Taekwondo Queensland Inc
RISK MANAGEMENT
POLICY OVERVIEW
Taekwondo Queensland (TQ) aims to use best practice in risk management to support and
enhance our activities in all areas of our organisation. We will ensure risk management is an
integral part of all our decision making process. We will use a structured risk management
program to minimise reasonably foreseeable disruption to operations, harm to people and
damage to the environment and property. We will identify and take advantage of opportunities
as well as minimising adverse effects. We will assist our people to implement risk management
effectively and efficiently and we will strive to continually improve our risk management
practices.
This policy relates to TQ operations. TQ members are separate organisations and businesses
and, as such, are responsible for their own risk in relation to their activities and the events they
participate in. Industry standard practice is often seen as a benchmark for activities within our
sport.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Operations Manager and function co-ordinators, as appointed by the Management
Committee are accountable to the committee for the implementation of the risk management
process and ultimately responsible for the management of risks in the organisation. All key
personnel are responsible for managing risks in their areas. Risk management procedures and
processes have been established, based on the Australian Standard AS/NZ 4360:1999. Everyone
involved with the application of risk management within the organisation should use processes
published herein for guidance.
MONITORING AND REVIEW
The Operations Manager will monitor and review the implementation of the risk management
program and report to the Management Committee at regular meetings and will facilitate the
development of a common risk management approaches across areas of our organisation by:
• Implementing a risk management program
• Sharing information with broad applicability across all areas
• Reporting on the progress of implementing the risk management program
Ta e k w o n d o Q u e e n s l a n d I n c
ABN 55 366 224 427
WHAT IS RISK?
Risk is the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives. It is
measured in terms of likelihood and consequences.
Here are some examples of what is at risk (at a high level) for our sport:
Objectives
What is at risk?
Sporting success
Competitive results, international, national level
of participation, memberships, better sporting
and recreational outcomes
Safety
Safety for players, activity participants, members,
coaches, officials, referees, spectators, volunteers
Cost and Financial viability
Direct costs, loss of revenues, budget
uncertainties, sponsorships and funding
Compliance
Compliance with the law, the constitution and
regulations, standards and codes of behaviour,
duty of care, negligence, rules, Strategic and
Business plan
Image and reputation
Public image and reputation with stakeholders,
regulators, sponsors, media
WHY DO WE NEED TO MANAGE RISK?
Here are some examples of benefits for our sport:
Risk is inherent in our sport and martial art activity. The law and our stakeholders,
including our major sponsors (Qld Government) and our members expect us to
develop and practice risk management and loss control programs to ensure safe
environment for all who participate in our sport and martial art recreational
activity.
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It is good business and management practice
It assists our strategic planning and business planning
It reduces unexpected and costly surprises
It provides for more effective and efficient allocation of resources, effective
management of our assets, events, programs and activities
It provides for better results from projects and programs, lower costs and
increases our budgetary and financial certainty
It assists us to clearly define our insurance needs
It provides for better information for decision making
It improves our compliance with the law, regulations and other formal
requirements
It assists in the preparation for auditing
It lessens risks and encourages more people to participate in our sporting and
martial art activity
It balances opportunity and risks
It enhances our image and reputation leading to:
 increased interest from the public and members
 greater participation, leading to increased memberships
 more financial support, eg tapping into our sources (private or
government)
 a wide range of other less intangible benefits
The AS/NZ Standards sets out a systematic risk management approach, using the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Establishing the risk contexts
a. scope of the risk being managed
b. aims and objectives of TQ risk management program (including SWOT analysis)
c. establish who the stakeholders are
d. Identify the key elements
e. determine the criteria for treating risks
Identifying the risks
a. from experience, reports and records
b. systems analysis, brainstorming
c. audit and other reports
d. what can happen, lists events that might happen
e. how and why it can happen, list causes and scenarios
Assessing each Risks (analysis and evaluation)
a. likelihood (probability – how likely is it to occur?) and consequences (outcome being a loss, injury, disadvantage or
gain) of risk occurrence
i. likelihood scale - almost certain, likely, moderate, unlikely, rare
ii. consequence scale – catastrophic, major, moderate, minor, negligible
b. look at adequacy of existing controls
c. decide which risks are to be treated or accepted, prioritise
i. risk priority scale: extreme, high, medium, low
Treating the risks (action plans)
a. reduce the likelihood and reduce the consequences of occurrence, modified rules, safety rules for the activity
playing or practice environment
b. transfer the risk eg insurance, waivers, indemnity clauses, release
c. accept the risk, low risk, low potential loss
d. avoid the risk, high risk, high potential loss
e. removal of risk altogether
Ongoing Monitoring and Review
a. risk reviews
b. claims performance reports
c. audits (internal and external)
d. education and acceptance
e. progress of the risk treatment implementation
Communicating and consulting
a. communicate between affected parties, stakeholders and members
b. effective communication media, written, electronic, verbal
c. risk reports
d. risk register
e. risk management plan
APPENDIX A
The following pages are prepared by TQ, consistent with the recommendations and policies of Taekwondo
Australia to assist members in regard to risk management within their clubs.
