Risk Management
Risk Management
Southland Orienteering Club is committed to providing an enjoyable and safe environment to all participants at every orienteering event.
Southland orienteering club's responsibility:
To conduct an annual Risk Analysis and Management review (refer Risk Analysis and Management section)
Ensure all participants are aware of any significant event specific hazards that they can be expected to encounter while taking part during the event (Refer Hazard Identification section)
Have procedures in place that can be followed in the case of injury and illness (refer Emergency Procedures section)
Have procedures in place that can be followed in the case of a participant becoming lost or missing (refer Search and Rescue (SAR) Procedures section)
Complete the Event Specific Details for each event (refer Event Specific Details section)
Ensure that all Organisers and Controllers are aware of the above procedures
Participants responsibility:
Be aware that participation is at our own risk
Only attempt a course suited to the competency/skill level of the participant
Dress appropriately for the conditions and consume enough food and water for the level of competition and conditions
Read all notices concerning the special hazards that may be associated with the event and pay attention to the event briefing and obey all instructions and warnings. Consider wearing safety glasses
Not interfere with, or enter, any plant or equipment, out of bounds/unauthorised areas or buildings
Avoid disturbing livestock and keep away from all work activities
Not allow children to wander unsupervised
It is MANDATORY to carry a whistle and in and emergency they are to give six short blasts.
If you become lost stay where you are, preferably on a road, track, or a control flag – the organisers will look for you there first
Notify the organisers of any health issues. E.g., diabetes, asthma, angina, hepatitis, allergies, etc.
Carry appropriate medication related to any health issues
Check in at Finish Tent, even if you do not complete the course
If you hear repeated sounding of car horns this means fire or another major problem. Abandon the course and return to the nearest road and then to the Registration Tent, unless directed to another assembly point or exit route. Notify an event official you are safe.
Landowners responsibility:
Landowners are not responsible for the natural hazards and risks associated with orienteering and attendant activities
Risks: Accident, injury or other forms of loss
People injured by falling on sharp or hard objects
Death by drowning
Getting lost in the Reserve
Tree branches falling on people
Exposure (hypothermia)
Causal Factors: Hazards, perils, dangers
People: Medical problems, eg. asthma
Instructions not followed
Recklessness
Equipment: Inappropriate clothing and footwear
Environment: Water, e.g. lakes and rivers
Rough ground
Dense vegetation
Risk Management Strategies: Normal Operation
People: Support people well briefed on their responsibilities
Explain the rules at a briefing before the start.
Check that everyone has appropriate clothing for the elements
Advise people of potential hazards
Advise people of the emergency procedures
Equipment: Check that everyone has a map, (torch for night event) and carry a whistle.
Cell-phone and emergency numbers on site
Environment: Use map with detailed representation of terrain and hazards
Course set which allows non-hazardous movement between controls.
Risk Management Strategies: Emergency
People: Have someone qualified in First Aid
Equipment: First Aid kept in Orienteering caravan
Cell-phone on site
Environment: Visit site before the event to personally check it out.
Traffic: Place traffic cones on roadside to warn drivers of people crossing road from parking area.
Date: 21/5/2025 Venue: Fosbender Park (Camp Mauritangi area)
Specific Hazards at today’s event:
Beware of other users of the tracks ie. walkers, dogs, mountain bike riders. Take care crossing fences.
Tracks not to be used are marked on the ground “Out Of Bounds”.
Getting lost (temporarily) is part of orienteering and to learn to work out where you are on the map and get back on track. A club member will be patrolling the tracks and assisting where required.
Typical Hazards include: Overgrown trimmings, vines, tree roots, derelict and unstable fences.
Please Note it is the participant’s responsibility to:
Read all notices concerning the special hazards that may be associated with the event
Obey all instructions and warnings
Not interfere with any plant or equipment
Not enter any unauthorised areas or farm buildings
Avoid disturbing livestock and keep away from all work activities
Not allow children to wander unsupervised
Competitors are required to carry whistles and that for use in emergency they are to give six short blasts.
Notify the organisers of any health problems. eg diabetes, asthma, angina, hepatitis, angina, etc.
Today’s safety bearing is: South-East to Dunns Road
Course Closure Time is: 2:20pm
Check in at Finish even if you do not complete the course.
