GB SURF SCHOOL Safety
GB Surf School › Surf School › Safety
Requirements to join:
- Lessons are available to children, adults, groups and families of all levels of surf experience and all ages. Although when learning to surf one rarely goes out of one's depth children and adults must be able to swim 50 metres confidently and unaided.
- No prior surf experience is needed.
- Guests must be in good health, in good physical condition and free of injuries and do not suffer from any medical conditions that would endanger you or any other participants, or if not must declare this to us before the surf session starts.
- There is no maximum age limit!
- You must agree to the GB Surf School Health and Safety regulations in order to ensure safety to all participants.
- GB Boardsports Ltd carries full public liabilty insurance, however you are required to take out your own personal, cancellation, accident and property insurance before starting your surf session or if you have not declaring this to us before the session starts.
Normal Operating Procedures
Preparation For A Surfing Session
- Before the commencement of the surfing session it is the responsibility of a member of the GB Surf School (usually the instructor in charge) to collate all relevant information which will include any relevant medical concerns and information which could prove important in the event of an emergency.
- If you bring your own equipment it must be in top condition and safe and suitable for the purpose intended. The GB Surf School accept no liability whatsoever should you use any of your own equipment. The equipment provided by us will be in good condition and safe and suitable for the purpose intended. Before the commencement of each session the times and locations will be checked and confirmed for suitability.
Instructor specific
- All instructors actively working for the GB Surf School will be fully qualified BSA coaches.
- As part of this qualification they will hold the relevant life saving/beach lifeguard qualifications.
- All instructors must behave in a suitable manner and adhere to safe practice at all times; quality coaching will be adopted as normal practice allowing for a quality experience.
- All instructors whilst active on behalf of the GB Surf School will be punctual, friendly and wear appropriate clothing at all times.
Meeting / instructing / supervising the guests
All lessons must be met with punctuality, and all guests are to be made to feel welcome and looked after.
- Guests' ability levels must be assessed and the appropriate boards allocated, wetsuits if required will be sized appropriately and allocated.
- All participants are to be briefed on acceptable codes of behaviour, health and safety requirements, and environmental issues and above all of these safe operating guidelines.
- The safety and welfare of both guests and instructors is of high importance, all safety points, procedures and their function must be adhered to.
- A positive, friendly and enjoyable atmosphere must be maintained throughout every session.
- The GB Surf School instructor must NEVER let the behaviour of an individual compromise the safety and wellbeing of the group or themselves. All disputes will be dealt with firmly and quickly according good practice and sound operating procedure.
- All incidents, accidents and emergencies will be dealt with appropriately and recorded and reported in the GB Surf School accident report log book.
- Sufficient time must be allowed at the end of the session for debriefing and discussions with GB Surf School guests.
- All equipment issued to the guests must be checked for damage / repaired and cleaned as appropriate.
- All GB Surf School instructors are to leave the beach environment in the state they found it taking into account environmental issues.
Emergency Action Plan
- The senior member of staff will take control in an event of an emergency.
- The second in command will, if needed, be designated in case of an emergency.
- There will be pre arranged emergency signals for all guests to adhere to that will not conflict with the lifeguards and cause potential unsafe conditions.
- All GB Surf School guests will be withdrawn from the water during an emergency where a head count will then be conducted.
- Guests will be used if necessary to assist in an emergency e.g. crowd control and obtaining assistance etc.
- In the event of a water rescue another instructor / pupil will be sent to contact the relevant emergency services whilst we enlist any suitable help to:
(i) Effect the rescue of the patient - without putting the instructors' and guests' lives at risk.
(ii) Remove the person to a safe area (victims of a spinal injury should not be moved unless absolutely necessary).
(iii) Diagnose the extent of injury and shock.
(iv) Follow appropriate action with reference to previous training.
If there is a land based incident and the GB Surf School instructors are attending then all guests are to be withdrawn from the water.
If an instructor in charge, is injured or becomes incapacitated during the operations of a lesson:
All surfers in the group to remove themselves from the sea and gather away from the water's edge in a safe and secure position - THEN CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING:
(i) If on a lifeguard beach, seek assistance from the lifeguards on duty.
(ii) If there are no lifeguards seek assistance from another instructor and / or appropriate person on the beach.
After any incident there will be a debrief and the emergency action plan will be assessed and re-structured if needed.
Child protection / vulnerable adults
All GB Surf School staff have been screened by the Criminal Records Bureau. the GB Surf School operates to a strict child protection practice.
- GB Surf School instructors must be aware of their relationships with, and attitudes to, young people and adults who are deemed vulnerable. The code of conduct must at all times are appropriate to the age and gender of the individuals and groups concerned.
- GB Surf School instructors conduct (formal and informal) and contact (physical, visual or verbal) must at all times be of a professional manner and must not give rise to undue comment or detrimental speculation.
- GB Surf School instructors must at all times be aware of their legal, social and emotional responsibilities towards the guest in their care. As a code of good practice these guidelines will be adhered to at all times.
