The Australian / New Zealand Risk Management Standard (AS/NZS 4360:1995) outlines the risk management process as:-

• Establish the Context
• Identify Risks
• Analyse Risks
• Assess Risk
• Treat Risk

With constant monitoring and review at every stage.  Each of these activities is integral to the successful implementation of a risk management program.

This article considers identification of risk; an extremely important task as any risk not identified is omitted from treatment strategies and therefore is uncontrolled.  The objective at the risk identification stage is just that, to identify risks; attention to assessment and treatment comes later in the process.  The result should be a complete list of all the risks to which the sport is exposed.

There are many sources of risk for sporting bodies, including :-

• Sports participation itself
• Facilities / property
• Commercial / legal relationships
• Human behaviour / occupational health and safety
• Economic circumstances
• Management activities and controls
• Natural events
• Political circumstances
• Public / professional liability
• Security

and all should be addressed under a risk management program.

There are various techniques of risk identification, such as physical inspections, checklists, organisational charts and flowcharts.  Hazard and operational studies (HAZOP), fault trees and hazard indices provide a more detailed analysis, identifying individual sources of risk, no matter how small.  

It is unlikely that one particular technique will be appropriate to identify all the risks of an organisation.  It is unwise to rely on one or two particular methods at the exclusion of all others.

In this instance we will use the example of identifying risks emanating for facilities, using the method of physical inspection aided by the use of checklists.  Obviously facilities are going to vary from club to club.  The following checklist examples are not intended to identify all risks for all situations.  They are a guide only. Administrators should undertake an extensive risk identification program on their own facilities and design appropriate checklists.

PLAYING ARENA

• Is the surface free of debris?
• Has weather conditions or water made the surface unsafe?
• Is the surface in good condition i.e. grass appropriate length, free of holes etc.?
• Are sprinkler covers correctly in place?
• Is the perimeter fencing safe and in good condition?
• Is sprinkler timing appropriately adjusted to ground usage?
• Has goalpost padding been put in place?
• Are lighting conditions adequate?
• Are ground markings safe and a sufficient distance from fencing and other structures?
• Are fire exits provided, accessible and appropriately signed.
• Is sports equipment used safe and in good condition?
• Is fire equipment in place and properly maintained?

FIRST AID RESOURCES FOR THE PLAYING ARENA

• Is a stretcher provided on site?
• Is the stretcher location known to teams involved?
• Is a qualified first aid attendant present?
• Is a telephone available for emergency use, together with emergency numbers being known?
• Has first aid kit stocks been checked against an appropriate check list and is ice available?
• Is ambulance access provided?
• Is emergency first aid equipment available e.g. resuscitation equipment?
• Is an appropriate recovery facility available?
• Do first aid personnel know the location of the nearest hospital and medical centre?

                                                                    Continued.....