Landowners are not responsible for the natural hazards and risks associated with orienteering and attendant activities
This form is to be completed at each event and displayed at the assembly area
Event: School Champs Date: 18 May 2025
Planner & Controller: Paul Horner
Risk Management: Southland Secondary Schools Orienteering Sub Committee – 2025 (Andrea Patterson, Helen Stewart, Nathan Harrison, Paul Horner)
Persons with first aid training: Andrea Patterson, Helen Stewart, Nathan Harrison, Paul Horner
Persons with mobile phones: Andrea Patterson (0272326301), Helen Stewart (0226319141), Paul Horner (021 190-1954)
In the event of a competitor being injured the Controller is to be in overall charge and is to ascertain the extent of injuries and location of injured person.
Minor injuries are to be treated with the first aid kit which is kept in the Club Trailer parked at the Finish.
For major injuries the injured person is to be kept warm but not moved until checked by a first aid qualified person, preferably a doctor. This person will decide the course of treatment.
If a rescue helicopter is to be called the NZTopo map grid coordinates must be given.
The “NZTopo 50” grid reference of the car parking area is CG10 348 465
The Search:
[A] When to start action:
Consider: (not necessarily in this order)
(a) prevailing weather - cold combination of any 2 leads to
- wet rapid onset of HYPOTHERMIA
- wind
- hot - dehydration and/or sunstroke
(b) age of competitor
(c) fitness level of competitor
(d) experience of competitor
(a) any known/perceived medical condition
(f) how long has the competitor been out
(i) beyond the course estimated winning time (EWT)
(ii) beyond course closure time
(g) clothing the competitor is wearing (parka, polypropylene/geothermals/woollen top, gloves, hat, etc.)
(h) is the competitor carrying a watch/whistle?
(i) daylight remaining
(j) check the person is actually missing (see section E)
[B] Organising Orienteers to carry out a sweep of the area
- organised jointly by Controller and Course Planner
(a) narrow the search area by asking if anyone has seen the competitor while they were competing
(b) send a vehicle around the roads on the map and bordering the map
(c) contact search - reverse direction of course along likely corridor (approx. 100metres a wide if possible) . Make lots of noise: call out name, then all listen.
Consider the competitor may:
(i) be injured
conscious - able to respond to voice/whistle
unconscious or dead - must be physically found so check bottoms of cliffs, streams etc.
(ii) have run off the map
(iii) have been distracted, then become disorientated
- common with young children, and people on courses too difficult for their ability
[C] Who to Contact?
(a) Police - if initial search fails, a body is found, or insufficient manpower or daylight is left. It takes 2+ hours to get a Police search organised - may not be able to mount a full search until the next day.
(b) Next of kin - if not at the event, they should be notified at the same time the Police are contacted.
[D] Police Queries:
Controller, Course Planner and next of kin should be available for any queries
[E] Are you sure the person is lost?
(a) have they reported in at the Finish
(b) is their car still at the event
(c) have other members of the car/family they are with seen the missing person
(d) have they uplifted their gear - from Start/Finish/car
(e) if a person is lost, do not bring in the controls.
[F] Controller's Procedures:
Providing the competitor is either still on the map or in close proximity to it there is:
(a) a relatively 'small' area to cover
(b) usually easy terrain to move over
Before the event the Controller should:
(a) Note the grid references for the Carpark/Finish area in case the Police or Ambulance/Rescue helicopters are needed
NOTE: you must specify the map series and map used e.g.: NZTopo 50 CG10 363438 (1:50 000) “new”
(b) Know the location/availability of the nearest telephone - if using a mobile/cell phone, check out the reception before the event.
(c) ensure competitors are aware of a "safety bearing" to follow This should be simple: N, S, W, or E to the road, then turn S etc. Information should be in the programme and displayed at the event.
(d) checked no course has controls placed at the edge of a map (unless there is a very obvious catching feature they are unlikely to cross: e.g. a river)
(e) ensure a course closure time is in the programme
(f) insist competitors carry a whistle
(g) ensure adequate supplies of water are available on courses in hot weather
(h) ensure the host club has a First Aid kit at the event
Competitors can help avoiding a search by:
(a) always checking in at the Finish even if you do not complete your course.
(b) carrying a whistle
(c) wear a watch and be aware of course closure time and abandon your course if over time
(d) wearing adequate clothing for the weather
(e) not panicking if you become lost
(f) ensuring proper use of medication (e.g. inhaler carried by asthmatics, angina pills, barley sugar-type lollies for diabetics etc.)
(g) having an adequate intake of liquid while competing
(h) not competing if feeling ill
The Rescue:
Once the missing person is found the Search Controller must be informed immediately so they can:
(a) Arrange evacuation of found person - if injured, a stretcher may have to be improvised. A person suffering from severe hypothermia must not be walked out.
(b) Recall other search teams - If the person is dead, apart from attempting CPR, the body should be left where and how it was found and the Police notified.