Alderford Lake Health & Safety

Notes

Location of AED: On wall of Admissions.

Location of First Aid Kit: Inside Admissions, Inside Medical Room.

General Route Hazards:

- Take care entering and exiting the water. Surfaces can be slippery.

- Paddlers to spread out on the water to avoid collisions.

- Shallow water at edges of the lake - Start on knees until in deep water.

- Follow route anti-clockwise around lake, watching out for other water users. In addition to AquaPaddlers, there may be other paddlers and swimmers.

- The route includes some tight technical turns - take care to avoid capsize and/or paddling into the bank.

Risk Assessment

Alderford Lake risk assessment was reviewed by Danny Shuker (Captain) on 20 February 2024.

On Water hazards

Hazard	Who is at risk?	Duration	Inherent risk	Residual risk	Control measures	Further action required
Collisions	Paddlers, Crew	Constant	Possible chance of a Minor incident	Remote chance of a Minor incident	Paddlers instructed to be aware of other water users and to give space to each other. If overtaking, paddlers must give plenty of space. During busy times (e.g. in summer) when there are other water users, paddlers instructed to be vigilant and give plenty of space. Included in safety briefing and site waiver.	Safety briefing before every event.
Entrapment	Paddlers, Crew	Briefly	Possible chance of a Major incident	Improbable chance of a Lost Time incident	Paddlers should be competent and able to self-rescue. Crew are able to carry out rescues/assistance if required, with in-house training provided. Captain to hold a rescue qualification.	Crew to remain vigilant for any entrapment hazards on the water and report any concerns.
Water Quality	Paddlers, Crew	Constant	Possible chance of a Serious incident	Improbable chance of a Minor incident	Water quality is regularly monitored, including micro and algae sampling. Results are available online and on-site.	Paddlers and crew should report any concerns to the Captain and/or Alderford Lake.
Wildlife	Paddlers, Crew	Briefly	Possible chance of a Minor incident	Improbable chance of a Minor incident	Crew to advise paddlers to stay clear of wildlife.	Crew to remain vigilant for any wildlife. Briefing to be carried out before each event.

Medical hazards

Hazard	Who is at risk?	Duration	Inherent risk	Residual risk	Control measures	Further action required
Drowning	Paddlers, Crew	Majority	Remote chance of a Major incident	Improbable chance of a Lost Time incident	Paddlers are required to be able to swim and wear a buoyancy aid on the water.	Life Buoys are positioned around the lake. Rescue trained crew members are available during the event.
Hypothermia / Hyperthermia	Paddlers, Crew	Minority	Remote chance of a Minor incident	Remote chance of a Minor incident	Participants advised to wear appropriate equipment for the conditions. Crew members have wetsuits available to wear. Water temperature taken daily and shared with the crew and public. First aid trained crew members. Foil blankets and soft blankets available. Procedure and training for removing participants from the water and taken to suitable location for treatment.	Crew to continuously monitor weather conditions and paddlers.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions	Paddlers, Crew	Constant	Possible chance of a Serious incident	Improbable chance of a Lost Time incident	Participants are required to notify the crew of any pre-existing medical conditions before the event. Participants must not take part if they have any injury or illness that may put themself or others at risk.	Crew to ask about any medical conditions prior to the activity during safety briefing. If unsure, participants should not take part without a doctors note.
Weil’s Disease	Paddlers, Crew	Constant	Remote chance of a Serious incident	Improbable chance of a Serious incident	Equipment is to be washed after use. Water sampling is carried out at regular intervals, including both micro and algae testing. Procedure in place for actions to be taken in the case of a poor water quality test, including Event Cancelation. Participants are encouraged to wash their hands as soon as possible after the activity. Participants are encouraged to cover any cuts and avoid ingesting the water.	Alderford Lake will carry out regular water sampling and publish the results.

General hazards

Hazard	Who is at risk?	Duration	Inherent risk	Residual risk	Control measures	Further action required	Notes
First Aid / Injuries		Constant	Probable chance of a Minor incident	Improbable chance of a Minor incident	Captain will be a trained first aider, along with other members of the crew and/or Alderford Lake staff on site. Defib and first aid equipment available on site. Means for communicating emergency services on site. Radios for crew to communicate.	All incidents and first aid treatment should be reported. Ongoing training.
Safety Cover	Paddlers, Crew	Majority	Possible chance of a Major incident	Remote chance of a Minor incident	Captain must hold a rescue qualification. In-house training will be provided to competent volunteer marshals as a minimum. Captain to oversee health and safety of the event.	Ongoing training for all crew members.

Off Water hazards

Hazard	Who is at risk?	Duration	Inherent risk	Residual risk	Control measures	Further action required	Notes
Manual Handling	Crew	Briefly	Probable chance of a Minor incident	Remote chance of a Minor incident	Crew members and paddlers are encouraged to only carry craft within the limits of their ability. Lift in pairs whenever possible.	Crew to remain vigilant to any potential incidents.
Slips, Trips, and Falls (Access to Lake)	Paddlers, Crew	Minority	Possible chance of a Serious incident	Remote chance of a Minor incident	Advised to wear suitable wet footwear with a non-slip sole, or training shoes, when using the access to the lake. Hand rail is in place if needed. Care needs to be exercised to avoid algae or, bird deposits etc. particularly when wet.	Ongoing maintenance to ensure the minimum build-up of growth or droppings.