Risk Assessment - Personal Pages Index - University of Oxford

UNIVERSITY CLUB:
The Cherwell Archers RISK ASSESSMENT DATE: - 20/03/13
Activities usually carried out by the club at the University Club, Mansfield Road, Oxford.
Archery Practice: Monday evenings, March to October, 17.00 – Dusk, on Mansfield Road sports ground.
Have a Go Sessions, some time between March and October. Usually in April to coincide with the start of the season
Competitions: Every other year against Bampton Archers at the Mansfield Road Sports ground. Each year against OXSRAD archers at
Mansfield Road.
Hazard Risk Factor Risk management
Bow string breaks while archer at full draw. String
may strike archers head or arms resulting in personal
injury.
Moderate Recorded regularly (monthly) inspect strings for wear. Check for worn or
broken end servings and broken Discard strings with broken strands and
repair strings with worn servings.
Bow limb or riser fails while archer at full draw. Parts
of limb (including glass/carbon fibres) Or
wooden/metallic parts of riser may strike archers
head or arms resulting in jury to the struck part. In
extreme cases this may include damage to or loss of an
eye or in the case of a metallic riser, maxilo-facial
fractures.
Worn or damaged arrow or part thereof fails during
shot. Damaged nocks may result in arrow leaving bow
Unpredictably or result in a dry loose. Damaged carbon
or old/worn fibreglass arrows may "explosively"
delaminate resulting in personal injury to the archer.
Release aid rope or other mechanical release failure..
This may result in facial injury.
Moderate
Low
Low
Recorded regularly (monthly) inspect limbs for signs of cracks or splits. Warn
new archers against "dry loosing" bows as this may promote early failure.
Discard and replace limbs thought to be damaged or unsafe on inspection. Do
NOT fit Fast flight or similar string to wooden bows.
Recorded regularly (monthly) inspect arrows for loose or damaged nocks.
Check for loose piles. Replace any loose or damaged nocks or piles. Examine
carbon and fibreglass arrows for cracks or signs of de-lamination. Discard
any showing signs of damage - do NOT attempt to repair.
Recorded regularly (monthly) inspect release aid ropes for wear. Replace any
showing significant wear. Instruct archers in the proper use of release aids
and how to avoid triggering during the draw.
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Personal safety
Hazard Risk Factor Risk management
Archers hair, clothing, jewellery, body piercing,
badges, buttons etc become entangled with string on
loose resulting in personal injury.
Moderate Ensure archers tie back long hair and remove loose/dangling jewellery which
might entangle with bow string. Instruct new archers in appropriate clothing
for the sport.
Equipment assembly/use
Hazard Risk factor Risk management
Limb bolts work loose resulting in bow coming apart in
use. Consequences as per failure of bow limb or riser.
Archer attempting to disassemble limbs without first
de-stringing the bow may receive personal injury when
limbs "let down" unexpectedly.
Moderate Instruct archers in correct assembly of equipment including limb assembly
and stringing / de-stringing. Recorded regularly (annually) inspect limb bolts
and nuts for signs of excess wear. Check novices‟ bow setup before shooting.
Target boss / stand mishandled. Target boss may fall
on archer resulting in personal injury.
Target boss / stand not secured. Target boss may fall
on archer resulting in personal injury or damage to
arrows.
Archers arrows too short. Arrows may be drawn off
the arrow rest and may be loosed into the bow hand.
Use of inappropriate draw weight bow. may result in
muscular or other soft tissue injury.
New archers may mis loose the bow resulting in the
string striking the archers elbow / forearm.
Risk from arrows in ground / target. Arrows which
have fallen short of or behind the target may cause
personal injury if walked / run into. Arrows in the
target represent a hazard to approaching the target
and may result in personal injury.
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Moderate
High
Moderate
Instruct archers in the handling of bosses/stands. A boss weighs more than
twice the permitted HSE "per person load". Instruct archers not to lift
bosses alone and in correct technique for mounting boss on stand.
Always have 2 people moving bosses to and from stands.
Instruct archers in method for securing bosses to stand / ground. Do not
allow shooting to commence until all targets appropriately secured.
Check arrow length for all new archers using the prescribed technique. Issue
only arrows of required minimum length. Do NOT allow archers to shoot if
arrows of the required length are unavailable.
Instruct beginners with light weight bows (18 - 20 lb @28"). Ensure archers
purchasing own equipment receive appropriate advice.
Ensure all archers use appropriate arm protection and beginners are closely
supervised. Ensure archers are instructed as to correct technique for
positioning bow arm.
Instruct archers in these hazards and of the importance of approaching the
target with caution. Instruct new archers in the correct technique for
drawing arrows from the boss. Do NOT allow anyone to run on the range or to
wear open toed shoes. Ensure lost arrows are reported and every effort is
made to locate them.
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Control of shooting
Hazard Risk Factor Risk management
Inadequate control of shooting may result in personal
injury to an archer or spectator.
Low
Shooting MUST always be under the control of an experienced Archer acting
as The Field Captain or a qualified Judge. All Archers must understand that
this person is in charge of the shoot and must obey his/her commands.
Incorrect range layout results in personal injury to
spectators or archers.
Arrows inadvertently shot outside of safety area may
result in personal injury to spectators or archers
A person or animal straying into the safety area may
receive personal injury from arrow or other equipment
projected towards the target.
