Risk Assessment

CSSC is looking for volunteers with specific experience and expertise in Risk Assessment and Health & Safety to join an advisory group to quality assure our work.

Towards the end of 2009, CSSC staged a Risk Assessment seminar for a selection of national and regional activity organisers at Keele University. The event was run by David Watt from Organising Leisure. Following a brief introduction to risk management, examples of typical hazards were discussed and what was reasonable, suitable and sufficient action to manage these at CSSC events.

Unsurprisingly, the knowledge and experience on risk assessment and health and safety issues varied greatly in terms of those in attendance. The diversity of the activities represented led to some aspects of the event perhaps being covered in too generic a way and, consequently, not meeting the needs of participants to the fullest possible extent.

After assessing feedback from this event and other exchanges, it has been decided that the most constructive way to develop an improved approach to event Risk Assessment, is to generate activity specific Risk Assessment guidance and training or, at the very least, to cluster of activities with the same or similar hazards. This would enable systems, guidance and any seminars to concentrate on potential risk assessment problems and solutions in a more specific and relevant manner.

We know that there are a number of CSSC volunteers that have considerable experience and expertise in the areas of risk assessment and health and safety and CSSC would like these members to play a key role. It has therefore been decided to form a 'Risk Assessment Advisory Group' made up of volunteers who have the necessary experience and expertise to assist activities and their organisers with a better approach to this important issue.

We are therefore looking for volunteers with specific experience and expertise in the area of Risk Assessment and Health & Safety to step forward to join an advisory group to quality assure our work, together with CSSC's external H&S consultant, and offer practical support and advice.

If you have experience and skills in this field and feel that you could provide the proposed advisory group with assistance, please contact Kate Newberry, Event Team Manager via her email kate.newberry@cssc.co.uk , providing her with details of your expertise and experience.

The precise time and other commitments have yet to be finalised and, in part, will depend on how the work will be taken forward on a sport by sport basis. The group will report directly to CSSC's Sport & Leisure Committee which is ultimately responsible for CSSC's programme of activity. The SLC will set specific terms of reference for the group whose main role will be to develop and quality assure proportionate systems that are suitable and relevant for each of the activities or types of activities being scrutinised. In terms of 2010, the likely commitment would be 2 to 3 meetings and a regular exchange of ideas and correspondence in between time.