Welcome to the new TRC safety section hosted by ATICS Ltd.
The site has much content added and replaces entierly 'TRCBoatUse' at Yahoo but works are in progress so it is not yet 100% finished. the idea is to put as much information in one place so as to make it possible to educate the average adult rower at TRC in a few hours such that he or she has access to and can cover all the necessary safety information to comply with the navigational requirements fo the Tideway and the requirements of the ARA Water Safety Code.
Below is an update of the Dave Baldwin/Birgitta Kramer page that was/is? on the TRC demon website
NEWS FLASH - February 9th 2007 from the TRRC Water Safety Development Adviser
The TRRC has just pioneered an on-line reporting of incidents and bad navigation etc. a develpment on which we have been working hard for over four months has come on line. The url is http://onlinerep.vorboss.net. Information on its purpose is on on the TRRC website here and the next page All rowers are actively encouraged to use this facility and the sender can be named openly, name kept in confidence or even be anonymous. All Tideway Captains and CWSAs will be informed by direct email from the Region of this new development and its relationship to the Tideway Code Panel. Non-Tideway rowers can and should use it for all other TRRC waters. The data from this pilot study will be made available to the ARA Water Safety Working Group in exchange for some partial funding by the ARA of the costs of the development.
Chris George
Safety Code
COMPLIANCE WITH THE ARA WATER SAFETY CODE
The ARA has issued a Water Safety Code which requires all clubs to comply with basic safety standards and an audit annually in order to get affiliated with the ARA. The code describes the duties of care for athletes, coaches and coxswains. The Safety adviser at Thames Rowing Club is Anna Caffyn. Other people active in this area are Chris George (boats, rowing safety), "A volunteer needed" (First Aid), James Renwick (Coxswains and lifejackets) as well as Mark Thompson (House) Sallie Malt (Juniors)
In a nutshell
- All members of the club have a duty of care to assess risk avoid any dangers
- All members of the club need to be aware what to do in case of a medical emergency.
- All members need to acknowledge in writing that they are aware of their duties and responsibilities on their's and the club's safety. This is done by confirming by email to Chris George having read this website
- All members should log their outings in the in/out log as per instructions. (All crew members please!)
- All members are responsible to report any incidents or record minor damage
- Coaches need to train the athletes on responsible conduct on the water and while training to safeguard the athletes' health
- Coxswains and steer(wo)men need to be fully aware of navigation rules (1) and (2), hazards and what to do in case of an emergency or accident
- The safety adviser needs to report risk assessments on a regular basis to the committee
ACTIONS NEEDED
1) Communication:
It is a requirement for all the members to acknowledge that they are aware of our procedures, not only with the Safety Audit in mind but also for their own good.
It is a requirement of the Captain that any user of a TRC boat or launch must have read the contents of the two safety 'mandatory' sections and sent me, Chris George, an email as described below.
A list of those who have and who have not confirmed to Chris George that they have read all the contents of the two "mandatory" sections on the "Safety" section of this website, is in the form of an excel spreadsheet but is hidden for data protection purposes. Please ask individually if you are in doubt.
The text to be used for such confirmation to Chris is as follows
"I have read all the 'Mandatory Tideway' and 'Mandatory Club' information on the website http://thamesrc.atics.co.uk/cms/safety/ "
It is updated from time to time and is available from him on request. It will be placed on this site as soon as a secure way of publishing it can be found.
So far about 190 have signed and 130, mainly women and lone scullers, have not and are in breach of the Captain's requirements to do this before using TRC boats.
2) Responsibility: Safety and the informantion on this website need to be addressed in a meeting with the coaches. We need to ensure that they are fully aware of their duties and rights as they are the first port of call for all our athletes.
3) First Aid and checking life vests:
We need put up more guidance on what to do in case of emergencies. We will screen the life vests and have a meeting with the coxswains to ensure that they are aware of risks and safety measures.
