Whilst every care has been taken to provide a comprehensive policy and set of guidelines for members, it is the responsibility of each individual member to use good judgment in all circumstances to avoid any possible personal injury or injury to third party members of the public.

In this limited company our members are not employees, our safety guidelines being a ‘prompt’ and aid to the safe enjoyment of angling facilities available to the company.

Policy Statement

Guisborough Angling Club Limited is committed to ensuring that it will do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent injury and damage to members, property, and third party persons of the public.  We will also have due regard for protecting all other people who come into contact with the Clubs activities.
 

When dealing with health and safety issues officials, members, and volunteerscarrying out activities have a clear understanding of the need to operate within the context of this policy and its arrangements. Officials, members and volunteers involved in events or work parties will take all
reasonable steps to safeguard all those taking part in activities and those who may be affected by them.
 

Guisborough Angling Club Limited will cooperate with other organisations (eg landowners) to ensure risks are properly controlled. Health and Safety Arrangements

Duty of Care
Guisborough Angling Club Limited requires that all people involved in organisingactivities, work parties and day to day management consider the consequences of theiracts and omissions and ensure that those acts/or omissions do not give rise to aforeseeable risk of injury to anyother person. The avoidance of risk, injury and damagebeing our objective in our activities.
 

Risk Assessment
Guisborough Angling Club Limited will ensure that suitable risk assessments are carried out, that hazards are identified and results of the assessments are implemented with actions or recommendations as appropriate.

 

The aim of Risk Assessment is to avoid harm and to promote the health, safety and welfare of all involved or who may be affected by an activity (work or leisure). As members of Guisborough Angling Club Limited, administrators and event organisers have not only a moral but also a legal
responsibility to ensure that club activities and any organised events are as safe as practicably possible.

 

Assessments will be carried out with a view of minimising any such risk. As well as reducing the likelihood of accidents happening; in the event of anincident it will also reduce the chance of serious injury or ill health resulting. Risk Assessment procedures require the Assessors to consider
Hazards - potential to cause harm and who is affected on a scale 1 -10.
 Measures already in place - to avoid possible harm
 Risk – likelihood that harm could happen on a scale of 1 -10.
 Further Actions – results of the assessment applied as appropriate to reduceand control the possibility of any harm resulting.
 

The risk assessment methodology will be such that identified hazard/risk can benumerically quantified, thus identifying the most potentially serious areas for attention.
 

The Risk Assessment document will be completed and signed by responsible members who have suitable experience of both the venue/location being considered, and of the likely angling techniques that may be employed by any of our members.
 

Areas of significant hazard and risk will be considered and appropriate policies and angling guidelines recommended to our members. These will be presented in the safety policy and general guidelines, a copy of which will be made available to each member who must give signed undertaking to read and implement recommendations as appropriate to the venue and circumstances.

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For each of the clubs waters, a specific risk assessment can be found on each of the waters page under the members info tab.

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Persons in charge

(Chairman & Committee)
 Ensuring this policy is advertised and adhered to.
 Ensure Risk Assessments have been carried out.
 Brief other officials/participants on all matters relating to organisational activities especially risk management and the safety of members involved.


Officials & Organisers
Club officials, administrators, organisers (persons in charge of a work activity or events) are primarily responsible for ensuring safety is properly managed. He/she has the responsibility to undertake all measures available to ensure the safety and well being of
all persons taking part in an activity/event and those who could be affected by the event.
 

The success of an activity/event depends on effective management.

The event organiser must ensure that there is effective:
 Planning and Delegation
 Resources allocation(people and equipment)
 Decisions making with Clear (and effective) communication
 

Responsibilities of volunteers
 Turn up in sufficient time to prepare for the event/activity with suitable clothing.
 Attend briefing. Carry out allocated duties in a professional manner
 

Specific procedures when working with young people
Guisborough Angling Club Limited has a Child/Junior Member Protection Policy,
All junior members must be accompanied by a supervising adult (preferably parent or relative) and all fishing activities must be monitored on a 1:1 basis to safeguard their welfare and prevent possible injury.
 

No junior member is allowed to take part in any work party activity.
 

Guisborough Angling Club Limited
Club & Safety Guidelines for Members

 

1) It is the responsibility of all individual members to read and acquaint themselves fully with these safety guidelines and conditions of membership, and to apply them as they deem appropriate to their angling activities, to ensure their own individual safety and that of any companions or the general public.

