SASA OPEN WATER SWIMMING. Safety Officer Training

SASA OPEN WATER SWIMMING Safety Officer Training 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION... 4 1.1 Structure of this Course... 4 1.1.1 Group Workshop Session... 4 1.1.2 Duties/Mentoring... 4 1.1.3 Competency Sign-off... 4 1.1.4 Final Assessment... 4 1.2 How to Use This Workbook... 4 1.3 Elements of Training... 5 1.4 Record of Duties/Mentoring... 5 1.5 Certification of Competencies... 5 1.6 Completion and Final Assessment... 6 2 FINA RULES THE SAFETY OFFICER... 6 3 IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT... 7 3.1 Venue and Course... 7 3.2 In the Lead-up to the Event... 7 3.2.1 General Duties... 7 3.2.2 Water Quality... 8 3.2.3 Other Hazards... 8 3.2.4 The Course... 9 3.2.5 Safety Cover... 9 3.2.6 First Aid... 10 4 ORGANISATION ON THE DAY... 11 4.1 Tasks for the Safety Officer... 11 4.2 Water Temperature and Weather... 11 4.3 Communication... 11 4.4 Briefing the Race Officials... 12 4.5 Briefing the Safety Crews... 13 4.6 Briefing the Swimmers... 13 4.7 Races... 13 4.8 Organiser s, Safety Officer s and Referee s Reports... 14 5 APPENDIX 1 RISK ASSESSMENT... 14 5.1 Hazards... 15 5.2 Control and Mitigation Factors... 15 5.3 Craft... 16 5.3.1 Fast Rescue Craft... 16 5.3.2 Escort Craft... 16 6 APPENDIX 2 - EXAMPLES OF STANDARD FORMS... 17

SAFETY OFFICER OPEN WATER Name: SASA No. Address: Club: Email Address: A Workshop Session Course Leader 1 Initial Group Session & Introduction to Risk Assessment Comments of Course Leader: Signed: Date: B Practical Sessions Competency - Elements Date Achieved Course Leader s Signature Referee s Signature Referee s Name 2 Shadowing & Practical Risk Assessment 3 Safety Briefing 4 Officials Briefing 5 Swimmers Briefing 6 Communication Plan 7 The Race 8 Forms & License C Final Assessment Pass General Comments of Course Leader: Refer Back Signed: Date: Page 1

Date & Event Competency Element Mentor Comments Referee Comments 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Candidate's Comments: Level1 / Level 2* Name Name Tidal / Non-tidal* Reg No. Reg No. Date & Event Competency Element Mentor Comments Referee Comments 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Candidate's Comments: Level1 / Level 2* Name Name Tidal / Non-tidal* Reg No. Reg No. Date & Event Competency Element Mentor Comments Referee Comments 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Candidate's Comments: Level1 / Level 2* Name Name Tidal / Non-tidal* Reg No. Reg No. Date & Event Competency Element Mentor Comments Referee Comments 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Candidate's Comments: Level1 / Level 2* Name Name Tidal / Non-tidal* Reg No. Reg No. Date & Event Competency Element Mentor Comments Referee Comments 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Candidate's Comments: Level1 / Level 2* Name Name Tidal / Non-tidal* Reg No. Reg No. * delete as appropriate Page 2

