Health & Safety Policy

Helping Hoops recognises it has a responsibility to provide and maintain an environment that is safe and without risks to individual health and welfare.

The health and safety policy is applicable to all employees, contractors, volunteers and visitors while they are engaged with Helping Hoops. This policy is to be read in conjunction with the each Venue Profile.

GENERAL SAFETY

Helping Hoops shall take all reasonable measures necessary to ensure the safety of workers and program participants, including but not limited to:

carrying out regular inspection of the program venues to ensure that the premises are safe for all foreseeable incidents, including adequate run off space at the end of courts, the removal of dangerous items from the area, and all aspects of the playing environment are kept as safe as possible
ensure equipment storage is adequate to enable excess equipment to be stored in a safe place so that participants are not in danger of tripping over
in relation to indoor premises, make contact with the premise manager to ensure that all fire exists are clearly marked and always accessible and that all fire fighting equipment is clearly marked, easily accessed and in proper working order
ensure that an evacuation procedure has been created or where the program premise is indoors, ensure the pre-existing procedure is known by the coach and assistant coaches
sweep or mop the courts when required to ensure they do not become hazardous
ensure there is adequate and responsible supervision of children at all times. In this respect, adequate may mean a set ratio of children to adults such as can reasonable be expected to exercise a measure of control over the children. Helping Hoops expects a minimum requirement of a ratio of 10 children to 1 adult supervisor at all times.

OBLIGATIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES TO HARDARDS IDENTIFICATION & REPORTING

All employees and volunteers have an obligation to comply with the risk management, health and safety policies, procedures and instructions so to ensure a safe environment. This means employees are required to take corrective action as required or report identifiable hazards that cannot be immediately corrected. This will guard the environment against hazards at work. If the hazards or incidents cannot be rectified immediately, the person must report the hazards or incident to the Executive Director and complete an incident report form found online.

The Executive Director delegates responsibilities for the management of risk management, health and safety.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk management is a systematic examination of any activity, location or operation system in order to control hazards and manage risk. A risk assessment enables an individual to

identify hazards
understand the likelihood and potential consequences of the hazards
review the current or planned approaches to controlling the risks
add new control measures where required

Risk management is an ongoing process and should be carried out by senior positions, particularly when changes to equipment, layout or procedures occur in an environment.

The process of risk assessment involves the below basic steps:

decide who should be involved
identify hazards
analyse consequences (potential injury, property damage etc)
assess risk (probability, frequency, severity of injury or loss)
determine action (methods of removing or reducing risk)
implement controls (redesign, removal, new methods, audit)
evaluate controls
keep a record of the assessment and review regularly

All coaches and the Executive Director are to be aware of these basic steps and should engage them as required.

EVACUATION PROCEDURES

In an emergency, the safety or all program participants, employees, volunteers and otherwise affiliated persons is the highest priority. Emergency evacuation procedures and protocols are based on the following principles:

PREVENTION

To minimise the risk of emergencies by teaching stakeholders adequately about their duties in relation to risks and safety.

EQUIPMENT

To ensure emergency equipment is available and in working order.

Practice

To ensure emergency procedures are known and understood.

PROCEDURE

To ensure rapid, appropriate and effective response to emergencies.

In the event of an emergency, the following procedure is to take place:

the program coach will direct the evacuation. The signal for evacuation is the blowing of a whistle.
relevant emergency services are to be contacted if safe to do so.
the area or building is to be left by the nearest safe exist as directed.
coaches are to lead participants to a safe area where an attendance check should be carried out.
all individuals are to be evacuated and reasonable actions to check all individuals have evacuated are to be executed.

At all times, emergency procedures will rely on the best judgement of the program coach and all instructions from the coach should be followed. It is an expectation that all coaches are in possession of and carry with them a working mobile phone (with outward call capabilities).

FIRST AID

It is a requirement that all program head coaches have a current first aid certificate to ensure the health and safety of participants during program sessions.

Helping Hoops shall ensure that sufficient first aid equipment adequate to allow the rendering of basic first aid to a person suffering an illness or injury during any program session run by the association is readily available.

First aid equipment available at programs must be:

easily located
within its recommended date of use
properly maintained and stocked
stocked with such equipment in such quantity as is recommended by a local first aid trainer having regard to the number of people using the basketball facility

In most circumstances, first aid is to only be rendered by individuals with proper first aid training. Where it appears that a person injured or suffering an illness requires medical attention, the person should be referred to a medical practitioner or urgent assistance by way of ambulance.

Helping Hoops should take reasonable attempts to ensure that:

by way of attendance, persons participating in session programs are aware of first aid facilities provided and their location, availability and location of telephones for emergency use, the identity of any first aid qualified person available at the venue and the telephone numbers and addresses of ambulance and qualified professionals
at all times emergency access is available at venues for ambulances and other emergency equipment

CLIMATE

All persons involved in the organisation of programs must be aware of the effect that extremes of weather can have on people participating in or attending program sessions. Adequate contingencies for the minimising of risk, particularly when high temperatures or wet weather is expected, should be put in place.

Where high temperatures are expected, coaches must make reasonable steps to ensure:

they and program participants are aware of the symptoms of heat stress and are instructed to be on the alert to notice any such symptoms
extra breaks are included into the program and the session is shortened if necessary
participants are made aware of the need to hydrate regularly before and after the program
the program ceases and an alternative activity that meets a social outcome is conducted when temperatures reach or exceed 32 degrees Celsius (for outdoor based programs) and 35 degrees Celsius (for indoor based programs). A thermometer is to be carried in the first aid kit to enable reference to temperature at all times.

In the event of wet weather including heaving rain, wind or lightening, outdoor programs are to:

co-ordinate activities that do not require running on wet surfaces
seek a sheltered area for the program to run if conditions require
amend the activities if conditions do not allow a usual training structure to run and ensure these activities meet social outcomes

It is the responsibility of the program coach to make a determination on weather conditions and to modify the program accordingly.

OTHER AD HOC RESPONSIBILITIES

Helping Hoops will endeavour to maintain current and accurate participant records online so to enable coaches to access participant information quickly and easily at all times. This information may include allergies, disabilities or emergency contact details.

All Helping Hoops coaches, where possible, shall familiarise themselves with participant registration information and ensure that they have adequate access to the internet throughout programs.

Access to the Internet will enable coaches to not only access relevant Helping Hoops information but also enable them to utilise web resources to locate local emergency contact information and injury treatment protocols.