 

2) Guisborough Angling Club Limited has undertaken a risk assessment of our fishing venues and the following guidelines reflect the safety practices deemed to be most appropriate in order to control potential hazards and risk.

 

3) Liability:

Guisborough Angling Club Limited accepts no responsibility for injury, loss, theft or damage by or to members whilst fishing our waters or taking part in ‘angling events’. It shall be a condition of membership that no member shall have the right to bring any claim against the club or members of the committee thereof, or the general membership thereof ,in respect of any injury or damage sustained while any member is enjoying the rights and privileges of club membership and utilising the angling facilities either on an individual or group organised basis.

 

4) No member shall infringe or fail to observe any covenant, condition or provision contained in any lease or licence under which the club holds any water, nor shall the member allow any visitor or family member under their control to similarly infringe or fail to observe such covenants. In any such instance the member shall indemnify the club totally against any claims, expenses or litigation that may result from non observances.

 

5) The club accepts no liability for actions taken by members where unauthorised persons have been ‘challenged’ regarding membership or potential ‘illegal’ fishing at one of our venues, nor for any litigation or criminal/civil proceedings that may result from such approach to third parties.

 Members are advised to avoid any confrontation with ‘such possible illegal visitors’ to our waters, restricting themselves to the discreet acquisition of information only eg car registration number or numbers and possible photographic evidence.

 

6) Basic first aid supplies: members are advised to carry with them a supply of plasters, antiseptic/wipes/gel. Minor skin injuries can be an accidental feature of fishing activities where the use of hooks, knives and contact with gill covers/fish teeth can occur. Take care to clean any minor wound and monitor it for possible inflammation/infection.

 

7) Communications: many locations are remote from public gaze and members should at least carry a functional mobile phone in such locations. If no mobile phone signal is available at any location fishing with a colleague is a safer option. Similarly all anglers should tell friends and relatives where they are going and the expected time of their return.

 

8) Wading: If a member intends deep water wading or entering the full river watercourse in any venues the wearing of a suitable inflatable life vest is recommended together with being accompanied by a colleague. The use of a bank stick in such instances is highly recommended to ensure the sound nature of the river/stream bottom. When rivers/streams are in spate wading is potentially very dangerous and is not advised by the club as it is inherently unsafe.

 

9) Cattle: cattle will often be found in fields bordering our waters, care is required in such circumstances. While they are not usually a danger they can cause problems. As guidance, never walk through the middle of groups of cattle, particularly when cows have young calves, young bullocks or the bull is present. Clanking and rattling fishing tackle at close quarters can elicit an unwelcome reaction from some animals. If vehicular access is the norm at particular locations take care to drive slowly and avoid driving through any herds of cattle.

 

10) No fires, barbecues, camping or dogs are allowed at any of our venues as they bring many potential safety problems. This rule may be waived by the express permission of  committee for special occasions only.

 

11)Difficult banks/access/parking/egress issues: Always use the available well trodden footpaths as possible when walking around our venues. At the more remote spots pick your access routes with care, pockets of soft mud or silt in the river bed can catch the unwary and can be difficult. Fish such potential locations with a colleague as in 6). Our venue at the Esk is known to have many rabbit holes around the banks/pathways – proceed with care in such locations. Again at the Esk –the car park at six arches bridge is known to have soft ground around it and exiting the car park requires care as there are blind corners in close proximity.

 

12) Electrocution: Anglers always need to be aware of the potential for electrocution from power lines, carbon fibre rods are ideal conductors and put the angler at serious risk if contact is made with power lines. Look for the ‘run’ of the power lines in each location and avoid areas that have any sagging or low hanging lines. Lightning is another source of electrocution risk, stop fishing in such conditions and ‘park’ your rod somewhere safe, standing under trees cannot be recommended either due to the risk of lightning strike. A car is as good a refuge as any in such circumstances.

 

13) No junior member is allowed to fish our waters without accompanying adult member supervision on a 1:1 ratio, similarly no junior member is allowed to take part in any work party. The protection of young persons is paramount and good guidance is essential, utilising safe practices throughout is of prime importance.

 

14) Stagings: exercise caution when accessing any staged/erected platformed area, slippery surfaces, weakened sections/areas may be present and not immediately evident. Sound footing and substrate is essential for safe fishing activity.