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Structure of this Course 1.1.1 Group Workshop Session Initially there will be a Group workshop session which will be taken by the Course Leader. The Course Leader will be a fully qualified Safety Officer and will be appointed by the Scottish Swimming Open Water Safety Co-ordinator. At this session the Course Leader will go over the workbook explaining how the assessment will be carried out and what will be expected of Candidates during their training period. Course Leaders should ensure that the first section of the Record of Progress Form (top of page 1) is fully completed and signed for the Initial Group Session in each Candidate s workbook. Any comments relevant to that Candidate s progress to date should also be noted in the comments section. The Course Leader shall notify the Name, Address, Membership Number, Email Address and Club of all Candidates on the course, to the Scottish Swimming Open Water Chair, Safety Co-ordinator and Technical Officials Co-ordinator before the Candidate commences Duties/Mentoring. 1.1.2 Duties/Mentoring Candidates should then start to complete their Duties form (pages 2 & 3), ticking off the Elements undertaken satisfactorily at each event. 1.1.3 Competency Sign-off When the Candidates have experienced appropriate numbers of sessions in each Element and the Course Leader and Referee are satisfied with their Competency, the appropriate element should be signed off (central section of page 1). 1.1.4 Final Assessment Upon completion of the workbook and training there will be a final assessment to gain the Safety Officer certificate. For the final review each candidate should meet with their Course Leader on a one to one basis for a review of their training and to assess their suitability for attaining the qualification. The workbook should be examined, together with risk assessments and the candidate is expected to be able to show competence in all aspects of the role. The findings are recorded on page 1. Pages 1 to 3 should be sent to the Chair, Scottish Swimming, Open Water, following a successful final assessment. 1.2 How to Use This Workbook This workbook is your reference book for the course and afterwards. It contains a wealth of helpful information, best practice details and reference material together with a record (when maintained) of your progress and the meets that you worked at along the way. It is your record, not that of the Course Leader and, apart from a couple of pages which will be removed for officials management, it stays with you and should prove to be a useful information source for several years to come. Page 4

1.3 Elements of Training There are eight elements of training associated with the Safety Officer qualification. These and the minimum number of sessions required to be completed are: 1. Initial Group Session and introduction to Risk Assessment 2. Shadowing Session and practical Risk Assessment 3. Safety Briefing (2 Briefings) 4. Officials Briefing (2 Briefings) 5. Swimmers Briefing (2 Briefings) 6. Communication Plans (2 Briefings) 7. The Race (5 Races, at least two of which should be in tidal conditions and at least two at Level 1 Events) 8. Completion of Incident Forms and the Event License (1 Event) 1.4 Record of Duties/Mentoring It is considered that the practical element of the Safety Officer training should in most circumstances be completed in about four or five events. Each session should be followed by feedback from both the Mentor and Referee. Prior experience is likely to assist in reducing the time taken to achieve competence. Candidate training is conducted with the active involvement of the Referee and a Mentor for each training session. The Mentor will be an experienced, competent Safety Officer. In the early sessions of training the candidate should be mentored in order to ensure that they have a firm understanding of the practical aspects of the role. As training progresses the Mentor should support rather than lead the candidate, assisting and directing as required. The individual training session record sheets which are to be completed for each training session performed are given on pages 2 and 3. Training should be flexible and all relevant competency areas considered throughout all training sessions. If all of the training record sheets have been used but areas of competency remain unsigned then additional training record sheets should be added by the candidate. Training session comments and feedback are mandatory in order to record the Candidate s progress. Mentoring is Development NOT Assessment. 1.5 Certification of Competencies The candidate is expected to achieve an acceptable level of competence in each element. When the Course Leader and a Referee are both satisfied that an acceptable level of competency has been achieved they should sign off the Element Competency (centre of page 1) to indicate this achievement. Competency certification is a key element of the Candidate s training as it records progress as well as the attainment of skill and competency of performance to the accepted standard. Course Leaders are entrusted with maintaining an acceptable standard and are reminded that they should not sign-off competencies unless they are satisfied that the candidate can perform at the accepted standard unaided. They should not sign competencies simply based upon a number of sessions worked. Page 5

