Posted By Ian Bruce Assistance required please. A manager at my workplace is hoping to start use of a petrol driven go - kart, to give youngsters (typical age about 12 - 14 years), an exciting and stimulating experience. I'm pleased that he has come to me, as the company health and safety manager, for advice before starting the activity; and to date, we have discussed the usual sorts of things such as: Risk assessment. Pre use checks. Competency issues in terms of supervision, training etc. Fuelling issues (COSHH basics). Maintenance. Fire protection. Roll over protection. This is all very good stuff to give us a head start, but I have no experience of this sort of activity (apart from using karts at tracks as a customer), so I have arranged for the local kart track manager to pop in for a meeting to give us some pointers on surface and obstruction protection, the intended course has lamp posts adjacent to it. Does anyone out there have any experience in managing this sort of activity from a H & S point of view? If so, I'd be grateful of any experiences or guidance.

Posted By Ron Hunter Ian, You might want to invest £25+VAT in HSE Video "Karting - a guide to safe circuit operation" ISBN 0 7176 1820 X, and £6 in a copy of HSG200 "Go-carts: Guidance on safe operation and use" ISBN 0 7176 1752 1. (Check out HSE Books)

Posted By jom Ian, Long hair can get caught in the chain drive. J.

Posted By jom Well, Laurie, it's about the only contribution I can make to go-karting safety. There was a case of a boy with a long ponytail that became caught in the chain & sprocket drive which I guess is directly in line with the driver's head. The surgeons succesfully reattached his scalp. Obviously, the drive mechanism must be guarded and all long hair contained. J.