Risk Assessment
Why are risk assessments for sport important?
Risk assessment is a technique for identifying and controlling hazards associated with an organisation or clubs activities. All Sports Union clubs should undertake risk
assessments.
Undertaking risk assessments demonstrates commitment to volunteers and the duty of care owed to them. They are also an excellent way to identify and overcome health and
safety problems.
Risk assessment involves identifying all hazards, assessing the risk and putting in place measures to control unacceptable risks.
Assessing risk requires knowledge of the activities. This can be found in the people who are involved in the running of a club, such as the Club Committee. The assessment
should therefore involve volunteers and coaches
A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm, such as:
 Misuse of equipment
 Lifting of heavy equipment
 Broken equipment
 Inappropriate clothing
 Wet slippery floors
 Participants medical conditions
 Overcrowding during club activity
Risk is the likelihood of it causing harm and the degree of harm it could cause, e.g. an electrical shock that could lead to a fatality
Purpose of a risk assessment
A risk assessment is an inspection which is carried out to identify any hazards which may occur during an activity and prevent accidents or injuries. The purpose of a risk
assessment is to determine the level of risk of a particular activity. Sport has an inbuilt risk due to its practical nature. For some sports, this creates part of the challenge, e.g.
skiing and mountaineering. However, it is important that risk assessments are carried out for all sporting activities to assess the hazards.
Contents
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Person(s) Conducting Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment Form
Identified Actions to Improve Control of Unacceptable Risks
Guidance Document
Hazard Checklist Examples
SPORTS CLUB:
PERSON(S) CONDUCTING THIS ASSESSMENT
Name:
Signature:
Name:
Signature:
Name:
Signature:
Date Risk Assessment Undertaken:
ASSESSMENT REVIEW HISTORY
This assessment should be reviewed immediately if there is any reason to suppose that the original assessment is no longer valid. Otherwise, the assessment should be reviewed annually. The
responsible person must ensure that this risk assessment remains valid.
Review 1
Due Date:
Conducted by (1)
Conducted by (2)
Conducted by (3)
Review 2
Review 3
Review 4
Review 5
Review 6
HOUSEKEEPING
EQUIPMENT SETUP/DOWN
ACTIVITY SPECIFIC
RISKS
COACH/INSTRUCTOR
LED RISKS
Acceptable Y/N
Risk
L, M, H, VH
Risk Rating
What are you already doing
(Existing Risk Control Measures)
Severity
Who Might be Harmed and
How?
Likelihood
Ref No.
What are the Hazards
Hazard Ref No.
Heading
Completion Date
Revision of Risk
Signed Off
Risk
L, M, H
Target Date
Risk
Rating
Action By
Severity
Revised Risk
Likelihoo
d
Recommended Additional
Risk Control Measures
Implemented
Y/N
Risk
Hazard Ref No.
Identified Actions to Improve Control of Unacceptable Risks
Guidance Document
What are the Hazards?
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm or ill health to people, or damage to property;
Hazard Ref No.
Hazards in number sequence starting at 1
Who might be harmed and how?
For each hazard identified, decide which individuals or groups of people might be harmed, in what numbers and the type of injury or ill-health that might occur.
What are you already doing?
List systems and procedures that are currently in operation to reduce the hazard
Criteria for Determining Risk Rating and Required Action
Likelihood
The likelihood of harm arising from a particular hazard is determined using the following criteria:
Score
Very Unlikely:
Unlikely:
Possible:
Likely:
Very Likely:
May occur only in exceptional circumstances.
May occur given an unlikely sequence of events and/or multiple failures.
Foreseeable under normal circumstances – a known past incident may have
occurred.
Easily foreseeable under normal circumstances.
Inevitable under the circumstances – known past incidents may have occurred.
1
2
3
4
5
Severity
The severity of harm arising from a particular hazard is determined using the following criteria:
Score
No injury/pain or minor injury not requiring first aid.
Minor injuries requiring first aid e.g. cuts and bruises. No lasting effects.
Up to 3 days absence, flesh wound, bruising etc.
Requires over 3 days off work or a hospital visit. Reportable to HSE.
Single or multiple fatality, long term disability, loss of limb.
