Adders – the only British venomous snake – are a fairly common inhabitant of British golf courses, so golfers need to be made aware of the dangers and what to do, if bitten. But what is that?
The death of a six-year-old girl on a golf course in Utah in August 2019, reminds us that wayward golf balls can be lethal missiles, if someone is in their path. The tragedy in this case is that it was the father of the child that killed her, when his ball left the tee and headed straight for her as she sat in a golf buggy parked up in its path.
Late August and early September sees many courses not only carrying out mowing and aeration tasks, with all the mechanical and operational risks involved, but also treating courses with chemicals and pesticides. So what sort of risks need to be managed?
The death of a golf course manager in Leicestershire in 2013, led to his employer (the golf course) being fined £75,000 and charged a further £75,000 in costs last year and the judgement encompassed a vital message for clubs who may think they have taken every safety precaution.
Turbulent weather across the UK has brought some golf course risks into sharper focus this summer, with course evacuation strategies being very close to the top of the list. So, what do courses need to do, to get this right?
Golf buggy accidents are one of the key health and safety blackspots for many a golf club. Sometimes, the club is not at fault, as in the case of footballer John Hartson, who received serious head injuries after his buggy driver pressed the accelerator and not the brake and ploughed downhill, hitting a tree at 25mph. But having said that, clubs do need to watch who is at the wheel and do their utmost to ensure they have a right to be there.
Between May 6 and 12, Deaf Awareness Week will be focusing attention on hearing loss, but how much attention do you pay to this at your golf club?
On day two of The Masters at Augusta that annoying little word of ‘freak’ raised its head, when a reported ‘freak accident’ involved a security guard slipping on a drenched fairway and tripping up eventual tournament winner, Tiger Woods, who then thankfully hobbled away and managed to complete a birdie putt. But was that a ‘freak’ accident, or one that should have been predicted, in so far as people can easily slip on wet grass if they are rushing and allowed to proceed without any cautions or warnings?
Did you know the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 expects golf clubs – just like other entities – to implement a safety culture? In the eyes of the law, there will be someone in your club deemed to be the person responsible for creating such a culture, be that a chairman, captain, officer of the club/policymaker , or the owner of a proprietary golf club. Could that be you?
Greenkeepers are being warned to stay safe during the pre-season, as tasks turn to getting the course ready for all the players coming out of their winter hibernation and wanting to hit balls once more.
