Risk Assessments

Received with thanks !

Bill

Hi bill, its disappointing that you have received a lack of guidance but not surprising.

I was asked just yesterday for my risk assessment of my work activity yet, when I started to explain about the principles of risk management, it became clear that this was, for them, a tick box exercise.

As others have said there is plenty out there to use as examples but my advice is to keep it simple and brief.

We are due to attend a club centre rally in September on a commercial site which will be open and operating in line with guidance.

My enquiry response,as to it going ahead, mentioned the fact that as a commercial site the limit on gatherings is irrelevant until you arrange something, such as flag.

As the clubs own sites are no different my RA would mention this and then the steps, that you have touched on, that apply to the rally specifically.

We always attend flag as we feel its a small way of showing our appreciation of the stewards work and, with all the Covid issues on top, anyone continuing to be a steward deserves praise and all the assistance the club can, and should, give.

What's the point of rallies  if there are no social / group activities?

i admit I only went to one rally, and that was by mistake - but it seemed rather jolly. There was a quiz night, a communal meal for about 40 of them, a lot of drinking in big groups at an open air bar, some singing, and a bonfire barbecue that went on rather late into the night. The next day they said they had hired a coach and were going to the sea. That was at a campsite where we arrived unannounced and found ourselves in the middle of a Motorhome Fun crowd - all lovely people and very welcoming to a newcomer. I liked the whole thing, but a decent risk assessment would have probably put a stop to most of it.

What's the fun in rallies with risk assessments in the middle of Coronavirus without social / group activities?

Not everyone wants to stay on camp sites, one of the pleasant things about rallies is their varied locations often away from the crowds on camp sites. During the present circumstances it would be a welcome thought even if social gatherings can't take place.

It's difficult to see the safety differences between a small rally and 200 pitch site. 

"What's the fun in rallies with risk assessments in the middle of Coronavirus without social / group activities?"

Hi euror, well as Paul Daniels might have said "not a lot" BUT that presumes that this is your reason for attending rallies in the first place.

Its not our reason but, if these 'fun events' are available, we may participate-the emphasis on may.

We have attended many rallies and our main reason is that it gave us access to decent sites at a reasonable price.

We have come to know many people on a passing basis, and one or two that we would choose for their company, but that's not why we do it its just incidental to rallying with a centre that attracts centre members to its rallies.

As for costs, we are booked on a rally in Cornwall run by the Wilts Centre in September. Cost per night is £13.87.

If you could book direct with the site, which you cant as they are full, the price would be, for me,£32.10.

Hi Bill,

You can contact your Centre Committee who now have all the guidance on running a Covid secure rally and information on completing a risk assessment. This has been has been sent out to Centre committees from the Club’s Governance Office.

I hope this helps and that you are able to have a fantastic rally. 

I see the C&CC are now re-starting their Temprary Holiday Sites etc (details in latest magazine.) It would be good to hear if CAMC is following suit?

Hi Rowena

My Centre has now supplied me with a rally pack which is helpful but the risk assessment is just a blank suggested format supplied by the CAMC.  I was assuming that somebody, with experience, would produce a generic rally risk assessment that could be modified as appropriate.  I've not seen the CAMC risk assessment for the site that I am using but concerned that I might contradict their one.

The point is to keep in touch with other caravanners who you’ve met up with and become good friends with, sometimes for many years.  By continuing to rally together, the bond between Centre members will hopefully remain until we are able to meet up in happier and less restricted times.

I’ve read through the comments above which sadly reflect the lack of support and general disinterest that the Club now seems to have adopted towards Centres.  We are all members of the CAMC and all pay our annual membership fee in order to be able to caravan in the way we prefer.  It would have been sensible and logical for the club to produce a standard risk assessment document for the use of all Centres in running their rallies but it seems that for whatever reason this has either not happened or has been communicated poorly.  The instruction issued to Centres are themselves pretty unhelpful and in some cases more draconian than those issued to members booked on club sites.  Below is an extract of the advice to Centre members travelling to a rally

‘Travelling to a rally
● If possible, when travelling to the rally avoid busy transport hubs such as motorway services - toilets, food service areas and petrol pumps – to reduce the risk of contamination.‘  Are these instructions issued to members travelling to a club site?  I certainly didn’t receive anything like this when we stayed on a site a couple of weeks ago.

Rally organisers are not permitted to distribute rally plaques on site, presumably because of the risk of transmitting the virus.  I quote:

‘No rally plaques should be distributed at the rally but can be ordered and distributed when restrictions are lifted.’

On the club site we stayed on a couple of weeks ago, we were able to purchase a plaque direct from the wardens.  Seems to me that there are two sets of rules going on here!