Unofficial UK Slalom BBS

A large proportion of the wws&r course involves working with ropes which is irrelevant to the paddler. Also they barely touch on boat to boat rescue which would be very useful for paddlers sitting at the bottom of the course - at least it wasn't covered on the course I attended. The ww swimming was useful though, which included what to do when you're thrown a rope and self rescue. Wws&r is a 2 day course, I would have thought that a 3 hour course could cover what a slalom paddler needs to know.

It's what is covered in the whitewater 3 star which is done on grade 2 water.

Part B – Rescue Skills
The emphasis for the candidate is that they can be an effective member of a group. This
would include that they can look after themselves and others while paddling white water
(candidates to act as the rescuer, and be rescued):
B.1 Use of tape and karabiner
B.2 Eskimo rescue
B.3 Throwline rescue
B.4 Capsize, swim and self-rescue
B.5 Rescue a capsized, swimming paddler and their equipment

Still doesn't help us organisers who have to find people to do the event safety course on top of all the other jobs.

Regarding the Event Safety Workshop, you may want to refer to the original information at: http://www.canoe-england.org.uk/clubs-i ... ts-safety/. (Those in Scotland or Wales may want to refer to the SCA and Canoe Wales websites for their information).

The requirement is not for clubs to send 2 people on the course, but as follows

• - All clubs running events must appoint a Safety Officer and put in place procedures to ensure the management of event safety appropriate to the level of events that they run: by 30/09/15
  - Discipline committees and Regional Development Teams (RDTs) must appoint two people to take responsibility for the role of Safety Officers and undertake training by 30/09/15
  - For 2016 and beyond, all Regional and National events must be authorised by the Discipline committees or Regional Development Team appointed Safety officers.
  - Event safety training is required for all nominated Safety Officers where the event is run under British Canoeing insurance.

Follow the link above for the full information.

This is across all disciplines and activities that clubs run that are open to the public (eg taster sessions, competitions, open tours etc)
As has been said it is being driven by insurers and BC based on an investigation / learning from an incident in another discipline.

Be aware the fourth bullet point
- Event safety training is required for all nominated Safety Officers where the event is run under British Canoeing insurance.

Effectively this is liable to include all Club based activity where Clubs use the BCU affiliation to provide for public liability insurance. Where all participants are individual members of the BCU then each will carry personal cover for member-member liability. In an organised Club activity - pool session, training, river trip etc., then Club members are covered through the Club "duty of care" and hence would claim against the Club where negligence may be proved. This will be required by Clubs by 30/09/15 in England from Memory Scotland refers to end of 2015.

Not just limited to organised competitive events but all organised events and activities. It is perceived that this has arisen out of an incident during a Marathon on 2014, I am aware of one that made press with a lost paddler missing check-in points not being picked up by Race organisers. However it would be far better if BCU could formally raise this incidents and report back as Safety Flashes etc so that we can all learn rather than rely on rumour and innuendo. The crux of any real safety system is the self learning feedback loops that highlight learning from incidents and near misses.

I would strongly recommend that all paddlers have at least done the FSRT course, which admittedly isn't usually on moving water, but is probably easier for clubs to provide.

The next course you can all spend your valuable time and money is likely to be called something like 'Sun Awareness for Outdoor Activity Leaders' so you can 'develop and implement an effective sun policy'.

PS At which point I WILL resign from all volunteer activities!

Duncan may be out of date: it is already happening:

Association for Physical Education (13 March 2015)

National Sun Awareness Survey for Outdoor Activity Leaders

The Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code is the first sun protection initiative for those who work outdoors with children.
Launched in 2014, it is now supported by over 80 National Governing Bodies and outdoor organisations including afPE. This year the Myfanwy Townsend Melanoma Research Fund (the charity behind the initiative) is launching a national survey to investigate the current provision of sun protection for children in the UK.

