Risk Assessment for Orienteering

Risk Assessment for Orienteering

Risk assessments are concerned with identifying the hazards (i.e. things which might go wrong or cause an accident/injury), evaluating the likelihood of a particular event occurring (i.e. level of risk) and putting measures in place needed to reduce or eliminate the risk.

Name of Club / satellite club name / after school club / University of Bristol Orienteering Club
Name of person completing this form / Sophie Gordon / Position of person completing this form (coach, organiser etc) / Club Captain (Chair)
Venue for session / event / activity / Moseley Green / Date for session /
event / activity / 20/02/2016
Name of person in charge of session / event / activity / Tom Dobra, Charlotte Bermingham, [BOK organiser]
Risk assessment signed / S Gordon
Tom Dobra / Risk assessment dated / 06/11/2015
4/1/16, 17/2/16
Risk assessment checked by (name, position and date) / Print name
& position (coach mentor, controller etc): / Richard Cronin, Controller
Sign and date: / RCC 17.2.16

Emergency Information

Emergency access point (for emergency vehicles) / Post code / grid reference:
To determine once parking and assembly areas have been confirmedSO 62899 08180, near GL15 4HN / Place from which signed:
Junction of Rising Sun Inn Road and Yorkley Road, just to east of grid reference
Nearest A&E hospital: / Name and Post code:
Minor Injuries (08:00-23:00) - Lydney & District Hospital, GL15 5JE Tel 0300 421 8722 (4 miles)
Minor Injuries (08:00-23:00) – Dilke, GL14 3HX, Tel 0300 421 8640 (x5 miles)
A&E (24 hours) – Gloucester, GL1 3NN, Tel 0300 422 2222 (22y miles) / Map available (where):
Registration and First Aid point
OS Map OL14 (Wye Valley & Forest of Dean)
Map must include whole route to Gloucester A&E
Working telephone: / Landline or mobile:
If mobile (reception checked?)
Mobile – no receptiont yet / Number:
07715 517294
First Aid cover / Name of first aider:
BOK First Aid team: Dave Urch, Carol Iddles, Miffy Treherne, Simon St Leger-Harris / Located where?
Assembly area: between main track and assembly field, adjacent to toilets

The Risk Assessment

It is essential that the mitigation column is completed in detail so that the control measures and who is responsible is fully understood in advance of the activity / session / event and that all staff / helpers are fully briefed.

NB: it is not sufficient only to put warnings in preliminary information as there is no way of being sure that all participants will have read them.