1.6 Completion and Final Assessment Before signing for Competency the Course Leader and Referee should review the Candidate s Training Record Sheets and satisfy themselves that any adverse comments regarding observed performance of specific duties have been adequately addressed and that no doubt remains regarding skill levels, knowledge, commitment or application. Only when they are satisfied that an acceptable standard has been attained should they certify Competency. Each should ask themselves if they are happy to work with this candidate as part of their event team and if they would be willing to provide a personal recommendation for the candidate to other events within the UK. If they feel that the answer to either of those questions is no, then they cannot sign off the candidate as being competent and additional training, experience or development should be initiated for the candidate. 2 FINA RULES THE SAFETY OFFICER All open water swimming events and competitions held under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association Ltd. (SASA) must comply with the SASA Open Water Swimming Regulations and be licensed in accordance with Company rules. The Scottish Regulations are based on those of FINA, and so the duties and powers of the Safety Officer are defined as follows: THE SAFETY OFFICER shall: OWS 3.34 be responsible to the Referee for all aspects of safety related to the conduct of the competition. OWS 3.35 check that the entire course, with special regard to the start and finish areas, is safe, suitable, and free of any obstruction. OWS 3.36 be responsible for ensuring that sufficient powered safety craft are available during the competition so as to provide full safety backup to the escort safety craft. OWS 3.38 in conjunction with the Medical Officer advise the Referee if, in their opinion, conditions are unsuitable for staging the competition and make recommendations for the modification of the course or the manner in which the competition is conducted. Note that any single one of the Referee, the Medical Officer and the Safety Officer individually has the power to stop an event. There is no requirement for agreement on this. Need to know: THE MEDICAL OFFICER shall: OWS 3.39 be responsible to the Referee for all medical aspects related to the competition and competitors. OWS 3.40 inform the local medical facilities of the nature of the competition and ensure that any casualties can be evacuated to medical facilities at the earliest opportunity OWS 3.41 in conjunction with the Safety Officer, advise the Referee if, in their opinion, conditions are unsuitable for staging the competition and make recommendations for the modification of the course or the manner in which the competition is conducted. Page 6

3 IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT 3.1 Venue and Course An open water swim can take place in several different environments, each of which will have its own advantages and disadvantages. An event held in the sea can be very different to one held in a river or canal. The venue for the event will be selected by the Organiser, who will carry out a preliminary risk assessment as a necessary part of the license application. However, The Safety Officer may be asked to assist, either in the selection of the venue or in the preparation of the preliminary risk assessment. Safety-related aspects in terms of the venue include: Amenities for swimmers, officials and spectators, including changing and welfare Access for emergency vehicles Boat launching facilities Likely water characteristics, for the date of the swim:- Anticipated quality Anticipated temperature Maximum and minimum water depths Presence of any currents and tides Underwater hazards such as rocks Suitability of proposed start and finish area Adequate shelter, sufficient for all, in the event of inclement weather. A suitable location for use as a First Aid station, if required. Suitable slipways or other facilities for launching boats. It is the responsibility of the organiser to ensure that the water quality is acceptable, either by contacting an authority such as SEPA or by ensuring that the water has been analysed. It is also the responsibility of the Organiser to ensure that races are timed appropriately to any tides. 3.2 In the Lead-up to the Event 3.2.1 General Duties It is the responsibility of the Organiser to undertake the preliminary risk assessment. However, the Safety Officer must be satisfied that the risk assessment is adequate, that it addresses satisfactorily all aspects which could reasonably be anticipated and that any changes which have occurred prior to the event (including the weather) are adequately addressed. The Safety Officer should examine: The preliminary risk assessment. Page 7

The information obtained by the organiser on the water quality, which may include a certificate of analysis. The weather forecast for the day of the event, likely air and water temperatures, wind, electrical storms and so on. The venue and course(s) itself. The proposed safety cover. Any of these aspects may indicate the need to amend the risk assessment. This should be done either by the Safety Officer or he may require the Organiser to do so. If in the opinion of the Safety Officer adequate control measures cannot be implemented, then he has the power to require that the event be cancelled. 3.2.2 Water Quality An Open Water event should not take place in waters where the quality of the water poses a risk to the swimmers. There are a number of potential hazards which need to be considered; Algae Given the right conditions especially in the summer months algae can grow rapidly and cause blooms across large areas of the potential course. Algae can produce toxins which can cause sickness. It is a sensible precaution to avoid contact with blue-green algae. If large blooms do occur the Event Organiser and Safety Officer should look at postponement or cancellation of the event. Bacteria Open water swimming events are primarily concerned with bacteria that can live in water and may enter the human system either through open wounds or swallowing. Faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci are types of bacteria found in sewage and animal excreta Leptospira (Weils Disease) is a disease that can be transmitted to humans by allowing water contaminated by animal urine to come in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, the eyes or with mucous membranes. Any venue that shows a widespread infestation of rats should be carefully screened for this bacterium. Sewage visual signs of floating sewage indicate an unsuitable swimming environment. Tarry residues signs of floating oil or petrol also indicate an unsuitable swimming environment. 3.2.3 Other Hazards Tides and currents currents, particularly cross-currents, should not be so strong that the standard of swimmer expected to compete would experience difficult in navigating the course. Planning should consider what currents and tides will be prevalent at the time and date of the event. Wind speed high winds can make swimming conditions more challenging for competitors and also give rise to handing difficulties for boats and canoes. The resulting effect on wave heights may also impair the ability to continuously monitor the location of swimmers. The combination of these effects should be considered in reaching a decision on whether the race should be postponed or stopped. Page 8

