Risk assessments

Risk Assessments in Sport and Physical Activity

Definition and Importance

  • A risk assessment is a process of identifying hazards and evaluating their potential harm in a sporting environment.
  • Carrying out risk assessments ensures safety in sport and physical activity settings.

Conducting a Risk Assessment

  • The process starts by identifying potential hazards that could cause injury or harm in the sport or physical activity environment.
  • Each hazard identified is then evaluated based on the likelihood of occurrence and the severity of its impact.
  • Safety measures are put in place to either eliminate the hazard, or, if it cannot be removed, to reduce the risk to a manageable level.

The Five Steps of Risk Assessment

  1. Identify the hazards: Note down what could potentially cause harm.
  2. Decide who might be harmed and how: Determine the people at risk – these could be individuals attending the activity, staff, or spectators – and consider the ways they might be affected.
  3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions: Consider the likelihood and severity of the potential harm occurring. This will inform decisions about adequate control measures.
  4. Record the findings and implement them: Put down the results of the assessment in writing, and implement the control measures.
  5. Review the assessment and update if necessary: Conduct regular checks to ensure that the control measures are effective, and update as required.

Types of Hazards

  • Physical hazards may include equipment failure, improper use of equipment, or a dangerous playing environment.
  • Environmental hazards could result from poor weather conditions or an unsuitable venue for the sport or physical activity.
  • Human hazards are a result of human error or misconduct, such as improper training or rule violations.

Risk Management

  • This is putting practices in place to either avoid or decrease the impact of risks.
  • Practices could include maintenance routines, equipment checks, safety drills, rule enforcement, proper instruction, emergency procedures, and providing the appropriate personal protective equipment.

Legislation and Guidelines

  • Adhere to Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • Follow guidelines from sport governing bodies or local authority requirements to ensure best practice is maintained. These may vary depending on the nature of the sport or physical activity.