Safety Matters

[MargC]

One year we (a previous sub-committee) rejected Industrial Risk Assessment as inappropriate for fell running rules(possibly over a decade ago) because, with advice from a personal injury lawyer, there would be no benefit to a race organiser, in fact it could create more chance of a successful claim, from any bits missed out.

Chris is quite correct. The members of the subcommittee referred to were Dave Jones, Ross Powell and me.

The subcommittee was established at the December 2004 committee meeting as the result of a communication received through Alan Barlow the FRA UKA representative. Alan had met with UKA and the insurers to discuss the insurance and Permit situation.
The minutes of that meeting state that "Regarding risk assessment, the insurer stated that there is no requirement for HSE-style risk assessment, but that, following an incident, it may be necessary for an organiser to demonstrate that he has provided an adequate duty of care, and that a tick list covering his preparations would assist in this matter. ABa proposed that the FRA looked into recommending something along these lines with effect from January 2006."

The subcommittee duly reported in April 2005 and the report was reviewed at the committee meeting in May. As Chris states it was decided that Risk Assessment was not appropriate but it was accepted that steps should be taken to emphasise to organisers the importance of adherence to the FRA's safety policy. These steps included a statement on the Race Registration form immediately above the organiser's signature "“I have received and read the accompanying Safety Requirements, Rules for Competition and Guidelines for Race Organisers and will organise my event in accordance with the FRA recommendations.”. The Race Organiser Safety Checklist was also introduced - this was identical in content to the Safety Requirements but as a series of tickable paragraphs followed by a signed declaration.

UKA and their insurers subsequently accepted this approach.

As many are aware I strongly support the approach Andy Walmsley is proposing for the management of safety at fell races. It does not include any suggestion of Risk Assessments. As I understand matters it does include a set of rules but much shorter and less prescriptive than the current FRA document. Race organisers would document a race plan appropriate for their event with plenty of guidance being provided about what they should consider including. To me this would be a far better approach than the current FRA approach.

Margaret Chippendale