Kent Schools Sailing Association
Event Safety Plan
Policy Statement
Kent Schools Sailing Association is committed to providing a safe environment for all attending the various events. This applies equally to those employed by, contracted to or assisting on a voluntary basis, parents, guardians and responsible adults and those young people themselves attending and participating in the event whether on payment or otherwise. It also applies when the event is being set up or being taken down.
For each event there will be an Event Management Team consisting of an Executive Officer, who will be the principle member of the Kent Schools Sailing Association on the day; the Safety Officer, who may be either afloat or ashore depending on the location of the sailing ground from the launching area; the Principle Coach/ Race Officer, and the Beach-master.
Kent Schools Sailing Association will also work within the safety guidelines of any other establishment currently being used by Kent Schools Sailing Association as a base for its activities.
Risk Assessments
All venues and events programmed by Kent Schools Sailing Association will be subject to Risk Assessments conducted by trained and qualified staff, unless the venue is controlled by a third party and sufficient risk assessments have been made and appropriate safety policies are in force. This does not preclude Kent Schools Sailing Association making their own risk assessment for the locality with a view to the age, ability and competence of those taking part in the event. Such Risk Assessment will be in writing and kept with the event records.
Any person employed or contracted to Kent Schools Sailing Association will be asked for a copy of their Risk Assessment for their particular activity; they will also be responsible for providing adequate insurance in relation to third party risks.
If any member of Kent Schools Sailing Association identifies any potential hazard or risk, it will be brought to the attention of the Safety Officer, who will assess the matter accordingly.
Volunteers / Helpers
All persons assisting with the event will be briefed as to their particular role within the activity. They will be introduced to those participating in the event.
Certain key members of Kent Schools Sailing Association will be given specific tasks in relation to the smooth running of the event
Safety Boat
The recommended Safety Boat cover is15 – 1 for inland waters and 12 – 1 for tidal waters, and each boat will be under the control of the holder of an RYA level 2 certificate. This ratio will be subject to variation depending on the age and standard of participant and the prevailing or anticipated weather conditions. Each safety boat will carry a radio to allow for instant communication between other safety boats and the Safety Officer and Beach-master.
No sailor will go afloat until sufficient safety, support or coach boats are afloat. All sailors will be established as ashore before the support boats are released from their tasks.
There will be sufficient and suitable persons on the shore to assist with the launch and recovery of support boats and also the boats of those taking part in the event.
Each member of the support team and coaching staff will be aware of the prevailing conditions and will continually assess the capabilities of the sailors to those conditions. They will also be aware of other sailors not within their coaching group, and if a problem is suspected, they will relay this to the relevant coach / support boat.
If conditions are such that the ratio of support boats to sailors deemed safe, changes, then all boats will directed to return to shore and the conditions reassessed.
If any sailor is deemed by a member of Kent Schools Sailing Association or the coaching staff, not to be in control of his boat, and/or the conditions are considered beyond their capabilities, they will be told to go ashore.
Every capsized boat should be attended to unless the crew are evidently in control of the situation. Where crews are removed and fully accounted for and the boat abandoned, then a 2 metre length of red and white plastic tape will be attached to the bows of the boat.
There will be a qualified First-Aider afloat at all times that sailors are on the water.
Communication
Communication between key members of the organisation will, in the first instance, be by radio, normally Channel M2. Local variations will apply according to the venue and type of event. Any additional support boats will carry an appropriate radio or means of communication if available. Lack of radio will not preclude additional support boats being on the water during any event. Radios will only be used by persons authorised to do so by Kent Schools Sailing Association, unless the circumstances require others to use radios in an emergency situation.
The Safety Officer will ensure a list is maintained of those people with radios and their call signs. This will be kept ashore and available to the Beach Master.
There will be a designated telephone, landline or mobile, for dedicated use in event of any incident where Kent Schools Sailing Association staff need to be contacted as the result of any incident.
