Risk assessment is a technique for identifying and controlling hazards associated with an organisation’s activities. All rugby clubs should undertake risk assessments.
Undertaking risk assessments demonstrates commitment to employees/volunteers and the duty of care owed to them. They are also an excellent way to identify and overcome health and safety problems.
Risk assessment involves identifying all hazards, assessing the risk and putting in place measures to control unacceptable risks, e.g. replacing a faulty socket.
Assessing risk requires knowledge of the work activities. This can be found in the people who do the work. The assessment should therefore involve employees and volunteers.
A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm, e.g. the faulty electrical socket.
Risk is the likelihood of it causing harm and the degree of harm it could cause, e.g. an electrical shock that could lead to a fatality.
Risk assessment resources
To help clubs to assess the risks within your premises we have worked with the RFU and our insurers to create an online risk assessment tool. Please click here to access this tool.
The Health and Safety Executive has a useful risk assessments webpage http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm and useful guidance http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.htm
All public and community buildings are obliged under various Regulations and Acts to reduce the risk of fire. You should carry-out a Fire Risk Assessment and seek advice from your local fire brigade.
Please see https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities
Further health and safety support is available from the RFU Legal Helpline. Call 0330 303 1877.
If you have furtrher queries you can get information from the HSE website here
CLICK HERE to find out about the online Risk Assessment Tool, developed by the RFU to help clubs to assess the risks within your premises
Please find below links for assistance on returning to rugby:
Community Game Guidance Update - 2 June 2020
Return to rugby road map: Community Game
Detailed guidance - return to rugby activity
Please find below links to various RFU Health & Safety guidance documents.
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