Health & Safety Policy
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club
Last updated: 16 November 2023
General Disclaimer:
Members use the club’s woods, car parks and associated facilities (including Firing Points and steps) at their own risk. The club will not accept liability for any accidents,
The club does not offer refunds on memberships which have been cancelled for any reason.
Policy Statement
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club is committed to ensuring that it will do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent injury and damage to property. We will have due regard for protecting all other people who come into contact with the club’s activities.
When dealing with health and safety issues officials, members, and volunteers carrying out activities have a clear understanding of the need to operate within the context of this policy and arrangements.
Officials, members, and volunteers involved in events or work parties will take all reasonable steps to safeguard all those taking part in activities and those who may be affected by them.
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club will cooperate with other organisations (landowners etc) to ensure risks are properly controlled.
Health and Safety Arrangements: Duty of Care
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club requires that all people involved in organising activities, work parties and day to day management consider the consequences of their acts and omissions and ensure that those acts/or omissions do not give rise to a foreseeable risk of injury to any other person.
Risk Assessment
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club will ensure that suitable risk assessments are carried out and the results of the assessments are implemented. The aim of risk assessment is to avoid harm and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of all involved or who may be affected by an activity (work or leisure). As members of Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club, administrators and event organisers have not only a moral but also a legal responsibility to ensure that club activities and any organised events are as safe as practicably possible. Risk assessments will be carried out with a view of minimising risk as well as reducing the likelihood of accidents happening; in the event of an accident, it will also reduce the chance of serious injury or ill health
Risk Assessment procedures require the assessors to consider
⦁ Hazards – anything that has potential to cause harm.
⦁ Who could be affected
⦁ Measures already in place – to avoid possible harm
⦁ Risk – the likelihood that something could happen on a scale of ‘high’, ‘medium’, ‘low’
⦁ Further actions – what more can be reasonably done to reduce the likelihood of an accident happening.
The Risk Assessment document will be completed and signed by the responsible person (administrator or organiser), key actions will be conveyed (where appropriate read and understood) to all participating so that they know and understand what is expected of them.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsible officers for the Club – Committee members.
Will ensure this policy is adhered to, ensure risk assessments have been carried out brief other officials/participants on all matters relating to organisational activities especially risk management and allocation of equipment and resources.
Officials & Organisers
Club officials, committee members, administrators and/or organisers of a work activity or event are primarily responsible for ensuring safety is properly managed. They have the responsibility to undertake all measures available to ensure the safety and well-being of all persons taking part in an activity or event and those who could be affected by the event. The success of an event depends on effective management. The event organiser must ensure that there is effective:
⦁ Planning
⦁ Delegation
⦁ Resources allocation (people and equipment)
⦁ Decisions making
⦁ Clear (and effective) communication
Responsibilities of volunteers
⦁ Turn up at venue in sufficient time to prepare for the event/activity.
⦁ Attend briefing (and debriefing)
⦁ Carry out allocated duties in a professional manner
Procedures when working with young people
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club may from time to time organises events on its ranges to encourage young people to take up Shooting. Juveniles must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is responsible for their safety and well-being at all times during the event.
Incident reporting procedure
⦁ In the event of an incident or accident involving personal injury the following procedures must be followed:
⦁ All injuries other than minor cuts and abrasions should be recorded on ‘accident forms’. It is a requirement that both the injured party (if feasible) and the responsible person sign the form. If the circumstances of the accident are not clear – notes of the accident must be made on the form.
⦁ If there are doubts about the nature or seriousness of the injury, the responsible person will ensure the injured person is given appropriate medical attention as soon as possible.
Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club Environmental Policy
As a responsible shooting club Carisbrooke Rifle and Pistol Club committee will manage all our venues to ensure that the environment is placed at the centre of our considerations and objectives. The club will provide and maintain a healthy environment that fully meets the requirements of Environment Agency law and codes of practice and associated legislation. We will cooperate with all environmental agencies and will act on their recommendations and advice in consideration of:
⦁ Safeguarding of the natural environment
⦁ Sympathetic management of venues ensuring a natural and visually appealing appearance
⦁ The disposal of waste in accordance with local authority regulations and requirements
⦁ Management of venue ecology
When maintenance work is required, the club will take all reasonable measures to protect the natural environment and wildlife: this will include the protection of nesting birds, woodland vegetation and woodland mammals. Anglers are not to make any alterations to a venue such as tree trimming or removal of plants without permission of the committee. Members failing to cooperate with this venue management approach will be reported to the committee for an appropriate penalty.
Pollution:
Any sightings or evidence of pollution entering any venue or water course shall be reported immediately to the Environmental Agency (Telephone: 0800 80 70 60 & https://www.gov.uk/report-an-environmental-incident) by any member of the club any such reports shall be reported to the committee as soon as possible for recording and to enable follow up action.
Litter on club venues is prohibited. Club members proven to have left litter will be subject to penalties from the Committee including removal from the club without refund, Shooter are requested to ensure they make adequate provision for long periods at the range including litter bags and the hygienic removal of human waste failure to do so will result in removal from the club without refund. Club members finding litter on arrival are requested to dispose of found litter and report to the committee.
Arranging Working Parties
When making arrangements for working parties the club will use the club’s website and social media to communicate the details and give an outline what work will be tackled so members can make a decision about their attendance.
Typical works would be vegetation control, Shooting lane repair, litter picking or fencing. Major works to venues will only be agreed by the committee and the method and by whom shall be determined by the committee.