Hazard – note under these headings (see suggested examples to consider) / Possible outcome / injury including note on severity and likelihood of occurrence / Mitigation
·  What control measure?
·  Who is responsible?
In area to be used (outdoor)
Ground rough, uneven, muddy, steep
Slippery paths, tracks and banks
Tree roots
Overhanging branches
Brambles, nettles
Bracken and risk of ticks
Low Wire / ruined fences
Barbed wire
Walls to be climbed
Litter (glass, used needles)
Military debris
Forestry operations / Tripping and falling or running into wire leading to sprains, grazes, cuts, bruising, stings and tick bites.
Minor Injury - Likelymoderate
Tripping and falling leading to broken bones and penetrating wounds. Eye damage from branches
Severe – Unlikelylow
May need to treat casualties in event area and/or extract to access point. / Warnings of various risks in Flyer and/or Final Details.
Warnings at start of any hazardous areas, reminders to avoid climbing over fences and be careful of barbed wire.
First Aid people and kit available. Kit includes standalone pack to be carried to casualty in event area. Appropriate officials will have VHF radios and/or phones to report back and to help summon emergency services if needed, otherwise plan to move to nearest access point, recover by vehicle and transport to hospital.
Full leg and torso cover compulsory. TD to place reminder (of this BOF rule) in the final details. Start team to prevent those without from starting – TD to brief.
If ticks ‘in season’ warning at start and download to check for ticks and remove them quickly with the right tool (First Aid have them).
Warnings to keep off forestry equipment and stacked logs/trees.Warning in final details and written notice in start lane to be careful of low fences which are marked on the map. TD
Best vehicle access for quick retrieval of injured persons in emergency planned in advance. OrganiserTD
Tape dangerous overhanging branches and any dangerous or hidden wire.
Courses planned to suit age and experience of runners and to avoid significant hazards. Easier courses will avoid brambles, nettles and wire. Mark specific crossing points on map if necessary. Planner
Tent pegs & guy ropes / Tripping and falling leading to sprains, grazes, cuts, bruising.
Minor Injury - Likelymoderate / Take care when pitching tents to ensure tent pegs are not sticking up as a trip hazard, and instruct other clubs to do the same. Who is responsible?
Marshes, streams, rivers, ponds / Feet sinking into marsh
Minor – Likelyvery low
Possibility of falling into water features, could lead to participant becoming very cold.
Severe -– Unlikelyvery low / Advise competitors at start to take care around water, particularly if ground is wetter than usual and likely to be marshy. Who is responsible?
Ensure first aiders know how to treat symptoms of hypothermia and have appropriate kit. Who is responsible?
Dangerous crags / Possibility of falling, leading to minor or serious injury.
Severe – Unlikelylow / Plan courses to avoid particularly dangerous crags, and warn competitors at start of any smaller ones.Crags and slopes at southern end of railway tunnel over-printed on maps as “Dangerous”. Courses planned to avoid this area. Planner
Road or track crossing(s) affecting on courses.
Road crossing on route to start / Car/competitor collisions. Injuries/death Very severe - Very unlikelyvery low / Assessment of how busy roads and forest tracks are.Roads are not very busy and low competitor frequency – traffic control not required. Police informed. OrganiserTD
Written notice in start lanes to tell competitors to take care at road crossings. TD
Signs on roads warning cars of runners crossing runners. PG to tell TD sections of road where signage is required.
Try to plan courses to avoid minimise road crossings.
Shorter courses will not cross roads.
If courses must cross a fairly busy road, have marshals to assist crossing.
Possibility of timed-out crossing so competitors do not cross carelessly to save time. Planner
Very few participants aged 15 or under expected (Welsh junior squad with Mark Saunders) and all such will be non-competitive, so require adult shadowing to start and round courses. TD to tell responsible adult personally by email and in person on day.
Wild boar / Attack – moderately severe injuries, very unlikely / Wild boar are very shy and are likely to move away from runners. No mitigation required.
Participants
Car park: moving cars mixing with participants or other members of public.
Coach drop off: dangerous parking, pedestrians in road / Car-pedestrian collisions. Potentially serious injuries. Unlikelylow
Vehicle-vehicle or vehicle-pedestrian collision. Very serious injuries. Moderate chance if poor location is used. / Signs at entrance to car park to slow downwarn of pedestrians.
Warnings in flyer and/or final details.No more hazardous than a standard car park, so drivers and pedestrians are very likely to behave safely.
Marshals directing parking in safe manner.
Managed road-crossing if applicable
Warnings at Registration. OrganiserTD
Well-chosen crossing points.
Some roads marked as out of bounds.
Control descriptions correctly show road crossings. Planner
Select a safe coach drop-off and provide instructions in final details. Sign if required for safe following of route. Liaise with PG to avoid courses. TD
Carparking along narrow forest tracks. / Congestion, cars getting stuck in mud/ditches. Minor – fairly likely / Marshals directing car parking.
