Risk Assessments

What is a Golf Course Risk Assessment?

There are often two Assessments for courses or ranges.

• a Design Risk Assessment

• an Operational Risk Assessment

Together these complete a suitable abd sufficient Risk Assessment. This document is in a format which sets out all idenified risks, any measures which can be taken to address those risks, the person responsible and a timetime.

What is a Design Risk Assessment?

Design risks are those risks which have been created by virtue of the design of the golf course. They can include

• errant ball trajectories 

• routing of the golf course

• boundary conditions

• topography

• hazard identification and severity

• cart risks

• water risks

• warnings

• protective fences

What is the process of creating a Risk Assessment?

The Design Risk Assessment requires a detailed site visit and an examination of the design and maintenance regime of the course by a skilled and experienced person with detailed knowledge of golf design. The document which emerges assesses the risks as  combinations of severity and likelihood. 

Where an Operational Risk Assessment is involved I would examine the risks involved in the duties of personnel working at the golf club. This may include clubhouse or driving range staff and or maintenance staff. The risks are very different to those involved in the design of the course and are often subject to operating policies of the golf club or operator.

In order to create a suitable and sufficient report, I would normally follow the UK Health and Safety Risk Assessment format.

Many Reports prepared by Assessors who have little or no understanding of golf or golf operations and, at times, have contributed to golf clubs being found liable in accident cases. 

How often should Assessments be reviewed?

It is vital not only to prepare a full Golf Course Risk Assessment, but to review it regularly and whenever there are significant changes to the course or range. Ideally the Risk Assessment should be reviewed annually but where there are significant changes to the golf course or the operation of the club or range, the impact should be reflected in a review of the Risk Assessment.

Significant changes include those where the severity or likelihood of any risk attached to the change has changed.

What legislation applies?

The main legislation governing risk assessments in the UK is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These laws require employers to assess risks to the health and safety of employees and others affected by their work activities. Greater detail is available in an Article on the Insights page entitled Safety legislation