Junior Section Blandford Rugby Football Club
Health and Safety Policy |
The Junior Section of Blandford Rugby Football Club will
adhere at all times to the Health and Safety policy of the senior club.
To further enhance that policy the Junior Section will adhere to the
additional measures set out in this policy.
Compliance with
Blandford Rugby Football Club Health and Safety Policy
All the laid down
procedures contained in the Health and Safety policy produced by the Senior
Section of the club are to be complied with at all times.
At times when
members of the Junior Section are present in the clubhouse they are to comply
with any procedures or instructions displayed. Members and their
parents/guardians are not to interfere with or misuse any equipment or signs
provided by the senior club for the safety of club members. They will also
comply with any fire precautions and where necessary any planned or unplanned
fire evacuation procedures.
The Welcoming of New Players
Either a coach, team manager or member of the administrative staff will
welcome all new players and the parents/guardians. The welcoming club
representative shall where possible introduce the new player and their
parents/guardians to the age group coach.
The Registration Secretary is
to explain the registration system, currently employed by the Rugby Union and
the Junior Section of Blandford Rugby Football Club. It is essential that the
parent/guardian completes and returns to the Registration Secretary at the
earliest opportunity all documentation associated with player registration.
This includes the registration form, together with the required number of
passport size photographs, the annual subscription, Medical/Emergency Contact
details and Photographic Image Permission form. All forms must be completed in
legible handwriting and signed by both player and parent/guardian as indicated
on individual forms. Without this documentation it is impossible for all
notifications of fixture changes, emergency contact in the event of an accident
or indeed limited insurance cover to be implemented.
Young players will
be divided into recognised age groups. Each age group will be coached in
accordance with the guidelines issued by the RFU.
The coaches and
administrative staff are to provide guidance to the parents/guardians of young
players on the provision of suitable clothing and drinks whilst undertaking
training or matches. It is important that younger players have enough layers of
clothing to keep them warm during colder days.
Younger players should
be delivered and collected from training and/or home matches and escorted by
their parents/guardians to away fixtures. In inclement weather it is advisable
that parents/guardians check with their child's coach if training sessions are
to take place or cease earlier than normal. Decisions on match days concerning
the playing of matches will again be the responsibility of the appropriate
coach. For away matches the decision will rest with the hosting club.
Cancellations or amendments to both fixtures and training will also be
displayed on the Junior Section Website at the earliest opportunity. The Junior
Section Website address is www.brfcjuniors.org.
First Aid and
Accident Reporting
The Junior Section will ensure that provision is made
for the players and coaches to have access to emergency first aid kits when
either training or on match days.
The Junior Section encourages both
coaches and administrative staff to attend appropriate first aid courses to
provide emergency treatment. For home match day's additional cover if required
is to be arranged with either a holder of an HSE Approved First Aid at Work
qualification or a similarly qualified individual e.g. Doctor. The level of
First Aid cover required is to be based on the guidelines set out in the HSE
publication "A Safety Guide for Public Events". In all cases where an injury
occurs, advice must be sought from qualified first aiders. When the first aider
believes that the extent of the injury is beyond their level of competence the
emergency services are to be contacted.
The BRFC Registration Member is
to provide all age group coaches with a pack containing contact details for all
registered players, medical information forms, photographic consent forms and
blank Reportable Injury forms. This pack is to be updated at regular intervals
throughout the season.
All injuries are to be notified to the BRFC
Welfare Officer in order that action to record the injury can be taken. A
review of the accident book is to be undertaken quarterly by the committee of
the Junior Section so that any trends or recurring injuries may be identified
and investigated. In order that parents/carers can be immediately contact in
the event of an injury and first aid provide for young players, a Medical
Information authorisation form is to be completed for all players. A copy of
this form is at Appendix A. If the injury to a young person meets the
conditions set out by the RFU as a reportable Injury then the Injury Report
Form found at Appendix C must also be completed by the Club Welfare Officer and
forwarded to the RFU.
A Reportable Injury is defined as an injury
which:
- Results in a young person being admitted to a hospital
(this does not include attendance at an Accident and Emergency Department).
- A young person dies during or within 6 hours of a game
or training session finishing.
In the event of an injury occurring which meets the above
defination the BRFC Welfare Officer is to be contacted immedialtely. The BRFC
Welfare Officer is to instigate the Report Injury Event Protocol. A copy of
this protocol is held by the Welfare Officer.