Possible one-way system or not being permitted to leave until a certain time to reduce vehicles meeting in opposite directions. Organiser
Inadequate clothing/footwear, disorientation, getting tired. / Higher risk of slipping if inadequate footwear.
Minor injury - Moderately likelyModerate
Hypo- and hyperthermia. Illness. Getting lost.
Potentially life-threatening – UnlikelyLow
Dehydration. Minor - Unlikelylow / Novices are unlikely to be aware of clothing guidelines
Final details to state requirement for full leg and torso cover, to bring a cagoule in case it is made a requirement in the event of bad weather, and to recommend warm clothing, grippy footwear and change of clothes for afterwards. TD
TD to instruct start team to prevent competitors from starting without full leg and torso cover, and without carrying a cagoule if made mandatory.
Warnings in Flyer and Final Details of clothing requirements (particularly if weather might be poor), eg O shoes not trainers and mandatory full leg and torso cover to protect against ticks and scratches. Cagoules may be compulsory (and if so will be advised again at Registration and imposed at Start). Rescue and Search plan and First Aid available. TD
No water station provided on courses or after finish. Advise competitors to bring their own drinks – in final details. OrganiserTD
Short courses suited planned to age groups and experience – TD3. Planner
Pre-existing medical conditions/allergies.
Medical incident in forest, whether injury or pre-existing condition / Shock, hypothermia, heart attacks, allergic reactions. Very severe, possibly fatal - very low unlikely / Carrying of whistles for attracting attention -– compulsory (in bad weather)/recommended for adults and compulsory for juniors. (If compulsory must be checked at start and notices placed at route to start from assembly) OrganiserTD
Final details to recommend carrying of whistle, although it may be made mandatory in the event of bad weather. TD
Getting lost
Retiring and failing to Download – unnaccounted for / Distress, exhaustion, fading light/darkness. Minor but could become major if unresolved. Moderately likely/unlikelylow
Losing track of people who don’t appear to have returned.
Moderately severe - Unlikelylow / Safety bearing advised to competitors at start.
Remind all competitors in Final Details, at Registration and at Startprinted on map that they must report to Download even if they retire. PG
Emergency Telephone number printed on map. TD/PG
First Aid.
Emergency search party procedure if someone does not return.
OrganiserTD
Other people/activities in area
Walkers, dogs, horses, bicyclesmountain bikes, cars. / Collisions, dog bites, horse kicks, bicycle accidents.
Children (and adults) scared by dogs (not necessarily bitten).
Interaction with dogs is fairly common but rarely injurious
Rider thrown from horse or bicycle, or orienteer knocked down - broken bones or head injuries.
Severe – very unlikelylow / Warnings in Final Details, asking for competitors to be considerate of other forest users. TD.
First Aid available. TLC for children frightened by dogs.
Normal respect and civilised behaviour expected from orienteers and members of the public. Common sense should avoid most incidents. Start team to remind runners to take care around other users of the area.
Notices advising of event on footpaths/bridleways at entrances to event area at least 1 week before.
Car risks covered above. Organiser
Out of bounds areas marked on maps. Planner
Weather
Cold, ice, wind, rain, storm
Strong winds / Hypothermia. Severe/life threatening - very unlikelylow
Falling branches – severe injury, very low / Competitors should be suitably clad/equipped for the winter conditions. Organiser and start team needs to be alert to newcomers or novices who may be under equipped and to advise extra clothing..
Be prepared for all weather conditions all year round.
Advise all teams to bring tents for shelter when waiting to run or afterwards.There will be plenty of vehicles in car park to provide shelter to competitors when not running.
In very poor weather, organiser may impose compulsory clothing requirements, eg cagoules. Whistles may also be made mandatory. Reminder in flyer andNotice in final details and signs en route to start. Checks at Start. TD
First Aid equipped to alleviate treat hypothermia. Organiser
Contingency plan to cancel event (or certain courses) if weather or forecast is very bad and/or visibility low, especially if tree branches are likely to fall. Organiser and Controller
Equipment
Electrical equipment, computers, etc / Electrocution if equipment faulty or misused. Very severe – very unlikelylow
Tripping/falling over wires etc., causing injury. Minor - unlikelylow / Electrical equipment running off generator – all protected from rain. Generator and computer equipment and wiring regularly checked by professional electrician. Users of all equipment regularly trained in safe usage.
Ensure safe routing of any cables. Danger tape used as necessary.
Generator taped off with access only allowed for those using it. Organiser
Tent pegs & guy ropes / Tripping and falling leading to sprains, grazes, cuts, bruising.
Minor Injury - moderate / Take care when pitching tents to ensure tent pegs are not sticking up as a trip hazard, and instruct other clubs in the final details to do the same. TD to check official tents, and to tell all officials to ask an offending tent to be rectified if seen (no patrols).