Risk management, in modern sport, has little similarity to the issues faced in the ancient times of martial arts,
however, the principal elements of strategy and experience are still relied on for the delivery of safe and
appropriate physical activity. In running a Taekwondo facility instructors may not be faced with physical
battles or a perceptible enemy, but there are definite victories and possible losses to be suffered depending on
risk management strategies. The environment in which modern Taekwondo providers operate has changed
dramatically over even recent times and certainly since Taekwondo first reached Australian and since it was reinvented in the modern era.
As for all sports, particularly those working with children, instructors are faced with ever-increasing
responsibilities, community expectations and legislative requirements.
Risk is about possibilities and the consequences of action or inaction. Risk management is about how we, as
Taekwondo providers, deal with both the possibilities and consequences and what we do to reduce the risk for
those involved in Taekwondo, including us.
As a contact combat sport Taekwondo, by its very nature, has inherent risks. Through its many facets,
Taekwondo provides options to the student within our schools (Dojang) to learn in an appropriate manner,
balancing the developmental needs with safety and appropriateness. From our perspective, as providers, we
need to consider all possibilities to reduce, eliminate or transfer the risks we encounter that are under our
control.
There are many things to be taken into consideration in risk management initiatives, including:
- Physical environment
o Each time you start a class do you check the facility?
o Does the facility have an appropriate flooring surface for the activity and appropriate padding on
vertical surfaces that could impact on participation?
- Sport delivery
o Do you plan classes with safety in mind?
o Do you have a qualified first aider at all training sessions and first aid kits and ice packs available
when appropriate?
o Do you check whether any participants have been injured since their previous class?
o Is there an emergency plan in the event of accident, injury, fire or other evacuation circumstances?
o Does every class include appropriate warm up and stretching consistent with current health science
teaching?
o Do you have enough opportunity to ensure that participants are appropriately hydrated?
o Do you enforce the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment in ALL applicable
situations?
o Do you enforce the Taekwondo industry ‘30-day rule’ for no sparring AND medical clearance if a
concussion has occurred?
- Education and Training
o Are you and all those who assist you in class current with your accreditation for coaching?
o Do your competition coaches undertake regular updating activities in regard to rules and are they
briefed in the usual event processes before a competition?
- Governance
o As a provider, do you have policies and procedures which will protect you, your club/business,
instructors working or volunteering for you and your students?
o Do you have a registration process that enables you to keep handy:
 Emergency contact details for each student?
 Appropriate medical notes for participants?
o Do you comply with privacy legislation for student information?
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Do you have a detailed record of all injuries that occur during class?
Does your organisation have a Child Protection Risk Management Policy in compliance with
legislation and have all appropriate people obtained Working with Children clearances?
Does your insurance provided you with the right cover and do your students have participation
insurance (and do they know what it covers)?
Taekwondo Queensland encourages you, as a Taekwondo provider, to take a few moments and check the
questions above and see how they apply to your club. If you have answered ‘no’ to any of these that would be
a good place to start in your ongoing improvement of your risk management practices!
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There are some hard lessons to learn if something goes wrong and, as providers, you need to remember:
You are not just responsible for the things that you do but also for the things you may have forgotten or
chosen not to do or for things that you didn’t think of or didn’t know about.
