Are We Safe?

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Definitions

• Hazard- the potential of a substance, activity or
  process to cause harm. They can take many forms
  such as chemicals, electricity or the use of a
  ladder.
• Risk- is the likelihood of a substance, activity
  or process to cause harm. For the hazards used as
  examples here the obvious risks are poisoning,
  electrocution and falling.
• It is important to distinguish between these two
  terms, often activities called high risk are
  really high hazard.

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What is Risk assessment?

• A method of prioritising and ranking dangerous
  activity.
• An essential part of any health and safety
  management system.
• Aims to control hazards by reducing risk.
• Wherever possible risks should be eliminated
  through design, equipment or processes. If you
  cannot eliminate the risk, they must be
  minimized by use of suitable controls, e.g.
  Systems of work or personal protective equipment.

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Legal points

• Employers must
• undertake suitable and sufficient written risk
  assessments to cover both employees and
  non-employees that are affected by the employers
  undertakings. (If more than four employees)
• put in place effective arrangements for the
  planning, organization, control, monitoring, and
  review of health and safety measures.
• provide training and develop suitable emergency
  procedures.
• Provide employees with appropriate health and
  safety training.

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Legal Points continued

• Employees must
• use any equipment or substance in accordance with
  any training or instruction given by the
  employer.
• report to the employer any serious or imminent
  danger.
• report any shortcomings in the employers
  protective health and safety arrangements.

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How is it done?

• Each activity needs to be broken down into small
  easily defined tasks, each of which will have the
  risk and hazard identified.
• List each task, who is affected, and describe
  what the hazard and risk. Easiest way is to then
  rank each risk (likelihood) and its accompanying
  hazard (severity) by a number (say 1 to 5) then
  multiply the two figures together to get a risk
  assessment rating.
• The most serious problems are the tasks which
  have a high rating. Prioritise these at the
  beginning of the written assessment. Leave
  trivial ones to the end.
• Identify control measures and record, date and
  sign your assessment.
• Inform those affected of your findings.
• Undertake regular monitoring and review.

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So How does this affect us?

• There is no statutory definition of a private
  club, but it is not hard to draw a line between
  one of these and a an activity centre for the
  public run on commercial lines.
• This advice applies to the former.
• Where a club provides employment sections 2 and 3
  of the HSWA place duties on those in control to
  ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable that
  the premises and any plant or substance in the
  premises, or provided for use there, are safe and
  without risks to health.

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Role of Governing Bodies

• Sports such as sailing which have recognised
  dangers are often subject to these bodies to
  regulate safety in the sport.
• The HSE often works with them at a national level
  to develop their guidance. However, since it is
  the governing bodies which issue the guidance, in
  some cases it may go beyond what is required by
  law.
• Enforcing authorities will therefore take
  account of the guidance of the governing body in
  relation to any action in connection with risks
  to health and safety which may arise.

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Final Points.

• Care must be exercised at open days etc where
  the public are admitted to view the premises or
  be spectators. An enforcing authority should take
  account of the nature and extent of the risks and
  the degree of control which the club can be
  expected to exercise, and whether there is other
  legislation which offers a more appropriate basis
  for enforcement.
• The HSWA should not be used to cut across the
  freedom of individuals voluntarily to take risks
  outside their working environment.-HSE doc.
  OC331/3
• Where there are known to be employed or
  self-employed persons working at a club, plans
  for any preventative inspection should be based
  solely on their risks arising from the employment
  activities.-HSE doc. OC331/3