Working party members should never be asked to undertake work they do not feel comfortable carrying out and should never be pressurised into work they do not want to do, work parties should be productive, social and enjoyable events leaving members with a sense of achievement.
Preparation for Working Party:
Before the day working party the leader should familiarise themselves with the Risk Assessment and Method Statement (on club website) and ensure that they have the tools and equipment organised for the day.
On the Day: Ensure before you arrive at the venue that the weather conditions and venue are safe for the work to go ahead for example flooding. If you are not happy or comfortable with the conditions – cancel. Better to call off the working party than put people at risk
At the venue and the work:
Before starting work gather members and confirm what you want to achieve discuss risks and hazards and make sure appropriate equipment is available. Ask members to sign the work party register attached to the working party method statement. Let members volunteer for tasks and make sure they have appropriate equipment and are comfortable to use it. Never let members enter the water without suitable arrangements in place such as life preserver or rescue ropes. Make sure plenty of breaks are taken with refreshments and members work at their pace if all the work isn’t accomplished then it can be carried over to the next event. If at any time you are not happy with the working party or the actions of the working party do not hesitate to discuss directly with the member or alternatively finish the working party totally. If there is an accident record it on the accident sheet which can be printed from the website.
During the work monitor what work is being carried out check general well-being of the party to make sure members are ok and they are at ease with what they are doing try and remain aware of any changing circumstances
Completion of the Working Party:When either the work is completed or the party has agreed to cease work make sure that everyone is accounted for and all tools and equipment are stored away and a general tidy up takes place. Finally thank members for their contribution and record achievements on website or social media.
Manual Handling
The following text is extracted from the HSE website. It provides basic guidance in manual handling and why it is important to be considered during work party activities. The lead person at the working party should make the working party aware of the risks to themselves during the initial briefing and to ensure that no one feels obliged or pressured to make lifts outside their capabilities. If a member of the working party requests help and information use this document to help inform them – remember if in doubt do not carry out the lift/activity
Manual handling causes over a third of all workplace injuries. These include work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as pain and injuries to arms, legs and joints, and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts.
The term manual handling covers a wide variety of activities including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying. If any of these tasks are not carried out appropriately there is a risk of injury.
Why is dealing with manual handling important?
Manual handling injuries can have serious implications for the employer and the person who has been injured. They can occur almost anywhere in the workplace and heavy manual labour, awkward postures, repetitive movements of arms, legs and back or previous/existing injury can increase the risk.
What do I have to do?
To help prevent manual handling injuries in the workplace, you should avoid such tasks as far as possible. However, where it is not possible to avoid handling a load, employers must look at the risks of that task and put sensible health and safety measures in place to prevent and avoid injury.
For any lifting activity always take into account
individual capability
⦁ the nature of the load
⦁ environmental conditions
⦁ training
⦁ work organisation
If you need to lift something manually
⦁ Reduce the amount of twisting, stooping and reaching
⦁ Avoid lifting from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads
⦁ Adjust storage areas to minimise the need to carry out such movements
⦁ Consider how you can minimise carrying distances
⦁ Assess the weight to be carried and whether the worker can move the load safely or needs any help – maybe the load can be broken down to smaller, lighter components
⦁ If you need to use lifting equipment
⦁ Consider whether you can use a lifting aid, such as a forklift truck, electric or hand-powered hoist, or a conveyor
⦁ Think about storage as part of the delivery process – maybe heavy items could be delivered directly, or closer, to the storage area
⦁ Reduce carrying distances where possible.
Good handling technique for lifting
There are some simple things to do before and during the lift/carry;
Remove obstructions from the route.
For a long lift, plan to rest the load midway on a table or bench to change grip.
Keep the load close to the waist. The load should be kept close to the body for as long as possible while lifting.
Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body.
Adopt a stable position and make sure your feet are apart, with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance
Think before lifting/handling. Plan the lift. Can handling aids be used? Where is the load going to be placed? Will help be needed with the load? Remove obstructions such as discarded wrapping materials. For a long lift, consider resting the load midway on a table or bench to change grip. Adopt a stable position. The feet should be apart with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance (alongside the load, if it is on the ground). Be prepared to move your feet during the lift to maintain your stability. Avoid tight clothing or unsuitable footwear, which may make this difficult. Get a good hold. Where possible, the load should be hugged as close as possible to the body. This may be better than gripping it tightly with hands only.
Start in a good posture. At the start of the lift, slight bending of the back, hips and knees is preferable to fully flexing the back (stooping) or fully flexing the hips and knees (squatting).
Don’t flex the back any further while lifting. This can happen if the legs begin to straighten before starting to raise the load.
Keep the load close to the waist. Keep the load close to the body for as long as possible while lifting. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body. If a close approach to the load is not possible, try to slide it towards the body before attempting to lift it.
Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, especially while the back is bent. Shoulders should be kept level and facing in the same direction as the hips. Turning by moving the feet is better than twisting and lifting at the same time.
Keep the head up when handling. Look ahead, not down at the load, once it has been held securely.
Move smoothly. The load should not be jerked or snatched as this can make it harder to keep control and can increase the risk of injury.
Don’t lift or handle more than can be easily managed. There is a difference between what people can lift and what they can safely lift. If in doubt, seek advice or get help.
Put down, then adjust. If precise positioning of the load is necessary, put it down first, then slide it into the desired position.