Health & Safety

Introduction

Island Yacht Club is strongly committed to encouraging Members to take part in sailing and enjoy the facilities that the club has to offer, but the health, well-being and safety of each individual is always our paramount concern. It is the intention of the Island Yacht Club that Members and their guests or visitors to the Club should be able to enjoy the clubs activities and facilities in reasonable safety while acknowledging that water sports, by their very nature, can be hazardous.

Whilst the Health and Safety Policy is produced by the Committee, Health and Safety is the responsibility of every Member.

1.    Our statement of general policy is:

·       to provide and maintain a safe environment in all areas of the club and activities supported by the club and maintain appropriate safety equipment;

·       ensure a safe system of work for all our employees;

·       to provide safety boats for organised club sailing activities equipped and crewed as recommended by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA);

·       to provide safe plant and equipment;

·       to offer training to those whose club duties can affect Health and Safety;

·       to take all reasonable measures to prevent accidents;

·       to record, investigate and learn from any accidents or near misses that do occur;

·       to encourage Members, guests and employees to come forward with any concerns they have relating to health & safety; and

·       review this policy and the accompanying Risk Assessments, annually.  

2.    Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for health and safety policy lies with the Committee. The Committee appoints the Club Health & Safety Officer.  The responsibilities of the club Health & Safety Officer are to:  

·       Draft this policy on behalf of the Committee;

·       Conduct an annual review of the policy;

·       Liaise with the Committee and sub Committees listed below on Health & Safety matters;

·       Conduct an annual Health & Safety review, with the appointees of the Risk Assessments and to submit the findings to the Committee.

The following Club areas have appointees to act as a focal point for Health and Safety on behalf of the Committee. They undertake or organise the implementation of the measures identified in the attached risk assessments:-
·         Clubhouse fabric, electrics and fire prevention systems -  House Officer

·         Compound, Storage area, equipment and jetties Mooring & Compound Officer

·         Dinghy floating jetty Rear Commodore Sail

·         Race events and safety boats Rear Commodore -Sail

·         Bar area and associated staff Bar Chairman

·         Cadets social and sailing events Cadet Leader
The Appointees above can delegate their responsibilities to other suitably capable/qualified deputies.

All Club members have to:  

·       Cooperate with responsible club appointees and/or their deputies on Health and Safety matters;

·       Not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their safety;

·       Take reasonable care of their own Health and Safety and that of others in their vicinity who may be affected by what they do or not do;

·       Report all Health and Safety concerns to the appropriate club appointee above or any Committee Member;

·       Correctly use all equipment provided by the club;

·       Only use club equipment when they have been authorised to do so and received training from an authorised club trainer.

The Club appointees are not responsible in any way for the safety standards of equipment owned personally. It is a strongly advised that all club Members keeping boats at the Island Yacht Club, or taking part with their own boats in any club activity, arrange their own insurance to include third party and public liability indemnity, as well as racing risks if appropriate.

3.    The Approach

 The Committees approach will be to:-
·       Produce Risk Assessments in all areas of the clubs operation and to implement  all actions   identified from the assessment required to minimise the risks identified;

·       Undertake regular reviews of the Risk Assessments; and immediately following any serious incident;

·       Maintain and provide properly manned safety boats for all club races and Open Events organised by the club;

·       Ensure that all lifting and engineering plant is regularly inspected, in line with our insurers requirements and to undertake any repairs and adjustments identified from those inspections;

·       Comply with LOLER & PUWER regulations;

·       Provide either in- house or external Health and Safety training for  employees and volunteers where there is a need and a desire, to enable them to undertake their responsibilities in a safe manner;

·       Provide an accident book that is available to all staff and Members and undertake regular review of entries;

·       Investigate any serious incidents and ensure that any actions identified to prevent similar incidents are implemented;

·       Provide a system whereby employees, visitors and Members can report their concerns relating to Health and Safety matters.

·       Discuss Health & Safety risks/concerns at monthly Committee meetings

Last updated 3:54pm on 8 April 2024