Romsey Road Runners

Safety Guidelines for Club Training Sessions

Members should be aware that they are responsible for their own health and safety at all times, whether running in Club training sessions or not. Members running on their own, or in groups, other than during organised Club training sessions, should follow the guidelines, as far as is reasonably practicable, for their own safety.

1. Before leaving the club premises the duty Session Leader, or other nominated member leading the session, should ensure that all those attending the session are aware of the route(s) that is (are) planned to be taken.
2. The duty Session Leader, or other nominated member leading the session, will be responsible for nominating a designated person in each group who should ensure that the group follows the correct route, keeps a suitable recovery pace, re-forms after each effort and ensures runners are not isolated.
3. When running together in anything other than an effort session, members should keep together in a group, or groups, so that no individual member is more than 30metres from a main group at any time. The group should wait at regular intervals for the back runners to catch up.
4. If any member is having difficulty in maintaining the group’s pace, they should let the nominated person know and they should arrange to review and, if necessary, re-plan the group’s make-up and the proposed route.
5. If the group then splits into two or more smaller groups, to run at different paces, the session leader will nominate a leader and sweeper for each group (depending on size of the group); each group will follow the guidelines.
6. Any member who wishes to leave the group before the end of the session should inform the session leader before the start, and then ensure the session leader knows that they have left the session. If a member becomes unwell or has a fall during a session they should inform the session leader immediately. The individual needs to decide if this is minor and no treatment is required they should be advised to return with a nominated person (otherwise see 10).
7. As far as is reasonably practicable routes with street lighting should be selected on dark evenings. If it is necessary to use a stretch of footway or road without full lighting, whether this is a temporary or permanent situation, groups should remain closely together, staying at the pace of the slowest runner until it is safe to allow the 30metres rule to apply.
8. Members must take responsibility for their own personal safety by wearing items of light coloured or reflective clothing during runs on dark evenings and not wearing or using personal stereo or headphones at any time.
9. If a planned route involves crossing a busy road the session leader should ensure that controlled crossings/footbridges/underpasses are used by the group, whenever possible.
10. If any incident should occur, whether as a result of action by a third party, or an accident to a member, the member(s) involved should call for the group to halt and all members should gather together until they and the session leader decides on action to be taken.
11. Any confrontation should be avoided, although members have a legal right to defend themselves, using reasonable force if necessary. Having moved the group away the session leader should arrange for the Police to be called/informed as soon as possible, so that any problems can be reported. An incident report should be completed on return to base and held in club records.