Health and Safety Policy 2012
DOCUMENT TITLE
Health and Safety Policy & Procedures
Synopsis / This document contains the policies and arrangements that form an integral part of British Horseball Associations Safety Management.Name / Signature / Date
Document Author / M Pettifor /
January 2012
Authorised by
Last Reviewed / January 2012
Content
1.0 STATEMENT OF INTENT 2
1.1 Safety Policy Statement 2
1.2 Child Protection Policy Statement 3
1.3 Drugs and Alcohol Policy 4
2.0 ORGANISATION 5
2.1 Responsibilities 5
3.0 ARRANGEMENTS 7
3.1 BHA Risk Assessment Procedure 7
3.2 Training 7
3.3 Accident/Incidents & Recording Procedure 7
3.4 First Aid 8
3.5 Alcohol Breathalyzer Procedure: 8
3.6 Prohibited Substance Use in Players. 9
3.6.1 FIHB General Rules Article 31: 9
4.0 APPENDICIES 10
4.1. Contact Details 10
4.2. Pre-Start Venue Safety Checklist 11
1.0 STATEMENT OF INTENT
1.1 Safety Policy Statement
Declaration
On behalf of the British Horseball Association (BHA) Committee, the Directors will provide a safe environment for BHA activities so far as reasonably practicable.
In addition it will establish procedures and systems necessary to implement this commitment and to comply with its statutory obligations on health and safety.
The BHA will seek the active involvement of all associate members to continuously improve the safety culture and to minimise losses due to accidents, incidents and property damage etc.
Specifically we will ensure that:
· This Safety Policy Statement is communicated to all BHA members etc including, Officials, referees, coaches and riders etc and they are consulted on matters affecting their health and safety.
· Unsafe acts and hazards are identified using appropriate risk assessments, Prestart safety checklists (Appendix 2) and other inspection techniques to eliminated, control and reduced risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
· The provision of information, instruction and supervision is provided.
· Competent persons are provided and training needs are identified and met.
· Venues and equipment are safe and maintained including safe access and egress.
· If the events cannot be performed safely it will be stopped until safe to continue. Officials etc stopping events/games to fulfil this commitment will have the BHA full support.
· The BHA seeks to continuously improve the Health and Safety commitment and performance.
This policy is formally reviewed annually or sooner if required due to unforeseen changes.
Signature :…………………………………………
Printed Name:
Position:
Date: 1st January 2012 Reviewed: January 2012
1.2 Child Protection Policy Statement
The BHA fully accepts its legal (Children’s Act, 1989) and moral obligation to provide a duty of care, to protect all children (and vulnerable adults) and safeguard their welfare, irrespective of age, disability, gender, racial origin, religious belief and sexual orientation.
In pursuit of this the BHA is committed to ensuring that:
· The welfare of young people (and vulnerable adults) is paramount and children have the right to protection from abuse.
· All young people who take part in Horseball should be able to participate in a fun and safe environment and in an atmosphere of fair play.
· All suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
· All employees and volunteers are carefully selected, informed about their responsibilities and provided with guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures
· High standards of behaviour and practice are demanded through compliance with the BHA codes of conduct produced for Officials, Referees and Coaches and others i.e. parents, visitors, proprietors and volunteers.
· Coach’s and Referees attend mandatory training in ‘The Safeguarding of Children in Sport.
· Parents take the responsibility of their children during the events and all junior members parentsare asked to sign an association disclaimer as well as being required to give permission for photographs of juniors to be used in the media.
The BHA Child Protection Officer can be contacted by any adult of child for advice:
Signature :…………………………………………
Printed Name:
Position:
Date: 1st January 2012 Reviewed: January 2012
1.3 Drugs and Alcohol Policy
This statement sets out the BHA policy concerning any riders and others whose performance of their duties is, or may be, impaired as a result of taking drugs or drinking alcohol.
The BHA will ensure that all riders, Coaches and Officials etc are made aware of this statement and become familiar with its content.
It is a requirement that no persons shall:
· Ride in any game whilst in an unfit state due to the use of drugs, alcohol or solvents.
· Be in possession of illegal drugs while in the event premises.
· Consume alcohol etc while on duty as an Official or Coach etc.
