This guidance is to assist with decisions about use of Clubs facilities and equipment.
Following the latest Government advice last week COVID-19 risks are still high. The Virus is active and transmitting. Although the Government has made more activities possible, they are still advising strict social distancing and have not relaxed the need to take all precautions to avoid close contact with COVID-19 transmission risks
Is the Club a safe place for Lifesaving activity?
Our guidance at this stage is still not to use the club facilities and to only use them if absolutely necessary (e.g. Equipment needed to undertake Beach Warden activity) Even then, only if you are able to fully control access and all who have access have agreed to strictly follow the guidance below.
Where the RNLI use SLSGB Clubs as a shared facility for their operational base for beach patrols it is strongly recommended that as a condition of such use, they should follow the procedures as set out below.
What should we do to reduce the risks of opening the Club ?
- Follow Government guidance. This is likely to change so make sure that you are up to date.
- Introduce a formal process so that all visitors to the club follow this procedure WITHOUT EXCEPTION!
- If access involves close, two-way pedestrian traffic (narrow passages and stairs) ensure that a “No Close Passing Procedure” is adopted.
- Working in teams creates familiarity. Ensure that this does not lead to unsafe contact or relaxation of regular personal and shared space distancing and sanitising.
Make sure that the 2 metre rule is always followed. Introduce marked distance zones
- Maintain a Daily Attendees log with names and contact details so that if there is need to track and trace this can be done quickly.
If attendees leave the club and return during a session, make them start again from the beginning when they return
- Make sure that all attendees are fit and well, have no COVID-19 symptoms and have not had recent contact with confirmed cases as per government guidance.
- Close the Kitchen. Ask all attendees to bring their own food and drink and drink bottles and that all containers have been sanitised. Do not permit food or drink preparation or sharing. Ensure that all packaging and other rubbish is removed personally (Take your own rubbish home)
- Do not use changing rooms and showers. (THIS IS A HIGH RISK AREA). Ask attendees to come ready to participate and to shower and change at home. Do not permit anyone to leave clothing, wetsuits, PPE or PFD at the club unless you have a full decontamination procedure
- Set up a “dirty area” outside the club building where all kit and equipment can be cleaned and sanitised before entering the building or is handled by others. Use this area to sanitise club kit before and after use.
- Ensure that you have adequate hand washing and hand sanitiser facilities and that all using the club sanitise hands when entering and leaving and wash hands before and after undertaking any activities. Encourage regular use of hand sanitiser and hand washing.
- Encourage appropriate use of Nitrile gloves and ensure that they are disposed of safely after use
- Regularly clean all hand touching points – Before, During and After.
SANITISE EVERYTHING THAT IS TOUCHED AND SHARED REGULARLY
Use suitable high performance sanitisers. Wipe table tops, working surfaces, door handles, and door locks, chair arms and all equipment used. Only use wipes once and dispose safely.
Control access to toilets so that only one person can use at a time. Fully sanitise toilets before and after each use.
- Do not share radios, tablets or PC’s and other comms equipment. If the Club has a phone or installed VHF equipment, great care must be taken to fully sanitise hand sets and controls before and after each use
- Do not agree to use of club kit for recreational or training purposes from the Club base. This will be very hard to make COVID-19 low risk and will need a very tight control process to make it safe that is probably impractical.
Please remember that however much the sun shines and the surf is calling, we are still at a time when the Virus is active and transmitting. The Risk is just too high.
Beach Wardens – A BIG THANK YOU to those who have volunteered
YOU ARE DOING FANTASTIC, ESSENTIAL SAFETY INTERVENTION WORK – PLEASE KEEP GOING!
We are now in the second phase of recruitment to appeal to those in our lifesaving communities who have been there, done it, got the T shirt and may even have written the book.
If you are (or have been in recent years) a TA who has trained either the Surf Lifesaver or the Lifeguard Awards or have held either award, your name could be on the next Beach Warden tabard on your beach
For more information CLICK HERE
Stay fit, healthy and safe and most of all, please be patient. If we are all sensible and careful better times are not all that far away
SLSGB Head Office Team