All injuries or accidents
which are not deemed to fall under the category of a reportable injury are to
be recorded by coaches on the Medical Occurrence Form, and submitted to the
BRFC Welfare Officer. A copy of this form is here. All Accident/Injury Reports are to be reviewed
by the Junior Committee to identify any trends or poor coaching practices.
Advice from medical professionals should be taken before playing,
especially before returning to training and matches following an injury.
When attending away fixtures it is the responsibility of the hosting
team to provide if they deem necessary any additional first aid cover. Coaches
of the Junior Section will ensure that their players have access to our first
aid kits. Any injuries received at away fixtures are to be notified to the BRFC
Welfare Officer.
Any items, which are used from a first aid kit, are to
be replaced at the earliest opportunity.
Code of Conduct and
Behaviour
It is important that all those who are concerned with the
Junior Sections of Blandford Rugby Football Club remember that when training or
playing a match, they are all ambassadors for the game of rugby and BRFC. To
promote good conduct and behaviour there are simple guidelines which should be
followed by players, the administrative staff (including coaches) and parents.
The Codes of Conduct and Behaviour for Players, Coaches Parents and
Spectators are set out in Appendix 9 of the BRFC Junior Section Welfare Policy.
The Anti-Bullying Policy is also included in the Blandford Rugby Club Junior
Section Welfare Policy and is available here. A
simplified version of these Codes of Conduct and Behaviour can be found in the
BRFC Mini/Youth Handbook which is available to all from the coaches or
administrative staff.
Risk Assessment
To ensure that all
risks are identified a full Risk Assessment will be conducted to identify all
hazards that could harm any players, coaches, administration staff or parents.
This assessment is to be reviewed at the commencement of each season. If
conditions require then adjustments to the assessment are to be made at the
pitch. Included at Appendix C is a copy of the current risk assessment. All
coaches are responsible for conducting an inspection of their individual
training/match areas prior to the commencement of any session to ensure that
there are no hazards present.
Job Descriptions
All key club
officials have simple job descriptions, which defines the role they undertake
for the Junior Section. Not only is it important for everybody to understand
their own role and responsibility, but it is also important for them to see how
they fit into the whole picture - what everybody does and where jobs interact
together.
The Junior Section of Blandford Rugby Football Club Job
Descriptions are set out here.
Pitch Regulations
The Junior Section, Blandford Rugby
Football Club Pitches are located on the sports pitches which belong to The
Blandford School. As this area is under the control of the school and the Local
Education Authority, the Junior Section must comply with any regulations or
guidance issued by the school or Local Education Authority.
The Local
Education Authority Policy is that on all school grounds there is a strict rule
of no dogs being allowed on site, this includes any sports facilities.
The Junior Section coaches and administrative staff are to ensure that this
ruling is fully briefed to all players' parents and carers on a regular basis
throughout the season. The Fixtures Secretary is to ensure that when arranging
fixtures for the Junior Section that this policy is communicated to all clubs
who will be visiting. The Fixtures Secretary is to remind visiting teams of
this regulation when confirming all home matches.
Any person bringing a
dog to "pitch side" is to be politely informed of the school and Local
Education Authority policy and asked to remove their dog from the site
immediately. If the person bringing the dog to the site is from a visiting team
they should be informed of the existence of the recreational area known as "The
Milldown" where dogs may be exercised freely.
Parents of BRFC Members
who are under the age of 8 are to ensure that they arrange with another adult
cover if they need to leave the site whilst their child is attending. The age
group coach is to be informed of who is the point of contact whilst they are
away. No coach will assume this role.
It is also the policy of the
School and Local Education Authority that school sites are "No Smoking" areas.
As a club we are aware that a number of parents and carers do smoke. The Junior
Section, Blandford Rugby Football Club requests that parents or carers do not
smoke whilst in the immediate vicinity of the playing pitches. Any person who
wishes to smoke may do so well away from pitch side and any other facilities
provided by the Junior Section, Blandford Rugby Football Club. Parents and
carers are to be reminded of this restriction throughout the season.
Tour Guidelines
All coaches who are planning to organise a
tour for their age groups are to comply with the RFU Tour Guidelines, a copy of
which can be obtained from the Welfare Officer or downloaded from the RFU
Website.
All coaches must produce all the documentation which is
required by these guidelines.
The Junior Section Committee shall be
approached prior to any age group being informed of a tour for their consent to
the tour proceeding. |
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