Good afternoon all

I have been asked to complete a risk assessment for a number of colleagues who are completeing a 'Tough Mudder' challenge for charity late this month.

Tough Mudder is a 10 - 12 mile military style obstacle course - https://toughmudder.co.u...nts/what-is-tough-mudder

Where I am at the moment is that it seems to me that the course is a challenge for even those who are in good health and who have completed training for the event

I think that the nature of the obstacles is such that there is a good chance that participants will sustain an injury of some sort regardless of their preparation.

Looking for help / advice in completing the risk assessment - thanks

I am running a half marathon soon and on the organisers web site they give a very comprehensive training programme. I note that on the web site above you can submit your details to get training tips.

But if this was being carried out in the workplace as part of normal work duties then I think a risk assessment, no matter how good or in depth, would be useful seeing as you have said that:

"I think that the nature of the obstacles is such that there is a good chance that participants will sustain an injury of some sort regardless of their preparation"

Who in their right mind, under normal choices and decisions would want to do something where it appears you will almost definitely get some injury (you don't state how severe these could be).

This appears to be an extreme sport and by the very nature of using the term extreme should warn off all level headed people.

Or am I missing something here?

I did one last weekend - no significant injuries to anyone.

Its an event you participate in at your own risk.
Not work, so why the RA?.

I know plenty of people (of varying fitness and bravado) that have completed Tough Mudder courses without incident. I understand the concern of a company if 10 valuable members of their team were to be injured and out of action for a length of time at the same time but the likelihood of this happening is miniscule.

As someone said already it is a popular 'extreme' sporting event and as such there will always be risks - whether it be from electric shocks, barbed wire or wading/crawling through deep mud but I'd consider all as being relatively low-risk in reality.

I dont see a need for you to try and do a risk assessment, maybe some encouragement, good luck messages and advice of what to do if they pick up any strains/bruises etc is all that is really needed?

Rich777 I'm fully in agreement with you but sadly my husband is one of the crazy people who have done this event and worse and may I add completed without injury.

John,

By looking at the course layout I'm sure you can work out what most of the hazards are likely to be whilst taking part but my query is what control measures would you implement to lower the risk level bearing in mind that you have no control over the course terrain, obstacles or weather on the day? Other than ensure the participants are physically fit and wear decent shoes/clothing (which they don't mind binning after the event as they will be no use to man nor beast) I don't see what you could do.

John - I think this is very sensible approach, covering the work colleague aspect and company endorsement. There is also a BC matter should they all come from one dept. It does not matter whether it is work or it isn't - the team would benefit from 'Coach Safety'. You might even improve their odds at surviving.

If you want some help pm me. Happy to guide or share the work, no charge.

Lets show doubters that safety plays as well as safety pays.

There is only one headline that would appear in the newspaper and that's " 'elf and Safety stops charity event." Then I guess I might end up on Radio 5 or something. It is usually the organisers who control the risk, what experience do you have in managing these sort of events? A bit of due diligence to make sure they have risk assessed it and they are a reputable outfit and go ahead, make some children's lives better.

If you want an endorsement from me, send me details and I will sponsor them as well.

I have done this before - its great and I would thoroughly recommend it!

I cant see why you would need to risk assess it as this would have already been done by the guys running it - but if your employer insists why not ask for copies of the risk assessments and write an overarching one referencing those done by the organisers. This could then include things like: "If employee doesn't feel that they are in good enough health or ability to complete an obstacle, they are to walk round it".

Hope that helps.

I think what the original poster is asking about is not the narrow H&S risk assesment as required under H&S law but the wider concept of business risk. Yes the duty to deal with the H&S risk is down to the event organisers but the wider risk to the business (continuity issues and reputational issues-insurance will not cover those) is down to the employer. Not a legal requirement but something to think about. What would you do if several key personal were all out of action at once. Could your business cope?
More about this at http://www.shponline.co.uk/wider-view/

Will do Ian

I didn't contribute but thanks for the feedback John, and thanks to all who did, that's why we're here isn't it?