SOWERBY ANGLING SOCIETY – HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Sowerby Angling Society (‘The club’) is a long-established, closed membership fishing club with approximately 60 full members, including a small number of honorary and junior members. The club is an unincorporated association, meaning that it has no independent legal existence. The club has a constitution which prescribes governance arrangements, including the establishment of a committee. In practical terms, most of the day-to-day business of the club is carried out by the secretary, in consultation with the chair. Only an AGM is held for the membership in full, and the committee meets on an ‘as required’ basis, typically once or twice a year.
1.2 The club welcomes applications from all age groups but a significant proportion of the membership is aged 55 or over. It is important that this policy recognises this, as older members can be more vulnerable, and the consequences of an incident are foreseeably more severe.
1.3 The club rents/ owns about 4 miles of the Cod Beck (’the beck ‘) below Thirsk from several different landlords and also has organised exchange tickets on various local waters. This policy relates only to the club’s own waters, and its use by members, their guests and others authorised by the club. This includes the Thirsk Angling Club (‘TAC’), whose members, are authorised to fish the beck in the winter months. A copy of this policy has been given to TAC and use of the club’s waters is conditional upon their adherence to this policy.
1.4 The beck is a tributary of the River Swale but rises on the North York Moors near Osmotherley, and flows through predominantly agricultural land. It is narrow, relatively slow flowing and often shallow, but has steep, overgrown banks and abundant tree cover. The beck floods occasionally, but rarely severely as the catchment has relatively low rainfall. But localised thunderstorms or long periods of rain can result in the beck running up to 2 metres above normal summer level. Because the catchment is small in area, levels can rise quickly, especially after heavy thunderstorms. The lower part of the beck is also affected when the Swale is in flood, this can cause ‘backing up’ of the beck. This can happen even when there has been no rainfall in the beck’s catchment area.
1.5 Some of the land through which the club’s waters flow, especially immediately below Thirsk itself, has widely enjoyed public access whereas lower downstream there is only a lightly used public footpath on the east bank of the beck. But even when there is no public right of access, estate staff, farm workers and others can be present, and this policy recognises the fact that it can never be assumed that no third parties will be present on or near the club waters.
1.6 The club is a member of the Angling Trust and obtains its public liability and employer’s liability insurance via the Trust.
1.7 This policy is complementary to the club constitution, but in the event of ambiguity or inconsistency the terms of this policy will prevail.
2.0 Objectives of Health and Safety Policy
2.1 The objectives are as follows –
– to ensure, so far as is reasonable, the safety of members and
guests when fishing the beck
- to identify, manage and (where reasonably possible) to minimise any potential sources of risk
- to state the obligations of the club to its members
- to identify members’ responsibilities for their own safety when fishing the beck, and the safety of their guests
- to maintain a register of the club’s assets, their maintenance, repair, and replacement
- to maintain an effective system of defect and hazard reporting
- to maintain robust safety arrangements for any approved work being carried out by members on behalf of the club
- to ensure that the club complies with the conditions of its insurance policies
- to ensure that members are made aware of this policy and to carry out all such other actions as are necessary or incidental to the achievement of these objectives.
3.0 Risk Assessment
3.1 The purpose of the risk assessment is to identify foreseeable risks which may be encountered by the club and/or individual members. It cannot be an exhaustive list, but it will be reviewed to reflect any changes in risk.
3.2 Drowning/injury
3.2.1 Hazard –The beck is a natural, unmaintained water where new hazards can appear without warning. Anglers must be aware of this fact and act accordingly. Depth can vary from inches to six feet or more, and the flow vary from almost stationary to dangerously fast. Levels can rise quickly and without warning, and pools can be obstructed by fallen trees and flood debris.
- Banks are often unstable and can collapse without warning
- Trees which have obstructed the flow can greatly increase flow speed and create sudden changes in depth
- The public has access to widespread areas of the beck’s banks, and dogs and children, and even wild swimmers can be encountered
- Other hazards include livestock (including bulls, and cows with calves), discarded barbed wire, wasp nests and, in the summer months, an increased risk of Weil’s disease
3.2.2 Control
- If wading, studded waders are recommended, and a wading staff can offer added safety
- Anglers should be alert to potential hazards and take appropriate safeguards
- Where there has been recent heavy rainfall, coloration of the water and floating debris can mean a rapid and potentially dangerous increase in flow
- Anglers who are inexperienced, junior and/or infirm should fish with a companion
- Be aware of the risk to members of the public when you are casting, and check for their presence where footpaths run close to the bank
- Before fishing it is recommended that anglers check the level of the beck upstream at Kirby Sigston and Thirsk, anddownstream at Daltonon the Environment Agency website. Doing so can give advance notice of flood risks
3.3. Vehicle Damage/Collision
3.3.1 Hazard
Access to the club’s waters can involve using narrow roads and bumpy farm access tracks, often with poor visibility. Large agricultural vehicles can be encountered at any time. Deer are common, and walkers, horse riders and cyclists are often encountered. Thefts from vehicles parked near the club’s waters are possible.