Electrical storm the weather forecast for the day should be considered. Should electrical storms be forecast or become apparent during the day, the race should be abandoned. Interference on course by other boat users the course should be made safe from other boat users especially fast boats and Jet Ski s. If required, security craft must be employed to prevent other water craft enter the event area. These security craft must be additional to the provision of boats that would otherwise be required. Glass and plastics glass and hard plastics can be a hazard in shallow water especially at the entry and exit points. These areas must be checked and cleared before an event takes place. Litter As with glass and plastics other litter such as paper, cardboard, rubber products, tin cans and ring pulls can be a hazard for the swimmer and should be cleared if present. 3.2.4 The Course The proposed course should be agreed and the Safety Officer should survey it to ensure there are no problems, e.g. with unseen obstructions or sections of shallow water. The course should be checked for radio black spots. Visibility for the Safety Officer and other Officials should be checked. This is particularly important for circuit courses where the Safety Officer is on shore. For Point to Point Courses the Safety Officer will probably be on a boat. Visibility of buoys from the perspective of swimmers consider size, colour and distance between them. Note that safety requirements may dictate that the course should be amended. 3.2.5 Safety Cover Safety boats and escort craft are essential for all open water swimming events. These provide assistance to any swimmer who gets into difficulty and allows the officials to monitor the race. The number and type of boats required will depend on the nature and location of the course. The Safety Officer must be satisfied that the provision is sufficient and may require that the Organiser obtains more if he feels that provision is insufficient. Normally there are two types of craft needed for an event:- Fast rescue boats, at least two of which are usually required, to assist any swimmer in difficulty. Such craft (see also Section 5.3.1) should:- be capable of reaching any section of the course quickly. be manned by at least two appropriately qualified personnel (both minimum RYA Powerboat Level 2). carry the appropriate level of safety equipment, including blankets and spares for more than one casualty. One spare lifejacket for any casualty. Two kill cords. be used to monitor the swimmers and the escort craft. Page 9

Escort boats (see Section 5.3.2) and canoes which may be used to accompany individual swimmers or to generally patrol the course. These craft :- must be at least capable of keeping pace with the swimmer must contain at least one person capable of rowing the entire length of the course at the swimmer s pace in the event of a breakdown. can transport the swimmer s coach who can give instruction/encouragement to them and also provide food and drinks. will provide initial assistance and, if it should prove necessary, summon the fast rescue boat. Boats should be manned by at least one experienced boatman. For races over 10km a dedicated escort craft should accompany each swimmer individually. This should normally be a boat but if considered appropriate under the risk assessment a canoe may be used. The number of escort craft required is determined by the risk assessment. For example a lake swim round a circuit course where swimmers are never too far from shore would require less cover than a point to point sea swim where the swimmers need to contend with waves, tides and currents and where they will become more spread out. As a minimum requirement there should be a maximum ratio of 5 swimmers to each escort boat. The Safety Officer should also satisfy themselves that the craft may be distributed such that at any point during the race any swimmer will not be more than 100m from the nearest craft. In river or canal races with good towpath/bank access, escort craft may be replaced entirely or in part by nominated persons equipped with life belts or throw ropes. Boats should fly a flag alpha if there is any possibility of other users sharing the water. 3.2.6 First Aid First aid facilities and trained personnel must be available during the event. For Level 1 Events, this must be provided by an independent First Aid Organisation (normally in Scotland by an organisation such as the St Andrew s Ambulance or Red Cross). For Level 2 Events with relatively small numbers of swimmers, this may be provided by a qualified First Aider, subject to risk assessment. First Aid cover should normally be sited adjacent to the finish area. The location should be especially carefully considered for point to point races and a plan agreed and clearly understood if the First Aid cover is to move during the race. At least one crew member on each fast rescue craft should have a first aid qualification. Consider also how casualties may be evacuated in an emergency situation. Page 10

