H&S Policy
Clyde Apollo Football Club is committed to a safe environment for all players, volunteers (all levels) and coaches. It will promote standards of health, safety and welfare within football and will ensure compliance with all relevant statutory provisions. The Club will ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out, that procedures and safe systems are implemented in accordance with all current statutory provisions and that all reasonable and practical measures are taken to avoid risk. Safe practices will be adopted, and continuous improvement will be sought through regular audits and reviews.
Appropriate instruction and training will be provided together with adequate resources to ensure that the successful management of health and safety is carried out within the Club and that this policy is collectively implemented. This policy together with arrangements and procedures, will be reviewed regularly and revised and updated as necessary.
Health & safety policy:
To support our Health & Safety policy statement we are committed to the following duties:
Undertake regular, recorded risk assessment of the club premises and all activities undertaken by the club
Create a safe environment by putting health & safety measures in place as identified by the assessment
Ensure that all members are given the appropriate level of training and competition by regularly assessing individual ability dependent on age, maturity and development
Ensure that all members are aware of, understand and follow the club’s health & safety policy
Appoint a competent club member to assist with health and safety responsibilities
Ensure that normal operating procedures and emergency operating procedures are in place and known by all members
Provide access to adequate first aid facilities, telephone and qualified first aider always
Report any injuries or accidents sustained during any club activity or whilst on the club premises
Ensure that the implementation of the policy is reviewed regularly and monitored for effectiveness.
As a club member you have a duty to:
Take reasonable care for your own health & safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or not do
Co-operate with the club on health & safety issues
Correctly use all equipment provided by the club
Not interfere with or misuse anything provided for your health, safety or welfare.
CLUB HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICER: …………………………………………………………
FIRST AID: …....………………………………………………………………........................
Location of first aid facilities: ...........………………………………………………..........
Location of telephones: …………………………………...………………………….........
QUALIFIED FIRST AIDERS: 1. …………………………… 2. …………………………....
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK ASSESSMENT
In order to discharge the duty of care to provide a safe environment for football it is necessary to identify hazards, assess the associated potential risks, then take action to eliminate the hazard. Failing this, action must be taken to either eliminate the risks or reduce them to an acceptable level to the respective activities.
Within the context of Football, risk must be assessed in terms of:
Low Risk - No risk or minimal risk of injury
Medium Risk - Some risk of injury
High Risk - High risk of injury
Note; Only if the risk has been assessed as ‘Low’ should a match, activity or training session be permitted to proceed. The following diagram outlines the procedures to be followed:
DEFINITIONS
HAZARD:
A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm to an individual. This can be an object, an activity and even a substance. In football, examples would include the following:
Objects- goalposts, fencing, nets, studs/football boots etc.
Activity- playing games, training activities, travel, matches etc.
Substance- eg. water on playing/training surfaces, also in the form of ice, snow, or foreign objects etc.
RISK:
Risk expresses the likelihood that the harm from a potential hazard is realised. Risks are normally categorised as low, medium or high.
The principles of Risk Assessment are:
Identify the hazard
Identify those who might be harmed and how.
Evaluate the risk (low, medium or high) and decide whether there are existing
precautions and if these are adequate or are more required.
Record the findings.
Review the assessment and revise if necessary.
RISK ASSESSMENT
A formal and recorded process to weigh up the suitability and safety of any activity by identifying the hazards that could potentially cause harm and taking the appropriate precautions or actions required to prevent harm or injury.
The risk assessment should be undertaken by a ‘competent’ person. Ask other club members or committee members what they think as they may have noticed things which are not immediately obvious.
Make an inventory of club activities and tasks.
Identify the hazards for each of these activities – on and off site – and decide if the hazards are minor or significant.
Evaluate the risks and decide whether the existing precautions are adequate or whether more should be done.
Decide if the risk is acceptable and prioritise the significant hazards – identify whether the risk is high, medium or low by deciding which could result in serious harm or affect several people -see over page for more details on prioritising risks.
Select method of control – check that all reasonable precautions have been taken to reduce the risk and avoid injury, however be aware that even after all precautions have been taken, some risk usually remains
Record the findings - keep the written record for future reference, it can help if you become involved in any action for civil liability. It can also remind you to keep an eye on particular hazards and precautions.
Implement measures to reduce the risks
Monitor – ensure that the standards are maintained.
Regularly review – it is good practice to review your assessment to make sure that the precautions are still working effectively