Safety Officer
Although canoeing overall has a good track record for event safety management, there have been a number of serious accidents which have demonstrated that more could be done to improve this.
Actions and Recommended Procedures:
GENERAL
Actions and Recommended Procedures:
GENERAL
- British Canoeing have developed Event Safety Workshops and related guidance documentation. Event Safety training is required for all nominated Safety Officers.
- All clubs running events under British Canoeing insurance must appoint a Safety Officer.
- Regional Development Teams (RDTs) must appoint (two) Safety Officers to take responsibility for Regional events. (They will also be available to provide support and advice to club safety officers).
- Club events which are for club members only, will be covered by the club’s policies and procedures, and guided by the Club Safety Officer.
- For open events, run by clubs to which other clubs, or independent paddlers, may be invited, responsibility for the authorisation and management of the event still falls to the Club Committee , guided by the Club Safety Officer. However any Club organising an open event is very welcome to use the generic checklists used for RDT events, as a starting point for their own Event Safety Documentation.
- For open events run under specific competition disciplines, Clubs will be required to comply with the Event Safety Procedures of the respective Discipline, but the Club Safety Officer could use the Event Safety Checklists (see below) as an additional check when planning their event management).
- For each event the Club Safety Officer, who will have completed Event Safety Training, should complete a record of Event Safety Checklist or equivalent as proof of correct procedure. This will protect organisers and participants at a paddling event by ensuring that all required safety procedures have been considered and carried out. A copy of all event safety records should be retained by the Club. (This will ensure that, in a worst case scenario, British Canoeing will support any insurance claims .)
- For events which are not organised by Clubs, the Event Organiser must either act as the Event Safety Officer (if trained) , or appoint an Event Safety Officer, to complete an RDT Event Safety Check List. Example: a “Cumbria Canoeists“ event.
- A copy of the appropriate Event Safety Check List must be returned to an RDT Event Safety Officer a minimum of two weeks before the event. The Event Safety Officer will then check that procedures have been followed, and offer support and suggestions if needed.
- The Generic RDT Event Safety Checklists have been produced from the BC Event Safety Material and consist of :
- A Pre Event Checklist
- An Event Checklist
- A Paddler Checklist - which specifies the responsibilities of participants
- An Event Safety Procedure Sign Off Checklist
- The RDT are suggesting that any group organising an event or events go through the generic checklists and use them to produce their own tick - box checklists specific for that type of event (for example, by filling in as non-applicable on the form, the sections which do not apply.) This should mean that completing an Event Safety Checklist for a specific event is then quick, simple, and focussed on the things which are important / essential for the event. The paddler checklist, detailing paddler responsibilities, can be also be tailored for specific events/ disciplines. Specific Event Safety and organisation procedures and checklists have been prepared for Open Canoe & WaGs Events and Sea Kayaking Events and you can get to them using the links.
- For each event the Safety Officer should complete an Event Safety Checklist or equivalent as proof of correct procedure. This will protect organisers and participants at a paddling event by ensuring that all required safety procedures have been considered and carried out. A copy of all event safety records should be retained by the Organiser & Event Safety Officer.
- You can find British Canoeing's links for their event safety materials here.
