Title | Report of Activities of [Chris George (RWSA)] for the period [22nd November2004] to [7th October 2005] |
Author | Chris George |
Date prepared | September |
The Role of the Regional Safety Adviser is defined by the ARA as follows:
· Be fully conversant with the Water Safety Code and Guidance Notes
· Assist with risk management where requested
· Receive and act upon the Annual Club Safety Audit return
· Give feedback on Safety Plans for events
· Promote safety training within the Region
· Facilitate contacts with local river users groups or similar bodies to assist understanding and resolve areas of conflict between users
· Facilitate contact between clubs and local navigation or other relevant water authority relating to local water or weather conditions
· Advise Club Officers where unsafe practices are seen to be taking place
· Exercise authority, in conjunction with the Regional & Club Officers, to suspend boating activities where seen to be unsafe.
· Report to Regional Council meetings
· Produce an Annual Safety Report for the Region
· Disseminate good practice
· Develop contacts with Club Water Safety Advisers
· Establish and maintain contact with the National Water Safety Adviser
My report to the is limited to these heads:
1 Receive and act upon the Annual Club Safety Audit return
204 clubs were listed on the ARA records as being in existence when the ARA supplied the list of clubs and audits in February 2005 of which it transpired that 108 had failed to submit an audit not only in 2004 but also for the previous year in 2003.
It transpired just over 30 of the clubs were dormant, link or subsidiary clubs with little or no actual rowing activity. Some clubs were special cases, such as most of the service clubs and the skiff clubs, not suitable to be assessed only with the standard audit form. Other assessment criteria were used.
Following extensive correspondence and communication of varying intensity and type 189 of 200 clubs has submitted audits by July 2005. Four clubs either had ceased to exist or had moved from the Region.
The RWSA was not in a position personally to inspect nearly 200 Clubs and so, in accordance with the manifesto provided at the AGM last November, it was decided to appoint others on a divisional basis to carry out a system of personal inspections and to delegate to those persons the job an individual inspection of the Club. As Council is aware this was taken on by Council in July 2005 but did not happen. Accordingly, Club audits are only to be signed in cases of personal knowledge and inspection and the approval in other cases is reliant on an assessment of the paperwork only. This is not a bad guide as some of the paperwork is seriously wanting and for such clubs I have been much less tolerant of potential problems and have reacted accordingly.
Give feedback on Safety Plans for events
In excess of some 85 events have taken place to date. Considerable help was provided by the ex-Chairman of the region in her capacity as an Umpire and, with this advice, it was possible to provide feedback on event safety plans submitted.
The main difference that was observed between good and badly submitted event safety plans was in the provision (or not as the case may be) of the Rule 2.2.3 diagram requirement. Accordingly, a website was set up by me to inform Event WSAs exactly what was required of them. Sadly, even today not all events read this! The next most common difference in approach was the risk assessment, whereby some regattas covered everything under the sun and others only some water risks. Numerical or quantitative assessments varied with some events choosing not to cover risk assessments quantitatively.
There is a problem peculiar to the lower Tideway events which have 3-lane racing in that this is not compatible with the Navigation Rules (NTMU6) and fair racing particularly at other than high tide. It is expected that these problems will be overcome in the discussions due to take place with the PLA over the next few months.
Feedback on safety plans supplied by events was provided with advice aimed to achieve a common system but allowing events the freedom to accept or reject any advice other than if it was a Rule of Racing (on the basis that Events were responsible for running themselves and should know the local conditions better than an external adviser).
Promote safety training within the Region and Develop contacts with Club Water Safety Advisers
A website was commissioned together with a safety section for communication with Club safety advisers and event advisers. Council was asked and agreed that every event and club water safety adviser must have an email that is regularly and frequently available to him or her in order to facilitate the “Mailman” Group communication system. This has taken some time to set up and should be operational soon after the AGM. When it is, every CWSA and EWSA will have access to a forum and will be able to be sent emails on matters of safety training.
Additionally, the Regional CDO has organised seminars some of which have elements of safety and one of which is to be devoted entirely to safe steering on the Tideway.
Once the Council has approved the system of Divisional and sub-divisional safety advisers, there will be in place a chain of persons down which information can flow quickly and up which reporting can be made.
The Club and Event auditing system does, in itself, provide a considerable element of training.
Facilitate contacts with local river users groups or similar bodies to assist understanding and resolve areas of conflict between users
There has been extensive consultation, mainly under the auspices of the PLA, with other river users groups. Meetings have been held at the Corinthian Sailing Club, Bakers Hall and elsewhere and there are monthly meetings of the Rowing Risk Assessment Implementation Group [RRAIG] which has all the major interested groups represented.
Advise Club Officers where unsafe practices are seen to be taking place
This has been achieved by communication with the club advisers who in turn communicate with their own club officers. There has been a welcome change of attitude on reporting behaviour inconsistent with good safety standards, particularly on the Tideway. Advice has been given and in most cases accepted in good grace with a noticeable improvement in the performance of the clubs concerned.
Exercise authority, in conjunction with the Regional & Club Officers, to suspend boating activities where seen to be unsafe.
5 Clubs have been suspended from rowing for failure to submit audits for the last two years. Disaffiliation proceedings have so far been avoided but may be needed.
Report to Regional Council meetings
These reports may be found as a matter of record on the new website.
Establish and maintain contact with the National Water Safety Adviser
Contact was made prior to my election and I have attended not only the regular meetings of the NWSsC but also am involved in the working group of the safety sub-committee which meets about monthly in between the quarterly NWSsC meetings. Regular telephone and email contact takes place on matters of interest to the region which are nationally related.
The Salvage Association Risk Assessment
A resume of the SA report was prepared in power point format and a special meeting of Council in which anyone from the region was invited to attend was held to obtain the views of all members and their members as individuals. The comments at the meeting were noted contemporaneously and an invitation issued to all to submit any further written comments. These were collated and documented as one final submission to the PLA.
Produce an Annual Safety Report for the Region
A detailed report will be prepared for publication on this based on this preliminary one.