Making Safety Simple: A Guide for Everyone in Athletics

Safety isn’t just about paperwork; it is about ensuring that everyone involved in athletics—from recreational runners to elite track and field athletes—can enjoy the sport without unnecessary risk.

Whether you organise or officiate at events, coach athletes, or help run a club, the goal is to manage potential risks and build a basic awareness of safety requirements. This section of the website is here to provide advice and sign post information to help you.

We want to hear about near misses and accidents across the sport. It helps us understand what is happening ‘on the ground. This information is used, without judgement of the incident to support folk across the sport.

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

It is impossible to document a rule for every single situation you might face, so you will often need to use your own expert judgment. If you don’t know, stop!

Please remember: No one expects you to be perfect. The expectation is simply that you act in a way that is “reasonable” and follows commonly accepted good practices within the sport. The Home Countries Athletics Federations provide a lot of support in this area, and can be contacted directly.

Who is Responsible?

If you have control over a facility (like a clubhouse or track) or an event (such as a road, fell, or trail race), you have a duty to ensure that the premises, equipment, and activities are safe. This applies to everyone, including volunteers.

Your safety planning must account for everyone present, including:

• Participants
• Coaches
• Officials
• Spectators
• Members of the public

Understanding the Legal Side

While we want to keep things friendly, there are two main legal areas you should be aware of:

– Duty of Care: This is a common law duty that applies to everyone—coaches, officials, volunteers, and administrators. It simply means you have a responsibility to look after the well-being of the people you are in charge of.
– Health and Safety Legislation: This includes laws like the Health and Safety at Work Act. These regulations set specific duties, primarily for employers, to limit risks to anyone interacting with their organisation. It does apply to some areas of sport

Where to Start

There are a variety of Athletic related guidance available for various sections of the sport – from coaching, to officiating and organising events. This is best accessed through your Home Country Athletics federation.

For those wanting to expand their knowledge about Health and Safety, a great first step for any club or organiser is to review the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Guidance on Health & Safety for Sport and Leisure activities.

This guidance is designed as a “one-stop-shop” for sports bodies. It includes helpful checklists and advice to help you comply with the law while keeping your club running smoothly.

UKA provide Health & Safety support via email on safety@britishathletics.org