The art of good health and safety is being able to visualise the whole event and then to record what the potential problems (aka hazards) are, what the likely results (aka risks) from those problems would be and to whom and if possible to lessen (aka mitigate) that problem.  It is widely accepted, even by the HSE, that not all hazards can be ruled out, ie no event can be guaranteed 100% risk free. 

So where do we start ?  Well at the beginning of course.  That’s at the initial concept of the event; where, what, when and how couple with a piece of paper and a pen?  The where, layout of the site, are horse walks necessary? can public parking be kept separate from the lorry park?  location of catering and trade stands, competitor information, score boards, etc ?  The what, dressage, showjumping, cross-country, fun ride?  Each discipline brings with it it’s own necessities and niceties.  The when, spring, summer, autumn, winter, weather, traffic? 
The how, stewards and officials, competitors, the public?  All the potential problems identified along the where, what, when, how route need to be written down followed by those risks identified in association with these problems and who would be affected.  We can then ask ourselves if these risks are acceptable? eg Non-segregated parking which could mean a horse and/or rider or dog or child being hit by a vehicle manoeuvring in the area with the result of either injury or death?  Clear signage and a parking steward directing traffic would lessen this risk considerably.  The collecting arena for showjumping, often not overly large and full of frantic, stressed competitors and their horses and entourage of eager assistants with the result of people and horses being kicked and knocked over, bruising, broken bones, death?  A strong steward limiting numbers of both two and four legged competitors and entourage to the arena together with clear flagging of the practice jumps and rider etiquette being observed at all times (left shoulder to left shoulder) would lessen this risk considerably.  That’s two fairly major common risks identified and mitigated without too much hard work on anybody’s part.

The hardest work of health and safety is the same as any event organiser has and that is getting the volunteers on the day to do those thankless tasks; parking steward, ring steward, pole picker-upper, entries secretary. 
So please if you take nothing else away from reading the above please bear in mind these two facts :-

When you are asked to volunteer at an event please say yes, its only us volunteers that keep the Club going and the events being held for all to enjoy & .... When you are at an event and are asked or directed by a show official to park in a specific area or to leave a warm up arena then don’t curse and throw your toys out of the pram, that volunteer is doing a very important job and playing their part in keeping you, them and everyone else, two and four legged safe on the showground on that day.

And Lastly as they say – it’s a thankless task, BUT somebody’s gotta do it !!

Rhian Roberts