WHAT YOU MUST DO TO ENSURE YOUR OWN SAFETY
Safety for TRC Athletes
* You MUST be able to swim AT LEAST 400 metres in light clothing (more than the ARA minimum to give proper respect to the Tideway)
* Confirm with the correct text that you have read all the mandatory files in Tideway and Club sections of this site
* Know the rules of navigation (please read these mandatory sections)
* Log your outing in the in-and-out logbook / register as per instructions
* Report incidents or damage to boats (please also see Accident Log and Damage log at entry of club)
* Assist any fellow water user in distress (please read First Aid guidance)
* Read the ARA Water Safety code (copies available in club and on this page)
* Using a boat is only allowed when you have the specific permission to do so (please see the Allocation files and work out who to ask)
* When going out at night including in the evening or at dawn, attach 2 white lights (with 180 degree spread so a "normal" torch is NOT suitable) to bow and stern of your boat and take a spare
* Know how to make an emergency stop and take a steering test when you are the designated steersperson (see Chris George and/or read the page)
* Avoid injury whilst training by warming up, stretching and focusing on technique
Safety for TRC Coxswains
* You MUST be able to swim AT LEAST 400 metres in light clothing.
* Always dress suitably, wearing several layers to keep warm, particularly around the lower back and head. Have some waterproof clothing available.
* Know the rules of navigation (please read these mandatory sections)
* Log your outing in the in-and-out logbook / register as per instructions with ALL crew names
* Report any incident or damage to boats (please see Accident Log and Damage log at entry of club)
* Read the ARA Water Safety code (copies available in club and on this page)
* Using a boat is only allowed when you have the specific permission to do so (please see Allocation files)
* When going out at night including in the evening or at dawn, attach 2 white lights (with 180 degree spread so a "normal" torch is NOT suitable) to bow and stern of your boat and take a spare
* Know how to make an emergency stop and take a steering test when you are the designated steersperson (see Chris George and read the page)
* Make sure such wellies are loose enough to be slipped off easily in the water.
* NEVER fasten any weight to yourself, or yourself to the boat.
- You and your crew know how to get in and out of the boat safely.
- Your crew know make an emergency stop quickly and safely.
- Your crew know how to move a boat forwards, backwards and around.
- You know how to steer a boat.
- You know when the river is in a safe condition.
- The boat is in a safe condition.
- If you are in a novice crew, you have a coach present BEFORE you go on the water.
Safety for TRC coaches and launchdrivers
* Wear a life jacket
* You MUST be able to swim AT LEAST 400 metres in light clothing.
* Confirm with the correct text that you have read all the mandatory files in Tideway and Club sections of this site
* Know the rules of navigation (please read this website's mandatory sections)
* Ensure your crew has entered the outing in the in-and-out logbook / register as per instructions
* Report any incident or damage to boats (please see Accident Log and Damage log at entry of club)
* Assist any fellow water user in distress (please be competent in first aid)
* Read the ARA Water Safety code (copies available in club and on this page)
* Use a launch only when you have the specific permission to do so
* When going out at night including in the evening or at dawn, attach 2 (180 degree) white lights to both ends of your boat and take a spare
* Check fuel and First aid kit are present in the boat
* Attach the safety pin kill cord of the outboard appropriately
WHAT TO DO IN CASE…
1) You have an accident or damage the boat…
All cases of accident involving ANY injury to persons and/or "serious" damage to equipment (this is defined by the Region as any damage of £100 VALUE or more), MUST be notified in writing to the RWSA as instructed in this page (and in the TRC accident log as well as the TRC DAMAGE log). Keeping such records will assist both the Club and the Region to identify trends on a local and the ARA at a national level. The observation of trends and unforeseen incidents form a valuable part of any future risk assessment.
Reports must contain
* A detailed summary of the incident, including date, time, names of boats, the ID number and crew members; and light, wind and stream conditions.
* A sketch, showing boats, obstructions, direction of travel and stream.
* Statements by those involved and by witnesses in other boats or on the bank.
* If the accident requires first aid treatment then the name of the first aider should also be recorded, and the treatment given.
* Details of hospitals, doctors or any other agency, involved.
* The report should be signed and dated by the Club Safety Adviser and an Officer of the Club.
* "Reports should be filled in as soon as practical after the event, certainly within 24 hours. Copies should be kept for at least four years."
2) If you see something at the club that you consider unsafe
The majority of the work done at the club is voluntarily so if you can do something about it, please do so immediately. Do report to Chris George and Mark Thompson if it concerns the house, building; Alan Hawes or Neil Grennan-Heavan if it is boats and boat use. Leave a note on the Safety notice board in the Crew room.