4 ORGANISATION ON THE DAY 4.1 Tasks for the Safety Officer On the day of the competition there are many tasks to be completed. For the Safety Officer, these include: Ensure that the tasks in advance of the event (Section 3) have been completed Check the Course and take Water and Air Temperatures Ensure all necessary Safety and First Aid Crews are present Together with the Referee, brief the Race Officials Brief the Safety Crews Together with the Referee, brief the Swimmers The Races Provide Feedback on the License Form 4.2 Water Temperature and Weather Water conditions on the day of the race such as temperature, tidal flows, and quality or wave conditions differing from those anticipated or a deterioration of the weather will require a change to the Risk Assessment and may lead to the Safety Officer or Referee cancelling the event. The decision of these officials is final and each independently has the power to cancel the event. Alternatively the course may be changed and/or shortened. In Scotland the minimum temperature must be at least 14 o C, unless each swimmer is individually accompanied by a boat or canoe in which case the temperature must be at least 13 o C. For events outside Scotland the minimum is 16 o C (FINA regulations). The maximum temperature must not exceed 31 o C (FINA regulations). For events in Scotland it can assumed that this will be the case. Mist can develop when the water and air temperatures are out of synchronisation. Events should not take place where swimmers cannot see the next turning point or where spotters cannot see all the swimmers within their zone of control. 4.3 Communication During a race the officials and safety organisation could be spread out over a large area. Effective and efficient communication between officials and safety staff is essential and is usually achieved by means of radio. There are normally two radio circuits in operation and the Safety Officer should be in communication with both: 1) Safety Circuit Safety Officer Rescue Boats Canoes or escort craft First Aid Station 2) Race Officials Circuit Safety Officer Page 11

Referee Clerk of the Course Other officials (all trained officials have a safety responsibility) The communication system needs to be checked prior to the event to ensure that it will be effective over the whole course. All pieces of equipment should be tested to ensure that they are operating correctly. Be aware that operation of VHF and VHF (DSC) radios requires the user to hold a Marine Radio (SRC) Certificate. Improper use of this type of radio may lead to prosecution. Communication plan The Safety Officer will confirm a communication plan. This will include: A check for any radio black-spots on the course. A listing of all personnel who are to be using radios. The number of handsets required including back-ups. Call signs for users. Safety messages and controls. A back up plan. For example if radio communication should fail, mobile telephone numbers should be available for use. Emergency contacts such as local hospital. In setting up the Communication Plan it needs to be remembered that course officials may be related to competitors. As far as possible, usage should follow standard radio protocols. Safety - Normal Operating Procedure The Safety Officer is responsible for documenting and communicating the normal operating procedure for all aspects of safety. This may include: The number of safety craft on the water and their role Any counts and checks of swimmers in the water Any counts and checks on swimmers entering and leaving the water Radio usage Safety - Emergency Operating Procedure The Safety Officer is also responsible for documenting and communicating the Emergency Operating Procedure for all aspects of safety. This may include: Action to take if swimmer in distress Action to take if safety crew suspect that a swimmer may be in danger e.g. hypothermia Action to take if threat of electrical storm Action to take if race is to be abandoned for any other reason Action to take should an Official, helper or spectator be in need of treatment. 4.4 Briefing the Race Officials This will be carried out by the Referee with the help of the Safety Officer before briefing the swimmers. The briefing will cover: Specific duties required by the venue and the event Safety aspects including the Communication Plan, Normal Operating Procedure and Emergency Operating Procedure Page 12

