Stand Up Paddle Water Safety and Rescue

5.Site Considerations

The site for introductory lessons must be sheltered from extremes of weather in order to nurture paddling and board skills in combination with confidence and conditioning. In essence it must be 'safe’ as understood by water sports professionals.

(i) No underwater obstructions

(ii) Sufficient water depth to prevent impact injury

(iii)The site or operating area should be defined so that clear boundaries are set and are obvious for paddlers. Providers should consider a buoyed area or established in-situ objects to indicate to paddlers that they are reaching the limits of the operating area.

(iv) Limited or no water traffic within the defined training zone.

(v) Limited or no wave action caused by passing water traffic.

(vi)Fresh water quarries and river pools are often very cold and may have steep sides and limited access. Providers should be aware that such venues often become dumping grounds for old cars, bikes and shopping trolleys so may need to be checked out by personnel, using snorkelling equipment.

(vii) Pollution free.

6.Identification of Venue Options

It may be beneficial to have alternative venues or alternative start or finish points. On the day the most appropriate venue or variation on the venue could be used depending on factors such as the weather conditions, experience and expectations of the group, the number and experience of staff available.

7.Forecasting of Conditions.

(i) A policy for obtaining and interpreting weather forecasts, water levels, sea state etc. is generally needed.

(ii)It must be clear who is to do this, when it is to be done, and what action will be taken for a range of possible forecasts. These could include, but may not be limited to, modification of the venue, change of venue, cancellation and/or return of payment. If an assistant instructor required, ensure they can arrive in the given time span.

8.Safety Boats.

Some providers find it helpful to have groups accompanied by, or to have access to, a rescue boat. Careful consideration should be given to the effectiveness and safety of such a solution. However, it has been effective, for example, where there is a risk of the group being cut off in sheltered but inescapable bays by a combination of delays and rising tides. Driver must have suitable qualifications.

9.Staffing Ratios and Competence

It will generally be appropriate to have a policy on ratios, maximum group size, use of assistants, taking into account group management difficulties associated with only having one instructor, which can arise at some venues. Some providers find it useful to have two separate groups operating at the same venue, available to give mutual support if required.

10.Technical Advice

If it is deemed that certain aspects of the instructional process or knowledge of certain technical aspects of the sport fall beyond the experience of management it would be advisable to seek advice from one or more appropriately experienced and/or qualified person or persons. Technical Advisor(s) should be able to offer useful, constructive advice on the activity including, amongst other things, staff competence, operating procedures, equipment, ratios, use of assistants, etc. Ideally the provider will be suitably experienced and qualified to fulfil this role.

11.Medical Considerations

Instructors should be made aware of any medical conditions, including any injuries, especially relating to back, shoulders, elbow, ankles and wrists. The early stages of learning generally puts only limited stress on the body.

12.First Aid

(i)Specialised first aid, life saving and/or rescue skills may be necessary. Some of the life saving and rescue skills may be NGB based or developed through in-house training and assessment.

(ii)It may be appropriate to include scenario-based training at the venues to be used in order to identify the problems as well as the solutions, which particular venues may present.

(iii)First aid considerations will generally include a procedure for rewarming cold participants and should take into consideration the nature of the venue, transport arrangements etc.

(iv) Appropriate first aid equipment will need to be carried in the group. At some venues it may be appropriate to have additional equipment (like foil blankets, spare clothes and hot drinks) available, for example in a nearby vehicle.

Risk Benefit

Risk–benefit analysis is the comparison of the risk of a situation to its related benefits. Exposure to personal risk is recognised as a normal aspect of everyday life. We accept a certain level of risk in our lives as necessary to achieve certain benefits. In most of these risks we feel as though we have some sort of control over the situation.

Analysing the risk of a situation is, however, very dependent on the individual doing the analysis. When individuals are exposed to involuntary risk (a risk in which they have no control over) they make risk aversion their primary goal. Under these circumstances individuals require the probability of risk to be as much as one thousand times smaller, than for the same situation under their perceived control.