Have you considered potential outcomes and circumstances before they happen?
As the instructor you may be personally liable for the events that occur in your club, even if they relate to an
instructor working for you who may have made their own decisions about the events that occur.
Do you have a back-up plan?
Common knowledge and common sense are sometimes uncommon things!
Anything not written down, in the eyes of the law, doesn’t exist (including plans!)
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Good planning, risk management and practice will help you and your club to:
Reduce costs of insurance premiums and first aid expenses
Reduce injuries and insurance claims
Improve confidence in Taekwondo as a safe physical activity for all ages
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It is recognised widely that parents and participants are becoming more conscious of how the sport industry
operates and their expectations are growing, especially in regard to the safe and appropriate delivery of sport.
Worse than that . . . governments, insurance companies and lawyers don’t tend to be very good at ‘I didn’t
know’ or ‘I thought it would be ok’ if the worst happens!
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As a start, you should have the following documents and records, as a minimum:
Child Protection Risk Management Policy
Working with Children Blue Card Register for all workers and volunteers
Record of student details, including emergency contacts and relevant medical information
Record of current and appropriate insurance policies
An action plan and risk management profile for your facility and operations that is reviewed regularly
Below is a table that you can use to help you along your way . . . .
RISK ASSESSMENT TABLE
Activity (what
Possibilities
are the things
(what could
you do at
go wrong?)
Taekwondo?)
How likely
is it that
this will
happen?
What would be
the
consequences
if it did
happen?
What have
you done to
try to avoid
this
happening?
What
could you
do in the
future?
Risk management, like everything else in life, begins with the first action! Be the one to start and take the
right actions!
APPENDIX B
The following is an event management checklist for risk management which is to be used by TQ in regard to all events
conducted.
EVENT MANAGEMENT - RISK CHECKLIST
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Has an EVENT MANAGEMENT PLAN been completed for the event?
Physical environment
o Is the facility suitable for the activity and in reasonable repair?
o Does the facility have an appropriate flooring surface for the activity
and appropriate padding on vertical surfaces that could impact on
participation?
Sport delivery
o Has the activity been planned with safety in mind?
o Do all coaches have current accreditation and appropriate Working
with Children Checks completed and current?
o Is there a designated currently qualified first aider at the activity and
first aid kits and ice packs available when appropriate?
o Have all participants confirmed their suitability to participate?
o Is there an emergency plan in the event of accident, injury, fire or
other evacuation circumstances?
o If there are training sessions for which TQ is responsible, do they
include appropriate warm up and stretching consistent with current
health science teaching?
o Are there enough opportunity to ensure that participants are
appropriately hydrated?
o Do all activities enforce the wearing of appropriate personal protective
equipment in ALL applicable situations?
o Has there been consideration and enforcement of the Taekwondo
industry ‘30-day rule’ for no sparring AND medical clearance if a
concussion has occurred?
Education and Training
o Do all coaches involved have current accreditation for coaching?
o Do coaches undertake regular updating activities in regard to rules
and are they briefed in the usual event processes before a competition?
Governance
o Is there a registration process that provides for accessible record of:
 Emergency contact details for each participant?
 Appropriate medical notes for participants?
o Does event record handling comply with privacy legislation for
information?
o Is there a detailed record of appropriate injuries that occur during
activities?
o Have all appropriate people obtained or applied for (where applicable)
Working with Children clearances?
o Is the event appropriately covered by applicable insurances and do
participants have appropriate insurance (and do they know what it
covers)?
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APPENDIX C
RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR TQ EVENTS
TQ facilitates a range of events and activities throughout the year and the following processes apply:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
An event plan is to be completed for all activities, including:
a. An EVENT MANAGEMENT PLAN for all tournaments
b.A TRAINING SESSION PLAN for all physical training sessions
c. An EDUCATION/MEETING PLAN for all meetings and seminars
A RISK ASSESSMENT TABLE is to be completed as part of that plan
An EVENT MANAGEMENT RISK CHECKLIST is to be completed as part of that plan
All risks identified will be considered for potential implications and appropriate ways to address
them
The association will, wherever possible, undertake all appropriate remedies to risks
Risk records will be maintained within event files