Sea Kayak Event Safety & Organisation

The process & elements of event safety for a Cumbria Canoeist's Sea Kayak trip or coaching event comprise:

• Completed Booking and up-to-date Paddler Registration form for every participant.  The Paddler Registration includes a medical declaration, a risk acknowledgement, and a conduct and competence statement. It also includes a paddler checklist, emergency contact details, participant experience levels and recommended equipment list. At the pre-paddle briefing for the event the leader should ask all participants to reconfirm their Paddler Registrations are up to date or provide them with any relevant updated details.  The organiser must have a completed booking form for all participants.  Participants who are not British Canoeing members must pay a £5 per event insurance fee on top of the event booking fee.  Details of these insurance payments must be reported to British Canoeing on this form within 7 days of the event. 
• Risk Assessments -  Generic risk assessments for a day sea kayak trip, or for a multiday wild camping sea trip or similar are reviewed by trip leaders in advance of the planned event & prior to submitting the Pre-Event Safety checklist.  Any special or extra requirements or alternative control measures or other modifications of the generic risk analyses are noted by the trip leader for the specific trips they are planning.
• Float Plan & Emergency Action Plan - The leader should review the generic Emergency Management Guidance and note specific details in the event specific Float & Emergency Action Plan or a similar document.
• Event Safety Checklists - The leader acknowledges that he has followed appropriate safety processes by  completing  a single form in two parts for the event.  These are completed and submitted for review by an RDT Event Safety Officer. 

                     Pre-Event Safety Checklist - This is submitted at least two weeks before the planned event. It covers the key elements of event safety and insurance cover for which the leader is responsible.
                     Post Event Review Checklist - This is submitted within two weeks following the event & should include any observations, learnings, near misses & actual incidents or accidents.  Incidents also need to be reported to British Canoeing using their incident reporting form.

• Trip Planning - Leaders are responsible for planning trips using best practice.  Specific pro-formas A4 & A3 are available if required.

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• Organisers should refer to the Sea Kayaking - Event Organiser's Guide which outlines the processes and expectations when running sea-kayaking events. 

​Alan Ashby
Sea Kayak Rep & RDT Event Safety Officer
March 2018