RoSPA’s leisure safety advice and tips in the spotlight at three-day exhibition

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) will run a free health and safety clinic offering help and advice at the UK’s largest annual gathering for leisure professionals.

The clinic will take place from Tuesday, September 18 to Thursday, September 20 in the Attractions Industry Lounge at the NEC in Birmingham as part of Leisure Industry Week (LIW). RoSPA’s approach to leisure safety is that it should be “as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible” and specialists will be on hand to offer advice and information to visitors.

On the Tuesday, there will also be a presentation titled As Safe as Necessary, which will outline RoSPA’s approach to leisure and play, using case studies to demonstrate how to strike the right balance when dealing with competing demands. It will run from 10.45am -11.15am.

During the session, David Walker, RoSPA’s leisure safety manager, and Nathan Davies, RoSPA’s water and leisure team leader, will highlight some of the key lessons and tools that can be applied to leisure safety, whether it is within a play centre or leisure centre.

They will present case studies focusing on issues including children’s play, swimming and water safety, risk management for international locations and events, and safety promotion for risk seekers. Another area of focus will be the importance of promoting positive risk choices through changing attitudes, perceptions and education.

And on Wednesday, September 19, Allison Spears, HM inspector of health and safety, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), will present a second seminar alongside RoSPA’s David Walker, titled Health and Safety in Swimming Pools. The session will run from 12.30 – 1.15pm and will focus on revision of the Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools guidance, why the guidance is being updated and what it plans to achieve.

Nathan Davies said: “The RoSPA leisure and water safety clinic is a chance for visitors to speak to us on all areas of leisure safety. RoSPA has substantial experience offering advice and training on activities, site management and site design. We also review health and safety management systems and accident prevention arrangements at recreation facilities and waterfront sites, as well as undertaking accident investigations and expert witness work.

“RoSPA, a safety charity which has been at the heart of accident prevention for 95 years, works with the Government, industry stakeholders and the public to campaign for change and drive improvements where needed.”

For more information about RoSPA’s work in water and leisure safety, email leisurehelp@rospa.com.