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Low
Low
Low
The range MUST be secure and laid-out in accordance with the GNAS Rules
of Shooting. i.e. “Bows shot off the fingers at all target distances up to 60
metres must have a minimum range length including overshoot from the
shooting line of 110metres. That is 5o metres of overshoot. Shooting must
not begin if this is not the case. Spectators and participants must be advised
where they may and may not stand while shooting is in progress. A plan of the
range should be provided for all Archers and clearly explained. Any time
archery is in progress the area shown in the diagram below will be roped off
with warning signs at regular intervals stating “Archery in progress do not
cross line or enter the restricted area”. This area to be a line all the way
across the field (north – south ), a minimum of 5 of five yards behind the
shooting line, and all the field in front of this line (east –west). A temporary
padlock to be put on the gate from the field to the squash courts whenever
archery is in progress to stop uncontrolled access to the field while shooting
is taking place. All areas to the side of the range that the public have access
to i.e. the tennis courts to the south of the range shall be kept at a distance
of 25 metres from the first boss set up on the field in accordance with
GNAS rules.
Archers must be made familiar with and adhere to GNAS Rules of Shooting.
Any archer deemed by the Field Captain or Judge not to be doing so should
be asked to leave the field. In particular archers must not be allowed to use
any form of "high draw" and should be asked to ensure that the point of the
arrow is not raised significantly above the nock.
Ensure that the range is laid out according to the GNAS Rules of Shooting
and that the safety area is observable at all times. In particular ensure that
access past the shooting line to indoor ranges is secured before shooting
commences. The Field Captain AND Archers must remain vigilant and suspend
shooting if the safety area is violated. People shall not be able to enter the
shooting area without passing a suitable barrier warning that beyond which a

danger exists. ALL grounds are deemed to be accessible to the Public even if
this involves trespass. Ensure that spectators and those waiting to shoot
remain behind the waiting line. Ensure all participants are familiar with
commands to start and stop shooting. Do not allow anyone to cross the shoot
line except when instructed to do so by the Field Captain.
Archers shooting in the evening in poor lighting. Moderate Archery should not take place after dusk and the floodlights on Mansfield
Road should only be used for the clearance of equipment and not used for
actual shooting.
Other Users who may enter the Archery area. Moderate No other users are allowed on Mansfield Road when Archery is taking place.
If this becomes an issue then the Club is to report the problems to the
University Club. This is a University Club management ruling
Injury to spectators/archers from bad practice.
Low but
potentially
fatal.
If an injury to a spectator or archer occurs immediate aid is sought by the
quickest means. If an ambulance needs to be called mobile phones provide the
quickest method if the Clubs reception is not manned. Archers must ensure
that at least one phone is present at all times shooting is in progress. Like
wise a sports first aid kit is to be placed in the archery trolley to ensure that
the quickest response to an incident happens. A qualified first aider would
then be sought from the desk at the University Club or from amongst the
archers on the shooting line.
The Duty Manager at the Iffley Road site to be informed of any injury to a
spectator or archer. Details of the number and hours are to be left in the
equipment trolley. See note** below
Competitors/officials at risk from elements. When
shooting outdoors, an archer or his/her equipment may
be struck by lightning and electrocuted.
Accident occurs while in minibus travelling to a
competition. Causing personal injury.
Low
Moderate
An incident report form would then be filled in to follow up.
Shooting should be suspended at the first sign of thunderstorms in the
immediate vicinity and not resumed until it has passed.
Fill out Trip Registration form before all events. Ensure we have registered
drivers who have done the University driving course. If an incident occurs
which results in the need for the emergency services to attend or involves a
member of the Club going to Hospital then the University Security Services
can be contacted on (01865) 289999. Security Services will have details of
the Trip Registration form.
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Novice Specific Shooting
Hazard Risk Factor Risk management
Assembly of bows all aspects moderate Novice archers will watch a demonstration of how to correctly assemble a
bow and informed of the standard Novice archers will watch a demonstration
of how to correctly assemble a
bow and informed of the standard types of attachments they are likely to
encounter with club kit. They will be supervised when assembling the bow and
for the first time the bow will be strung by a senior archer.
Collecting arrows; potential injury to other archers or
archer when approaching targets and pulling arrows.
Low
Archers will be demonstrated correct technique for pulling arrows by a
senior and then observed and supervised until the archer is satisfied they
are competent.
Handling bosses and putting up targets Low Bosses should always be put up in pairs, one of whom must be a senior archer.
Novices will be instructed in correct technique to roll bosses and to take
down bosses. Emphasis on TWO people to put one up.
Novice archers have erratic draw lengths; could pull
Moderate
Ensure novices have arrows well in excess of their expected draw length.
arrows off the bow.
Instruct novice in „coming down‟ from the shot and informing the coach of
their arrow problem. Replace with longer arrows.
Archer injured during a 'have a go session' Moderate Ensure that good practice for have a go sessions is adhered to;
All targets should be placed on the floor and at no more than 10 metres
distance. Each novice will be given instruction and shooting with on a one to
one basis and only low poundage bows be used in line with GNAS guidelines.
Members are not use normal target or field bows.
All novices to be given a safety briefing on all aspects of range
responsibilities and signals to start and stop shooting.
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Coaching/shooting must be on a one to one basis and a qualified coach must
be in attendance. Only senior Club members must supervise and a senior
member must take overall control.
First Aid
**
The Duty Manager at the Iffley Road site is there between the hours of 7.00am to 10.30pm.
They can be found through the reception on Oxford (9)240476
Any injury to an Archer or spectator should be reported to them.
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