First Aid and other safety provisions Effective co-operation between the Safety Officer, the Referee and the Clerk of the Course is vital during the races. 4.5 Briefing the Safety Crews This will be carried out by the Safety Officer about 30 minutes before the start of the first race. The briefing will cover:- Information on how the event is to be run. The positioning of craft at the start and during the race. Normal Operating Procedures Emergency Operating Procedures. First Aid and other safety provisions. Instructions on the rules relating to feeding of swimmers, slipstreaming of craft (including safety craft) and interference. Where swimmers are individually accompanied by a boat or canoe which is navigating on their behalf they need to be clear on their responsibilities. This is particularly the case for canoeists who are new to the role and who might otherwise expect the swimmer to navigate for themselves. Safety crews are also encouraged to attend the swimmers briefing. 4.6 Briefing the Swimmers The Referee will normally lead this briefing with assistance from the Safety Officer. It should be conducted in a manner such that all competitors and their representatives can hear the information clearly. The Safety Officer should ensure that the swimmers have been made aware of:- The water conditions. Temperatures of air and water. Tidal and current flows they may encounter. Any weather changes forecast for the duration of the race. The Safety Officer should explain the safety arrangements for the race and the procedure to be adopted should any swimmer wish to retire from the race and the First Aid provisions in place. If a first aid organisation is in attendance a representative should be given the opportunity to introduce themselves and explain how they will operate. The Safety Officer should explain the procedure for emergency abandonment of the event, should this become necessary. 4.7 Races The Safety Officer is responsible for directing the safety crews, canoeists and first aid personnel, ensuring that they are distributed about the course optimally for safety. Radio communication between the various parties is important since the optimal arrangement is likely to vary constantly. Page 13

Note: The Referee must ensure that the race does not start until all safety craft are in position. - effective co-operation is therefore required between the Safety Officer, Referee and Clerk of the Course to ensure that this is the case. Safety personnel should monitor the progress of swimmers and identify if any are showing signs of hypothermia and alert the fast rescue craft personnel to the possibility of a retirement. It is a responsibility of the Clerk of the Course to ensure that retiring or finishing swimmers are met with assistance appropriate to their condition, so information from the Safety Officer on the expected condition of swimmers is useful to that official. In addition, it is a responsibility of the Clerk of the Course to ensure that they know at all times how many swimmers are in the water, which is useful to the safety team in order to perform head counts at regular intervals. Note that officials other than the Clerk of the Course may be able to provide information on the numbers of swimmers and their location, such as Turn Judges. It is a fundamental part of the training course of all Technical Officials that their first priority is the safety of the swimmer. The Safety Officer should complete an Incident Report for any incidents which occur, such as swimmers suffering cuts or hypothermia during the event requiring medical intervention. Whilst many aspects of the duties of the Safety Officer can be taught, those relating to actual conduct of the races must substantially be based on experience and mentoring. 4.8 Organiser s, Safety Officer s and Referee s Reports At the conclusion of licensed events, the Safety Officer should complete their reporting section of the licence form and should return this to the Organiser, together with any Incident Forms. The Organiser is responsible for returning the completed form to Scottish Swimming, together with a copy of the final risk assessment, Incident Forms and other data. Organisers, Referees and Safety Officers are expected to be open and honest in completing their sections of the license so as to identify opportunities for improvement. 5 APPENDIX 1 RISK ASSESSMENT It is the responsibility of the Organiser to ensure that an adequate preliminary risk assessment has been undertaken, not the Safety Officer. However, the Safety Officer must satisfy himself that the Risk Assessment is adequate and may make or require amendments. Accordingly, gaining an understanding of Risk Assessments is a necessary part of Safety Officer training. Potential hazards should be identified and appropriate measures to control and mitigate these put in place. This should be undertaken as an event-specific assessment which can address the issues applying to the venue, course conditions and number and standard of swimmers. This is an important process in ensuring the safety of competitors and others attending the event and should be undertaken in a structured and diligent manner. Page 14

5.1 Hazards Typical hazards to address include but may not be not limited to the following. Organisers and safety officers should assess whether these are applicable for the event in question and whether other hazards are present; Low standard of swimming ability Low water temperature - hypothermia Dangerous conditions due to high winds Slips and falls Cuts Poor water quality Swimmers struck by boats or other craft. Canoeists capsize Lightning strikes Safety of spectators and officials Breakdown in communications Safety vehicles unable to gain access. 5.2 Control and Mitigation Factors The risk assessment should list the measures in place to control the hazard (reduce the likelihood of it occurring) and to mitigate it (reduce/limit its impact should it occur). Examples of such measures may include, but are not limited to, the following; Information provided to competitors. Declaration that swimmers consider themselves to be of sufficient standard. Counter-signature for competitors under the age of 18 by parents/guardian. Declaration by coach or other club official that the swimmer is of a suitable standard to take part in the event. Information given at briefing requesting swimmers to retire if in difficulty Limited duration of event for juniors. Good access to and from water Appropriate water temperature Testing of water to ensure good quality Limited/no sources of pollution. Adequate depth of water over course Proximity of course to shore. Dissuading swimmers from using slipway to enter water Advice given at briefing on contacting GP if ill a few days after event. Availability of Fast Rescue craft Fitting of propeller guards to outboard motors. Supervision by safety boat to identify swimmers becoming cold. Qualifications and experience of launch drivers Use of experienced boat handlers and canoe lifeguards. Availability of canoes and boats for individual escort Page 15

