Rank: Guest 
|
Posted By Kevin john Potts
One of my shift managers has just approached me about a problem that his son has.... His son is in the scouts and is going on scout camp in the summer at an organised site, two activities that were to be run were Hovercraft racing and Go karting. The site has no water but the hovercraft racing has been dropped as they do not have lifejackets and the go karting has been banned because they may take the go-karts on to the M25 which is 6 miles away. How are we as a profession supposed to win against stories like this ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By A Campbell
Maybe there should be a badge on how to conduct a suitable risk assessment for scouts... and their leaders to gain?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Andy Petrie
This sounds completely ridiculous, it was my many years in the scouts that helped me understand sendible risk taking.
Kids need to be exposed to this sort of activity so they can learn about risk with in a controlled environment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Sally
As someone currently involved in scouting I would suggest that either someones leg is being pulled ( 'you need a lifejacket for dry land hovercrafts' is the kind of daft thing I might say to a child for a wind up and I could imagine them repeating this to a parent) or this is a problem that needs to be addressed at a higher level.
I would suggest that the shift managers checks the truth of these claims with the scout leader and if it is them he should take the matter up with the District Commissioner responsible for the area, if he knows who that is, or if not contact Scout Association HQ's who will be able to tell him who it is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Stuart Hamilton
The scout guidance for using hovercrafts states the following:
"Buoyancy aids are to be worn at all times when on board the craft, with particular emphasis when the craft is operating over water. During a land-based operation a buoyancy aid should be regarded as additional padding against knocks. It should be sized and adjusted to requirement."
Not having been involved in hovercrafting as an activity, I am therefore unable to comment on the validity of the control measures being promoted, as a scout leader I find most of the guidance we get from Scout association HQ to be reasonable. If it is simply a case of getting buoayancy aids to allow the activity to go ahead, there may well be some available from other groups in the district to borrow.
As for the karting bit, there is again extensive guidance on "Scoutbase"(resource website for scouting) about the activity being either commercially led or organised by the scout association - I am not aware of any guidance that would prohibit the activity because a road is nearby!
As per previous comment - the District Commissioner is a good starting point if the section leaders cannot clarify the matter - most Scouting Regions/Counties have activity advisors and they too could be approached for guidance.
I would jump at the chance to get my guys both of these activites.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Kevin john Potts
Thanks for that folks, i have passed on the comments to the person concerned and hopefully this will get sorted out. thanks for the help
Kev
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Steve M Granger
Stuart
Thanks for a well balanced answer - I feel informed.
Steve
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Safety officer
"the go karting has been banned because they may take the go-karts on to the M25"
Is it just me or does anyone else see the problem with that statement??
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By A Campbell
As the traffic is unlikely to be moving.......
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Renny Thomson
It appears that yet again there is confusion between a bouyancy aid, (which is normally a foam padded waistcoat or vest) designed to assist a concious person to stay afloat and a lifejacket (which is inflated after entering the water), designed to right and float an unconcious casualty.
Having driven a hovercraft on land, there was very little risk of being thrown out of it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.