their
  members. In this respect everyone has an
  important part to play and the Club Water Safety
  Adviser must not be seen as the only person
  responsible but rather the person who can advise
  the committee and work with the captain,
  officers, coaches and others to identify and
  respond to safety issues by adopting minimum
  standards and good practice.
•  
• The nature of clubs varies enormously and this
  dictates how a club manages safety and addresses
  the various issues. The approach of the Club
  Water Safety Adviser is therefore dictated by the
  way a specific club wishes to manage safety and
  adopt the minimum standards required.

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Minimum Standards

• Appoint a Club Water Safety Adviser and ensure
  they have a thorough understanding of the Row
  Safe Guidance documents.
• Establish a team approach to manage safety in the
  Club
• Have a working knowledge of the Row Safe Guidance
  document
• Regularly assess the risks to the Club both on
  and off the water referring to the ARAs Row
  Safe Guide on Risk Assessment and Implement the
  findings.
• Produce and communicate a Club Safety Plan
  (including an Emergency Action Plan) referring
  to the ARAs Row Safe Guide on Safety Plans
• Conduct and submit an annual Club safety audit as
  required by the ARA.
• Maintain an Incident/Accident log and complete
  Incident Forms as required by the ARA
• If organising, or participating in, a Regatta or
  Processional Race comply with the ARAs Row Safe
  Guide on Safety Plans
• Maintain a prominent display of up-to-date safety
  information at the Club.
• Be aware of day-to-day safety issues together
  with the results of any Risk Assessment and
  Safety Audit.
• Develop contacts with local clubs, river users
  group and/or similar bodies, to assist in
  understanding and resolving areas of actual or
  potential conflict between users.
• Establish and maintain contact with the Regional
  Water Safety Adviser (The ARA refers to the
  Clubs Regional Rowing Council)
• Take due regard of any advice or direction
  provided by local navigation or other relevant
  water authority relating to local water or
  weather conditions and amend risk assessments and
  safety plans accordingly.
• Exercise authority to suspend boating activities
  should the conditions dictate.

11
An organised club

• Is a Safe Club with policies in place
• Retains and develops its membership
• Retains and develops its volunteers
• Supports and develops its pool of coaches

12
How can WARA fulfil and manage its Duty of Care
?
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(No Transcript)
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WARAs role is to

• Provide advice and guidance to clubs
• Develop safety awareness
• Set minimum standards for safety
• Monitor standards of safety
• Educate and train clubs, coaches and competitions
• Endorse safe competitions

15
Competitions
Are they being run as safely as they can be
? Or Are they an accident waiting to happen?
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Competition Safety Process
Risk Assessment Safety Plan produced or amended
Event Organising Committee
Safety Plan and competition organisation amended
if necessary
WARA Events Committee reviews Safety Plan
Not accepted
WARA Water Safety Adviser available to support
Wash Up
Competition takes place Feedback from
competitors, Inspecting Commissioner, navigation
authority, incident reports, competition Safety
Adviser etc
Accepted
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WARAs management of its safety role

• Audit clubs
• Audit events
• Target clubs in need of help and advice
• Run training seminars for club safety teams
• Be prepared to act on unsafe practices
• Set deadlines and be prepared to act on
  defaulters
• Ensure safety is part of the coach education
  programme
• Co-ordinate the safety messages in the various
  publications
• Develop a formal process of affiliation
• Annual club safety audits
• National incident logging and reporting system
  for coach education

18
Action Plan for Clubs
What areas need to be addressed? What is the
order of priority? What target dates need to be
applied?