Risk Rating & Required Action
Having estimated the likelihood and severity of a hazard, multiply the two values together to determine the Risk Rating, or use this matrix. Then, decide
illustrated by the table below:
Insignificant:
Minor:
Moderate:
Major:
Fatal:
1
2
3
4
5
on further action, as
Risk Rating & Required Action
Having estimated the likelihood and severity of a hazard, multiply the two values together to determine the Risk
Rating, or use this matrix. Then, decide on further action, as illustrated by the table below:
Severity
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
1
10
8
6
4
2
2
15
12
9
6
3
3
20
16
12
8
4
4
25
20
15
10
5
5
Likelihood
A Guide to Required Action
Risk Rating
Risk
17-25
Very high (VH)
10-16
High (H)
4-9
Medium (M)
1-3
Low (L)
Risk L, M, H, VH
As above guidance indicate level of risk
Acceptable Y / N
Indicate if hazard acceptable
Identified Actions to Improve Control of Unacceptable Risk
(Note: Assessors may propose more stringent actions depending
on the circumstances)
Stop work activity immediately and make
improvements to risk controls.
Improve risk control measures, within a specified
timescale.
Plan to improve risk control measures at time of
next review, or sooner.
No further action, but ensure risk control measures
remain effective.
Hazard Checklist Examples
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
1.11
INDOOR HAZARDS
Inappropriate lighting
Temperature
Insufficient or unsuitable space
Untidiness – causing trip / fire hazard
Stairs – dark / steep / no handrail
Lack of fire escapes / extinguishers / procedures
Slip / trip / fall hazards
Inadequate ventilation
Inhalation of dust
Poor surfaces for activities – slips / trips / impact
Electrical hazards
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.11
HAZARDS ON HILLS AND MOUNTAINS
Slips & trips on grass, mud, rock
River crossings
Remote locations
Difficult communication – weather / distance
Falling debris
Extra work imposed by terrain type / angle
Lack of shelter
Separation of group members
Getting lost
Falls from height
Extremes of weather
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
22.2
2
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10
3.11
3.12
3.13
3.14
3.15
3.16
22.2
2
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.11
4.12
SPORTING ACTIVITY HAZARDS
Uneven playing surface
Playing surface too hard or soft
Hard or sharp objects on pitch
Sliding on Astroturf or tarmac
Collisions / Conflict with surrounding objects or people
Impact from sports equipment
Contact sport injury
Personal injury – fracture / sprains / cuts
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
PEOPLE & ORGANISATIONAL HAZARDS
Lack of information, training or instruction
Poor activity planning or preparation
Poor activity delivery or organisation
Ignorance of rules and / or procedures
Unsafe behaviour or attitude
Lack of appropriate first aid equipment and experience
Medical conditions of participants
Poor safety control from group leaders
6.9
Poor safety awareness from participants
6.11
6.12
6.13
6.14
6.15
6.17
6.18
2.22
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
Lack of cooperation within group
Differing skill levels within group
Low level of physical fitness / strength
Aggression between participants
Aggression from crowd / public
Under 18’s
Contact between participants increasing risk
USE BY UNTRAINED ERSONS NAUGHTY
EQUIPMENT AND OTHER HAZARDS
Cash handling
Transport to and from your activity
Food poisoning
Hazardous substances
Equipment with moving / hot parts
Heavy equipment
Electrical hazards from equipment
Noise from equipment
7.9
Risk of trapping body / clothing in equipment
7.10
7.11
7.12
22.22
USE BY
Inadequate environment for equipment operation
Inadequate protective equipment
Equipment in unsuitable condition
4.13
Remote locations
USE BY UNTRAINED PERSONS NAUGHTY
YE
HAZARDS ON COASTS & COASTAL WATERS
Falls from cliffs, piers, sea walls
Struck by falling objects from cliff
Slips & falls on slopes / loose surfaces
Quick sand & mud
Access problems due to steep angle of beach slope
Collisions between water users
Swept away by wave surges
Being washed against rocks / piers
Low water temperatures
Communication problems from waves / swell / distance
Struck by objects in water
Stranded by tides
Swept away by currents
Rip tides
Longshore drift
Conflicts between beach users
UNTRAINED PERSONS NAUGHTY
HAZARDS ON STILL / MOVING WATER
Getting swept away from equipment or people
Collision with rocks in and to sides of rivers
Striking / trapping by submerged obstacles
Being dragged down by undertow
Restricted or impossible access to / from water
Access problems – rescue / getting kit into water
Falls from drops in level at weirs / waterfalls
Getting out of depth
Low water temperature
Separation from other people
Slips / trips on steep banks or uneven surfaces
Difficult communications
YE
UNTRAINED PERSONS NAUGHTY
YS
8
OTHER HAZARDS SPECIFIC TO YOUR ACTIVITY
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
ES