Event Safety & Welfare Workshop

[Snail]

I saw some details of one of these recently. The accompanying blurb indicated that 'in the near future' attendance will be a pre-requisite for all organisers.

Can this be true? It would seem an effective way of rapidly curtailing the number of events offered - and/or an easy get-out the next time your club asks you to organise...

[NeilC]

I guess the alternative would be for a club to find an insurance company who would be happy for them to send minors and others out into a potentially hazardous area without the organisers having received any training on safety.

[Slowtochide]

I guess the alternative would be for a club to find an insurance company who would be happy for them to send minors and others out into a potentially hazardous area without the organisers having received any training on safety.

Or to find an insurance company that is prepared to consider the sports performance in areas such as this over the last 30 years or so rather than just pluck arbitrary restrictions out of a hat...?
The same thought applies to the restriction imposed by the insurance company on juniors in urban races. (not that avoiding traffic shouldn't be considered but that the balance and restrictions should be determined by people that actually understand orienteering)

And yes, before anyone asks, I will be attending the next running of this course in SEOA

[EddieH]

I fear that Snail is absolutely right. I am utterly committed to this wonderful sport, but am really torn. I don't wish to waste my time and fuel attending a PC course with inevitably a negative attitude. Maybe I'll resign as a grade 1 controller and abandon organising, but as that would be very bad for my club and the sport I guess I'll cowtow.

Were I less passionate about the sport I would undoubtedly have nothing to do with it. How the heck do we exect to get new organisers etc.

Is this REALLY an insurance company demand, or is it a fear of litigation?

I know there are plenty of people on this forum that strongly believe in all this safety and child protection stuff, but from my perspective this will not achieve that, (or at least will achieve such minimal benefits as to be not worth the overall expense). It's all about saying we are qualified so that we have cover should anything go wrong.

Yet as when real incompetence happens paperwork counts for nothing as that canoe accident in the South West showed. Maybe if they hadn't had the paperwork those leaders might have had a bit more common sense.

[RJ]

When a club works for Club Mark one or more of those involved with Club Mark have to attend an 'Equity in Sport' course. No big deal. But the knowledge and expertise is now in the club and advice can be given to the committee on Equity when it is needed.

Why not have the same approach for Safety (H&S) and for Event Organisation. Someone in the club attends the course and then prepares the 'help sheets' for any organiser within the club who takes on the task. Just so long as the club as a whole is addressing the 'problem' then events in general will become more professional and less prone to 'disaster'. We are very lucky, in our club, to have a single person who looks after event safety and spends the time assessing safety for each of our areas and events. Event organisers, if you like, then have a 'tick list' of things to consider, which are specific to that area; for example, where roadside parking might be used. All obvious of course.... but you then know it has been addressed.

[SeanC]

I think rather than just stating that this course will simply become a requirement, some more information on why this will become a requirement would help everyone accept this change more positively.

I'm speculating, but is this related to the increasing number of "no win no fee" claims pushing up insurance premiums in general (and this being the price of keeping them down)? I think it would help if orienteers were aware that this is outside the control of BOF.

Just in case anyone isn't aware of this fact, There is no talk of this being a requirement for level D events (yet).

Courses can be a good opportunity to meet new Orienteers and get new ideas (not necessarily related to the subject of the course) so it may not be such a bad day out. Personally I find them a nusance as they are often on a Saturday, and unless I'm allowed to bring my 4 year old to sit at the back with me and say "this is boring" I can't go.
Good to hear that this course is going to be online in the future.

Don't let it get you down. Even with this requirement, organising an Orienteering event is easier now than 20 years ago IMHO.

[Jethro]

I have just attended said course in Edinburgh, excellently presented by Derek Allison. It is all more or less common sense and takes you through the process of filling out a risk assessment. There were several people present to be trained up as tutors so that they can roll out the course to fellow club members and others in their area which should ease the burden of attending. I believe the need for formal training is at the insistance of the BOF insurers.

[Big Jon]

If the dates and locations of courses are not suitable for an event official what happens? When will it be compulsory for event officials to have attended one of these courses?

[Tatty]

My question exactly. There is one on in my Region next weekend, but we're going up to Edinburgh for the City Race which we booked months ago (& is far more preferable anyway).

[awk]

it depends what is meant by 'course'. If the course is available online, or can be completed by mentoring whilst organising an event - fine. If it means physical attendance at a course 'somewhere near you' on a restricted date - then not fine, and BOF will see numbers of events tumble, or alternative sources of insurance being sought, which could have financial implications. Not a pleasant scenario.

When a club works for Club Mark one or more of those involved with Club Mark have to attend an 'Equity in Sport' course. No big deal.

A fair number of clubs have Club Mark now. Anybody able to outline the advantages, other than putting a logo on your event publicity, please?

[ryeland of doom]

"My question exactly. There is one on in my Region next weekend, but we're going up to Edinburgh for the City Race which we booked months ago (& is far more preferable anyway)."

This is the killer - courses at weekends will suffer attendance wise because most of us would rather be doing than yackking.

I stopped planning and organising when courses became compulsory in my then club. Miss an event or a trip to Scotland in Winter, no chance. Being positive, it looks as if this is the sort of ticky box exercise most of us are familiar with at work and could probably be done in an evening - there appears to be a tree forming with folk training each other in delivering the course, so before long it should be little more than a minor inconvenience - quickly over. Negatively speaking, it is probably a thin end.

[awk]

[quote="ryeland of doom" I stopped planning and organising when courses became compulsory in my then club. [/quote]
The same sort of reason that led to me stopping coaching - overloaded with paperwork and an interminable round of courses.