 

15) Other Risks: casting flies/floats/leger tackle becomes second nature to all involved in the sport; be aware that ‘the public’ often have no perception of the danger of walking close to or standing behind a fisherman. Children in particular are prone to dart about, when the public are in the vicinity take care and warn them verbally if you are about to cast.

 

16) Work Parties: These events happen periodically and require us to clean out blockages and obstructions that have occurred in our waters.

The following guidelines and practices apply.

a) All work parties will be supervised and members will discuss aims and objectives and how to accomplish them safely before starting the actual work.

b) Power Tools

      i) No industrial type power tools such as large tree felling hand held type chainsaws, stump removers etc are to be used by the

         individuals of the company unless the user is certified by a recognized body, has Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) plus

         insurance cover to use same.

      ii) It is permitted for the individuals of the company to use power tools such as that used by keen gardeners.    Examples 

           of  these tools are strimmers/ brush cutters and chainsaws for such as lopping/pruning tree branches or the cutting of

          deadfall trees etc into manageable sections for removal.  These tools are to be used strictly according to the manufactures

          safety instructions and with their recommended type PPE as a minimum. The maximum size chainsaw permitted is to have

          a blade length no longer that 16”.

c) All fully engaged participants (full members only under 65 and no juniors) must work in pairs to help avoid any individual member getting into difficulties and not having immediate support.

d) Suitable footwear/Wellingtons or waders are required, together with safety lines, bank sticks and life jackets for wading work.

e) Deep water wading is not permitted (ie above the waist) , any obstruction removal work should be conducted remotely with the aid of ropes at such locations to avoid risk to members.

f) Wading activities in general should be conducted in pairs, safety lines, bank sticks and life jackets to be used.

 

17) Giant Hogweed – an unwanted import- if contact is made with the sap severe blistering can result, sap in the eyes can cause temporary or even permanent blindness. Avoid direct contact with this plant, great care is needed if these plants require removal protective clothing is recommended. This plant or very similar is known in Skelton Beck and the River Leven.

Although no single safety item should be highlighted this plant is becoming increasingly common on the waterways of Britain and there is now an active iniiative bt the Enviroment Agency to control  its spread.

If its is seen during fishing please report it to the GAC secertary who will in turn inform the relevant authorities

As a last please click on this link for more info on its effects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

18) Weils Disease:

Anglers should be aware that this is a bacterial infection transmitted by rats urine/waterborn disease. Symptoms may appear a few days after contact with the bacteria, some people report flu like symptoms, however anglers should visit their GP if they feel they have possibly contacted this bacteria. All anglers should take sensible precautions to ensure personal hygiene and particularly have clean hands when eating around environments where rats may have been scavenging for discarded ground bait or such.

 

19) Bats – Over the years there have been odd reports of anglers at dusk who are fly fishing having come into contact with bats; these creatures are nocturnal coming out to feed on insects as the light fails. River banks are often sites where bats search for prey insects hence the interaction with fly fishermen, it is now known that some bats in the UK carry rabies!!!.

Take great care handling these creatures if contacted during fishing and seek medical help if any skin is punctured during the event.

 

20) Should any members participate in any sea fishing either individually or as part of an organised competition the following guidelines should be considered.

a) Study the location to be fished and be fully conversant with the ‘state’ of the tides and expected high and low water times together with expected tidal ranges and possible surges. Always ensure you have a viable ‘escape route’ from incoming waters.

 

 

 

 

b) Avoid fishing from ‘added risk’ locations such as rocky outcrops, heavily weeded rocks or remote areas where mobile phone coverage is absent, or being cut off by a rising tide is a possibility. Always fish with a collegue and have back up communications, also tell someone where you are going.
c) Always fish in ‘pairs’ there is always more safety in numbers.

d) Avoid fishing jetties or piers that can be subject to tidal surges, particularly in rough weather – many an angler has been drowned in such locations.

e) Use a full flotation type suit when fishing during rough water periods on beaches or dangerous jetties, similarly warm clothing is essential.

f) If using a boat in either the sea or freshwater – ensure suitable life jackets are available and worn, tell someone where you are and have suitable/approved tested back up emergency communications devices. Always check out a boats safety equipment inventory before venturing out fishing.
g) If using a boat always fish at least in ‘pairs’ and avoid single handed boat operations.

h) If in the sea or on a lake or river, ensure your boat complies with safety recommendations and equipment levels such as those of the RNLI or RYA.

i) Know the fish species you are likely to encounter – there are poisonous fish eg lesser weaver fish