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Risk Management Guidance

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Guidance to help you "kick the risk"

We live in a litigious environment and associations, leagues, clubs, match officials and players can sometimes find themselves legally liable for incidents. The costs of such incidents can have an impact, both financially, and emotionally.

A myriad of legal and health and safety legislation requires everyone involved in football to be one step ahead in planning to minimise the risk of an accident occurring. Marsh Sport is committed to guiding you through the processes needed to make all aspects of your organisation safe, whilst helping you to be compliant with relevant legislation.

Please note: This web page contains third-party content and/or links to third party websites. Links to third party websites are provided as a convenience only. Marsh is not responsible or liable for any third party content or any third party website nor does it imply a recommendation or endorsement of such content, websites or services offered by third parties.

 

Useful links

  • Barbecues are a great addition to any event, but they need to be done with care to avoid food poisoning or accidents around the fire. Common sense and good preparation can help ensure a safe environment.
  • Guy Fawkes Night is a time of excitement for children and adults alike, and a time when many football clubs host organised firework and bonfire displays. However, whilst such events represent an opportunity to engage with the wider community, and to raise funds, they also pose significant health and safety risks.
  • Crowd and spectator management can be stressful and time-consuming. A seemingly docile crowd can quickly veer into chaos, sparked by a single incident. You need to make sure your organisation and facilities are prepared to handle it. Because crowds can be so volatile, they require careful management.
  • Fireworks are an indispensable part of celebrations such as Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve. When your club or organisation puts on a special event with fireworks, take precautions to reduce the risks and keep your employees, volunteers and spectators' injury-free.
  • Are you prepared in the event of an injury that requires emergency treatment? Ensuring you have provided sufficient training is equally as important as having the correct equipment easily to hand.
  • Football clubs/grounds can be subject to the risk of flooding. There are things you can prepare in advance, and also useful guidance available to help get your club back to normal as quickly as possible, should the worst happen.
  • Consideration to risks, and how accidents might happen, is always a sensible approach for clubs to take. How could you control those risks and identify ways these can be minimised? Examples can include ensuring the playing surface is in good repair, keeping walkways clear, proximity to the field of play of obstacles such as lamp posts and fences, etc.
  • Slips or trips are the single most common cause of injury and actions brought as a result can be extremely damaging to football clubs, especially where members of the public are involved. The key to minimising the risks posed by slips, trips and falls is in identifying potential hazards, both inside and outside the clubhouse and taking steps to eliminate or mitigate them.
  • The Government have published a report and recommendations around the service disabled spectators should receive when they attend sporting events.
  • Erecting marquees or other temporary demountable structures is a sensitive operation that requires a steady hand. Forgetting to anchor just one of the points can undermine the integrity of the entire structure and cause it to come tumbling down - injuring people or causing damage to property.