3.3.2 Control
- Drive slowly and carefully. Especially when driving early or late, be on the alert for deer and, if one appears, be prepared for more
- If driving a vehicle with poor ground clearance, do take extra care
- Secure the vehicle and remove valuables
4.0 Club Responsibility – Maintenance and Repair of Club Assets
4.1 The club is responsible for assets in its ownership or control. It is not responsible for stiles, gates, parking areas or paths serving the beck and its principal assets are club signage, and secured ropes/ladders for access. The club is responsible for their maintenance, repair and replacement and will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that it rectifies problems as soon as practicable after becoming aware of them.
4.2 Members are expected to be observant, and to help the club by notifying it of any hazards they encounter, especially where a club asset needs maintenance, repair, or replacement.
4.3 The club will maintain an asset register which will include details of inspection and maintenance (eg date, nature of repair/replacement).
5.0 Working Parties
5.1 No working party will be organised, nor will any work of any type be planned or carried out without the Secretary’s prior approval. Where necessary, the club will seek consent for the work from the landowner(s).
5.2 Any request for work to be carried out must include details of its location, nature and cost, the members involved, identification of any special risks (including details of how they will be
managed).
5.3 The name of the member responsible for supervising the work shall be provided to and approved by the secretary and all work must be carried out under the supervision of the approved supervisor.
5.4 The club may impose such further conditions as are necessary to ensure the work is carried out safely. For example, any work involving chain saws, power tools or other potentially dangerous equipment must only be carried out by operatives (whether club members or not) with appropriate expertise/ training and use of PPE.
6.0 Club Waters – Member Responsibility
6.1 The club does not maintain the banks of the beck and as a natural watercourse it is subject to frequent and unpredictable change including flooding, bank collapse, and accumulation of flood debris and fallen trees.
6.2 Members are free to fish anywhere they wish in season, but subject to any landlord requirements during the shootingseason, which will be communicated to members. Access to the beck may involve passage along unmade tracks and paths, and across stiles, fences and gates. These are not maintained by the club, and it has no responsibility for them. Most of the beck’s banks are steep and heavily overgrown and care and judgment is needed in accessing the beck. Some areas can be grazed by stock, including cattle, where caution should be exercised; members must make their own judgement on whether it is safe to access such areas.
6.3 Except where identified as a responsibility of the club, such as repair of club assets, members are responsible for their own safety and the safety of their guests. Attention is drawn to the risks referred to in this policy, but it should be noted that the list ofrisks identified is not exhaustive . It is for members alone to evaluate, manage, minimise and/or avoid any risk they may encounter while fishing the club’s waters.
6.4 The club offers the following advice to help members remain safe:
- If you are fishing alone, please tell your partner or other contact where you are fishing, and the time you expect to return.
- Before fishing it is recommended you check the local weather forecast on your phone app (eg Met Office) ; cease fishing and take extra care in thunderstorms
- Always take your mobile phone with you, even in areas of poor reception, as emergency calls are automatically routed to the network with the best coverage.
- It is highly recommended that you download the what3words app on your phone. This app gives an ultra- precise location code, by reference to three random words. It is now used by the emergency services and is a proven life saver. As an example, the left bank entry to Worlds End Bridge is goofy.amphibian.darker, and the downstream parking area is expressed.pies.makeup
- Club members should note key contact numbers, including club secretary (Paul Blakeley 07749 025136 /blakelypaul@gmail.com and chair (Ian Pincombe Tel TBA /ian.pincombe@sky.com) . Please also note the Environment Agency 24 hour pollution hotline 0800 807060 and the Police non-emergency number 101
——————————————————————————————–
CONCLUSION
The club wants its members to enjoy fishing the beck in safety. The advice in this note is given to ensure that club members are made aware of possible hazards they might encounter when fishing the beck. It also sets out the responsibility of the club to its members, of the member for his/her own safety and the safety of their guests.
The club will regularly review the policy, but members should not hesitate to notify the club of any new risks or other concerns.
December 2023