Risk Management & BCSSA Insurance

Risk management is a key aspect of a club business operation plan. Assessing risk and having a safety action plan for your club that is understood by all coaches, athletes and volunteers are major parts of a proper risk management effort.

BCSSA Insurance Coverage - A Benefit of Membership

BCSSA offers, as a benefit of membership, insurance coverage to its members and member clubs to include General Liability and Accident Medical coverage. For more information on insurance please follow the links. LEARN MORE >>

Accident & Incident Reporting - Required as for all accidents or incidents

How is BCSSA notified when an accident or incident occurs? The report of Accident Occurrence Form or the Incident Form is used for this purpose. It is important to notify both BCSSA and our insurer, if necessary, of accidents, however minor, and potential claims. Form more information on our Accident & Incident Reporting Policies and to download the forms please CLICK HERE.

Planning for Meet Safety

Planning will reduce the number of potential risk exposures that are present in different environments, including practice sessions, meets and swim team related activities such as picnics and parties. A facilities safety inspection or walk-through is a great place to start planning for swim meet safety. Keep in mind that the facility might have its own safety inspection process and that should be included in the swim team planning process.

However, a swimming meet involves a large number of people with different perspectives toward the facility so the swim team should not assume that the facility will recognize some of the potential exposures. An inspection or walk-through will heighten awareness of potential problems such as broken equipment or crowded hallways so that warning signs or barriers can be posted. It is also possible that through daily exposure to a facility, some potential risks become so familiar to the staff that they are not noticed. Therefore, try to include a person in the walk-through who is not a daily facility user, because they will see the facility from a fresh perspective.

There are many ways to enhance your powers of observation and to broaden your own perspective regarding the facility. Look at it as if you are a swimmer, a parent, a coach or an official. Take a ten-year old with you on a walk-through and observe what areas attract their attention. Sit in the bleachers, look at the facility and write down what you see. Stand behind a starting block and observe the facility from a different angle.

Common sense and observation will go far toward developing a meet safety plan. Walk-through and note areas of concern, then focus on specifics. Write an action plan to ensure that such areas will be properly marked with appropriate signs or will be adequately secured. Ask questions such as, "How can we route traffic around this area?" After the initial inspection, write a checklist that can be used before the meet begins.