The findings will used to promote the launch of the new Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code website in May. The revised format offers easier to follow guidelines and new resources to help you develop and implement an effective sun policy. The feedback will help generate an understanding of opinions, knowledge and habits with a goal of improving the awareness and implementation of effective sun protection not just for children, but for all who spend prolonged periods of time in the sun either teaching, coaching, playing or watching outdoor activities.

Wow!

When I lived in NZ - while there was huge national campaigns about sun awareness etc - the responsibility was firmly placed on parents of underage children.Its about teaching your kids life skills - like swimming (don't get me started!)

I would argue that volunteer coaches, event organisers etc etc had enough on their plates without have to make sure everyone has "slip, Slop, Slapped" in between training runs etc

Duncan - don't pack in, just move to the Czech Pepublic

My wife says she can never remember going to a slalom when the sun came out!

I'm not out of date that was the basis of my post, my prediction is that at some point it will become a policy which every coach will need to implement after having attended a course. As I say when that day comes I wil decline.

Phil - I am with you wife on this one - I don't think it is a policy we will need to worry about!

Attended an Event Safety presentation last night, in general I can see value in Clubs and Technical Disciplines etc having a system of nominated Safety Officers. the presentation and workshop are reasonable and thought provoking in terms of getting best practice and planning into event and club activity management. It is not a prescriptive process but highlights Risk and subsequent Risk Management so flexible and you are left to your own level of application.

However :
The requirement is a reaction to the fatality during a Thames Hasler Race, an incident where it was known that the fatality was not wearing a BA/PDF and where fellow competitors had departed the scene before a capsized swimmer had reached bank safety. So all Clubs need to have Event Safety Officers and have attended this training. This is not the first fatality at a Marathon race and despite best practice in the wider remit of British Canoeing requiring paddlers to wear BA/PDF at all times and to provide rescue and support to competitors in distress (slalom has already seen teenage girls disqualified from competition for failing to remain on the water at finish to meet this requirement). the traditionalists of Marathon and British Canoeing have no intention to follow suite. Unfortunately whilst the incident was alluded to there was no presentation on investigation, root cause analysis and findings - other than a need to impact all Clubs and disciplines. In essence we seem to be missing causal factors and solving incidental factors.

Presentation had no reference to the documentation provided in the Slalom Organisers handbook, information that is included as beneficial to event planning and organisation. It would have been good to see that some disciplines are already promoting good practise and to emphasise the good work and recognition already attributed to safety in many aspects of the sport.

It is noted that this requirements does not extend to Coaching events, as qualified coaches are already deemed to be safety trained and competent. However they could not answer why a qualified coach could not then be deemed to be safety competent as Club Safety Officer without first attending the British canoeing event safety workshop.

A laissez faire attitude to Club only events, if you are not involving non-members then you don't need a safety officer according to the guidance. I.e. the requirement is based on and presented on the chain of responsibility and if solely within the Club it need not extend to British Canoeing and hence not their problem - or is that being cynical?

Finally despite the presentation and workshop focussing on the chain of responsibility and the need for Clubs to works with Disciplines in assessing Safety plans and requirements. The presenter was unable to define either British Canoeing nor SCA Safety Director as being the Responsible party at the head of the chain. Hence best practice may fail as it is not hung off at the top end.

In conclusion it is a worthwhile concept that with proper engagement and roll out would be beneficial to the sport, however as with so much British Canoeing it is clouded through lack of engagement with the membership or volunteers and issued as a directive without consultation on a matter that many Clubs and Events will already feel they strive to fill and already deliver. So becomes tainted as yet another hoop to satisfy paid office staff that provide no tangible benefit nor support to the coalface.

I think the Event Safety Management workshop could be done using an internet based course with a test at the end with say 20 questions which you need to get 80% right. This would be provided by the BCU/SCA and members would log onto the website using their membership number and complete the course and assessment. If you failed the assessment, you could redo the course and assessment. This is how we do most of the regulatory modules on security etc at work and it should be good enough for the insurers.