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Lough Allen Education Centre |
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Lough Allen Sailing Club |
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Safety Policies
1.All Sailors should be able to swim. 2. All those wishing to instruct must ideally provide ISA (or equivalent governing body) certificates of their competence in such matters or have the relevant experience over a reasonable period of time. Before Sailing The following policies are specifically for when sailing takes place at Lough Allen Sailing Club. 1. All members must make themselves aware of where the first aid kits and telephones are within Lough Allen Sailing Club. 2. Placed next to the telephone inside Lough Allen Sailing Club house will be a list of emergency telephone numbers. This list will be updated as soon as any of its details change. It will contain numbers for the Emergency Services and Lough Allen Sailing Club contact numbers. 3. Members who are new to the area but who would be classed as competent sailors should make themselves fully aware of the particular conditions in which sailing takes place at Lough Allen . If unsure on any matters it is that members responsibility to ask and clarify the issue. 4. The medical kit(s) shall be checked, and restocked if necessary, on a regular basis. 5. It should be remembered that there should be no sailing between sunset and sunrise except for when participating in an organised event.
While Sailing 1. Whilst on the water all members shall wear suitable buoyancy aids at all times. It should be noted that wetsuits and dry suits by themselves do not count as suitable personal buoyancy. 2. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn at all times whilst on the water. This must be appropriate not only to the activity but to the sailing conditions. The wearing of an adequate wet or dry suit is recommended to all members at all times while afloat. 3. The number of rescue boats on the water should be appropriate to the number of boats sailing and the weather conditions. 4. When driving a rescue boat a kill cord should be worn at all times. 5. The rescue boat should carry the following items: a means of summoning help (radio, flares or other suitable devices), towing lines, a space blanket, knife, emergency buoys, an anchor, oars and a bailer. 6. All members should be aware of the statutory provisions affecting them whilst on the water. Also, that it is the responsibility of the person in charge of each vessel as to whether to launch or not and subsequently whether to remain sailing. 7. All sailing boats must have adequate drainage equipment on board. 8. All sailing boats must have adequate buoyancy so that it will float when fully inverted or fully swamped.
Incident procedures 1. An incident, for the purposes of this safety policy, is defined as an event, which did, or could have caused, significant injury to persons or which did, or could have caused, significant damage to boats or other equipment. 2. The following is a set of general guidelines which are only intended to advise members: 2.1 Do not take unnecessary risks. 2.2 The first thing to identify in any given emergency situation is to ascertain whether all those sailing are safe and well. It must be remembered that signs of concussion, hypothermia, over exertion and low blood sugar levels will be less easy to spot but could be as dangerous as other problems. 2.3 When manpower permits it is advisable to set up a shore base with radio. Again this decision must be taken in relation to the circumstances on the day. 3. All incidents must be reported to a committee member at the earliest practicable opportunity or within 24hrs whichever is sooner. 4. Within 72hrs of the incident all persons directly involved will be informed of outcome.
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