Lifejackets available for all crews and officials in boats Postponing event if thunder storm forecast. Cancelling or postponing races if winds cause rough conditions. Ensuring radios are in good state of repair and sufficient in number. Listing mobile phone numbers of officials. Provision of whistles to all canoeists and turn judges. Safety equipment and blankets on rescue craft. On site medical facilities supplied by appropriate organisation Local doctor/hospital notified in advance Availability of showers The organiser and safety officer should satisfy themselves that the safety measures put in place are adequate to reduce the risks to being as low as reasonably practicable. A template, in the form of an Excel workbook is available (on the Scottish Swimming website) to document the risk assessment. To aid consistency, event organisers are requested to use this but they are free to adopt an alternative method if they wish. 5.3 Craft 5.3.1 Fast Rescue Craft A fast rescue craft is one with a minimum power of 30 H.P. The boat should be equipped with:- Blankets Life saving equipment Radio First Aid Kit. 5.3.2 Escort Craft An escort craft should have an engine with the capability of keeping pace with the swimmer and sufficient fuel for the duration of the race. It should also have an alternative means of propulsion e.g. Oars. And have the following safety equipment:- Throw line Whistle Buoyancy aid Compass The craft should be manned by a competent crew capable of rowing the entire course if required. Page 16

6 APPENDIX 2 - EXAMPLES OF STANDARD FORMS These are updated regularly and the latest versions are available on the Scottish Swimming website I.1 Risk Assessment Forms Front Sheet - Example Event Name Scottish Open Water Swimming Championships Location and address: Loch Tay Highland Lodges Name of assessor: Jim Gallacher Milton Morenish Estate by Killin Job title: Safety Co-ordinator Loch Tay Perthshire Date of assessment: 19/06/2011 FK21 8TY Grid reference: Date of event 6th and 7th August 2011 Contact details of site owner: +44(0)1567 820323 Time of event 6th : 9 A.M. - 5 P.M., 7th 9 A.M. - 2 P.M. Description of venue: Loch Tay is a natural fresh water loch. It is a long narrow loch of around 14 miles (23 km) long, and typically around 1 to 1½ miles wide, following the line of the valley from the south west to north east. The base venue is a holiday park situated on the north bank. It is equipped with jetty's and a marina. The race will take place along the north bank. Who is at risk? Adult swimmers: Estimated at 30 Junior swimmers: Estimated at 30 Safety crews and officials: Estimated at 24 Spectators: Estimated at 50 Others: Event Leader: Lynne Deans Other event contacts Safety Officer: Jim Gallacher Referee: Ralph Payne Technical Officials Co-ordinator: Les Rodger First Aid and emergency cover: Red Cross Access arrangement for Nearest hospital: Perth or Stirling Emergency vehicles: Emergency Procedure: To be developed Emergency action Plan: To be developed Safetly support: Shore based spotters the bank is wooded making placement of bank spotters difficult. Canoe s approx 10 to 12 canoes who will accompany the swimmers. They will spot for any problems as well as offering support until rescue boats can arrive. Rescue - Two motorised inflatable rescue boats and crew supplied by Dundee sae cadets. These boats and crew have been operating at Open Water events for a number of years and are very experienced. The boats are equipped with prop guards. One motorised inflatable supplied by the Loch Tay Highland Lodges. Turn judge a turn judge will spot at the far end of the course. Referee the referee will be located on a boat. Additional comments: There will be two radio groupings operational on the day. 1. Rescue boats and Red Cross 2. Technical officials. Page 17

Risk Assessment Hazard Register Example Page 18

I.7 Incident Report (front) Page 19

Incident Reporting Form (Back) Page 20