· Use illegal drugs whilst on duties as an Official or Coach etc.
· Misuse prescribed medicines.
· Take solvents of any kind.
The BHA will not tolerate any departure from these rules.
Ad hoc testing may be carried out approx 1 hr before competition by random selection from all riders.
Junior riders may be selected where parents give written permission for them to be included.
To ensure the safety of all and to comply with FIHB/FEI code of conduct, the BHA will not allow riders to compete under the influence of alcohol.
(See 3.5 for Alcohol Breathalyzer Procedure)
For further information or advice with regards to this policy contact:
This policy will be reviewed annually
Signature 1:…………………………………………
Printed Name:
Position:
Date: 1st January 2012 Reviewed January 2012
2.0 ORGANISATION
2.1 Responsibilities
Directors
The BHA Committee Directors has overall responsibility for health and safety. There will be a shared responsibility between the Directors for overseeing, implementing and monitoring health and safety procedures in the BHA.
The Directors are responsible for:
1 / Ensuring safety information is being communicated to all relevant persons and ensuring that they are consulted on safety issues.2 / Ensuring that competent trained first-aid cover is available for each event.
3 / Ensuring that all relevant officials etc have completed the required CRB checks.
4 / Ensuring a risk assessment are being performed and reviewed for each venue prior to commencement of the event.
5 / Ensuring there are adequate welfare facilities and provisions available at each event venue.
6 / Ensuring all accidents/incident/near misses are being reported to the venue owner and BHA Safety Advisor, ensuring they are recorded within the accident books.
7 / Ensuring any significant accidents/incidents/near misses etc are investigated.
BHA Officials
The BHA Officials are responsible for:
1 / Making themselves aware of the BHA policies and procedures2
3 / Ensuring he risk assessments are communicated to the relevant persons prior to the event commencing.
Ensure all Horseball venues have been checked for hazards prior to commencement of the competitions.
4 / Undertaking child protection training as well as any required health and safety training to be held annually.
5 / Ensuring training is made available to the BHA committee members and relevant officials etc.
6 / Ensure all accident report records are kept safe and available as required.
7 / Ensure all health and safety documents are kept available with the BHA files.
BHA Referees
The BHA Referees are responsible for:
1 / Making themselves aware of the BHA policies and procedures2 / Co-operating with the BHA Committee Members/Directors on all matters of health and safety.
3 / Ensure all event games are carried out in accordance with the H & S rules etc.
4 / Acting in accordance with any written or verbal instruction as well as any safety training that has been provided.
5 / Undertaking first aid and child protection training as well as any required Health and Safety Training to be held annually.
6 / Carrying out pre-game safety checks and report any issues with regards to H & S to the relevant committee members.
Coaches
The Coaches are responsible for:
1 / Making themselves aware of the BHA policies and procedures2 / Co-operating with the BHA Committee Members/Directors on all matters of health and safety.
3 / Reviewing the event risk assessments and ant other health and safety information provided, and communicate this information to the relevant horseball players etc.
4 / Ensuring all horseball players/horses are wearing the required protective equipment and follow the BHA game rules etc.
4 / Attending the required first aid and child protection training.
Horseball Players
The Horseball Players are responsible for:
1 / Making themselves aware of the BHA policies and procedures.2 / Following all the instruction and information provided with regards to health and safety before, during and after the matches.
3 / Wearing the required protective equipment and follow the BHA game rules etc.
4 / Ensuring all vehicles, horses and equipment etc are kept/stored in accordance with the BHA and venue rules.
3.0 ARRANGEMENTS
3.1 BHA Risk Assessment Procedure
Procedure
· / BHA will ensure that all event risk assessments are completed well in advance of the event dates. The BHA recommends the responsible person follows the recognised “5 steps” approach recommended by the HSE.· / The persons with overall responsibility for health and safety, the Directors are responsible for ensuring risk assessments are completed and communicated to the relevant Officials, Referees and Coaches etc.
· / The purpose of the risk assessment process is to lower identified risk, and so when required the BHA will do everything “reasonably practicable” to protect people from harm, by implementing “control measures” designed to lower risk.
· / Risk assessments will be recorded electronically and held by the BHA for at least three year
· / BHA will review risk assessments during the events to ensure that they are still relevant.