Administration
A list of those taking part in the event, including name, age and boat details, will be completed before they go afloat. This will include details of parents or persons with parental responsibility, and their immediate contact details. No sailor will go afloat without a responsible adult being on site and acting in loco parentis.
The weather forecast for the area of the sailing ground will be displayed and discussed prior to the sailors going afloat. There will be a full briefing with all sailors and support staff before any sailor goes afloat.
Each sailor is responsible for ensuring that their boat is fit for the prevailing conditions. If the Executive Officer, coach or member of the Kent Schools Sailing Association suspects that the boat or sailor is not suitable for the conditions, then they will not be allowed to go afloat without the matter being discussed and assessed by the Executive Officer. This will include the clothing that the sailor is wearing.
The Beachmaster will pass the number of boats afloat to the Principle Race Officer/Principle Coach and the Safety Officer. If a boat comes in for any reason, then the Safety Officer will be informed. If the event is in coastal waters, the local Coastguard will be informed of the event, the approximate number of boats, the number of support boats and the radio frequency being operated.
There will be a Kent Schools Sailing Association First Aider available ashore during the event. All incidents involving injury to any person taking part in any event organised by Kent Schools Sailing Association will be fully recorded and these will be reassessed after the event to ensure that best practice was followed and if improvements in procedures can be made.
Details of local emergency first aid facilities will be available, including details of best route to the nearest minor injuries unit or casualty department, these details are to include opening hours.
Details of all safety boats and support boats will be maintained in hard copy. There will also be a dry wipe board with details easily accessible to the Beach-master and Safety Officer.
Details of First Aid qualifications held by Kent Schools Sailing Association staff will be available at all events.
A temporary First Aid /recovery room will be designated.
Major Incident / Crisis Management.
The purpose of this plan is crisis and incident management, not avoidance. Accidents can and will happen. This plan seeks to reduce their effect.
An Incident may be defined as any happening taking place when Kent Schools Sailing Association are operating and which cannot be safely dealt with by the event staff.
Examples:
1. serious injury or illness requiring evacuation to hospital
2. squall or other unforeseen event at sea leaving more people requiring assistance than the safety cover can provide.
3. persons become separate from their boat.
4. fire or other structural failure at the base premises requiring immediate evacuation of the surrounding area, or fire afloat.
A Major incident can be called by any member of the Event Management Team.
Any incident involving the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance, coastguard) will be designated as a Major Incident.
On Shore
An Incident Controller will be designated prior to the event. This will normally be the safety officer if positioned ashore for the event, otherwise the responsibility will be laid to the beach-master. The Incident Controller will be responsible for the collation of all actions ashore involving an incident ashore or afloat. A log will be kept by this person, or person delegate by them, of what actions they have taken, whom they have asked to perform what action, and the result of such action.
They will form the point of liaison between the emergency services and Kent Schools Sailing Association. It is essential that this person does not get involved in any physical aspect of the incident, and that their job is the collation of what has occurred and facilitation to the emergency services.
If more than one of the emergency services is involved in the incident, then it is anticipated that the Police or Coast Guard will take overall control of the incident.
If necessary a second person may be required to assist in the written compilation of a current log of events as they occur.
Action in Case of Fire
Each premises occupied or used by Kent Schools Sailing Association will have their own Fire Evacuation procedure. This will be operated at all times in case of fire. The contact liaison for the venue will contact the Fire Service. No persons will re-enter the building until it is deemed safe by the senior Fire Service officer present.
Fire afloat will be actioned via the Coastguard if on coastal waters, and through the local fire service if on inland water. The vessel will be left and no craft will be allowed to go within 50 meters. Other support boats will rescue the crew and maintain the exclusion area. All staff should be aware of the likelihood of exploding fuel tanks.
A dedicated single beaching point will be established to enable best recovery when bringing injured persons ashore, and also a vehicular route to facilitate best access and egress for emergency services – a one way system is preferable. If practicable a site for landing of Air Ambulance should be identified.
The Executive Officer will appoint a Press Liaison Officer as and when required. It is imperative that the Incident Controller and the Press Liaison responsibilities are covered by different people.