The Importance of Risk Assessments
A risk assessment is an important step in protecting everyone who is affected by your activities, including athletes, spectators, coaches, volunteers and officials. Risk Assessments will help you to focus on the risks that really matter – the ones with the potential to cause significant harm. All clubs/event organisers should undertake risk assessments.
Assessing risk requires knowledge of the activities and this can be found in the people who do manage and participate (coaches, officials, club committee members, competition/event organisers and athletes). The assessment should therefore seek to involve those with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the activity concerned.
In many instances, straightforward measures can readily control risks, for example ensuring that storage areas are kept clear and not overloaded, access routes are kept tidy and lighting maintained so that people do not trip. In the most part this means simple, cheap and effective measures to ensure that all those involved in athletics events and activities are protected.
The law does not expect you to eliminate all risk, but you are required to protect people as far as ‘reasonably practicable’. The UKA guidance document and risk assessment template guide will help you to achieve this with a minimum of fuss.
Safe Athletics: Track & Field safety guide for competition (2018)
Safe Athletics: Track & Field safety guide for competition (2018) (Printer Friendly)
Risk Assessment Templates
The following risk assessment template and guidance document will help to help support you in the production of risk assessments for your facilities, club activities and events.
In addition the government’s Health and Safety Executive has a useful risk assessment webpage.
UKA Risk Assessment Guidance Document (Clubs & Event Organisers)
UKA Risk Assessment Template (Clubs & Event Organisers)
Blank Risk Assessment Template
Generic Competition Risk Assessments
Risk Assessments – Outdoor Track Competition
Risk Assessments – Outdoor Jumps Competition
Risk Assessments – Outdoor Throws Competition
Risk Assessments – Photo Finish
Risk Assessments – Timekeeping
Risk Assessments – Televised Events
Hill and Fell Running Safety Guidance
FRA Guidelines for Race Organisers
FRA Requirements and Rules for Race Organisers