3.2 Training
Procedure
It is BHA policy that all Officials, Referees and Coaches are competent to carryout their tasks high standard and in a safe manner.All training evidence i.e. certificates/registers will be kept on file by the BHA committee files.
All Referees and Coaches are required to undertake first aid, child protection training and Health and Safety Training not exceeding 3 yearly refreshers.
3.3 Accident/Incidents & Recording Procedure
Procedure
The injuries however small, sustained by a person during the events must be reported to the Officials and placed in the accident book. Accident records are crucial to the BHA affective monitoring of health and safety procedures and must therefore be accurate and comprehensive. The Safety Advisor will review the accident book on a regular basis and relevant accidents will be investigated and reports prepared, with any necessary action being taken to prevent a recurrence of the problem.RIDDOR 1995
The BHA is not required to report accidents under the RIDDOR 1995. However the BHA is required to record all accidents and take appropriate action to ensure these accidents do not occur in the future.
Consensual Injuries
As defined by RIDDOR 1995 the term 'non-consensual' is used to exclude injuries arising from situations where the injured person had agreed to a violent act.
With horseball events the above would exclude, for example, injuries arising from the game, where taking part implies acceptance (Consensual) of a level of violence and risk of injury. An injury of the type suffered by a sports person as a result of heavy physical contact during the normal course of a game/match would not be an 'accident' for the purposes of the Regulations and would not need to be reported.
(RIDDOR 1995, HSE, Guidance 2 p8)
If there is uncertainty as to whether an accident is RIDDOR reportable, the BHA will either refer to the HSE website or contact its Safety Advisor.
The Directors are responsible for ensuring that relevant accidents etc are recorded.
3.4 First Aid
Procedure
The Director is responsible to ensure that competent trained first-aid cover is available for each event.The BHA normally uses ‘Sharman first Aiders’ to act as the competent First Aider at each event.
A suitable first aid boxes will be made available at locations within the event premises. It is the event occupier to ensure first aid box are fully stocked.
The first aider is responsible to record and report to the Safety Advisor all accidents during the matches.
3.5 Alcohol Breathalyzer Procedure:
Users should not smoke or consume alcohol within 20 minutes of testing.A bleep occurs when the user starts to blow with 2 bleeps signaling when to stop blowing.
The unit will show blood alcohol levels.
Riding in a BHA competition will NOT be allowed if the level is 35 or above (as per the drink driving regulation)
Refusal to test and deliberate sabotage of testing will result in a ban from playing.
Penalties:
1st positive test
Ban on all remaining competitions on that day.
2nd positive testcarried out at next day of competition (which may be the day after the first test if carried out at a weekend)
Ban for following 2 tournaments (which would include 2 league weekends, an International if applicable which would also exclude participation in regional or demonstrations)
3rd positive test carried out at the next day of competition
Ban for the next season or a 12 month period
Parental permission
I give permission for my son/daughter aged 17 or under to be included in the random selection for alcohol testing:
Name of rider (in capitals)------
Parent Signature------
Parent name (in capitals)------
Date------
PLEASE HAND ANY SIGNED PERMISSION TO DAVE OR MARY PETTIFOR/JIM COPELAND/JOHN KERRY
3.6 Prohibited Substance Use in Players.
3.6.1 FIHB General Rules Article 31:
Article 31.1 Subject to prior authorisation by the FIHB, the use of any Prohibited Substance by a player is forbidden.31.2 Subject to prior authorisation by the FIHB, any player found to have a Prohibited Substance in his body at an Event or evidence of the Event and the classification adjusted accordingly. A disqualified player does not disqualified automatically the entire team.
31.3 The rules and list of Prohibited Substances existing from time to time and laid down in the
World Anti-Doping Code and any all annexes and modifications thereto and in the Anti-Doping
Rules for human Athletes apply, subject to modifications by any of the governing bodies of the FIHB as may be published from time to time.
31.4 The Ground Jury after consultation with the responsible Medical Officer may at any time exclude from further participation in a Competition or an entire Event any player who is unfit to continue by reason of a serious or potentially serious injury or health condition.
31.5 The Secretary General may order the sampling of International players during an Event or at any other time.
4.0 APPENDICIES