Club Health and Safety Policy

Oxted Runners Health and Safety Policy

Oxted Runners is first and foremost a running club where its members should enjoy the pleasure of running but also feel safe running the roads and trails in Oxted and the surrounding areas.

This statement covers the Health and Safety practices that all Oxted Runners Members are expected to agree and abide by during all Club running activities.

Some of the sections contain information that is also shown in the Club’s Code of Conduct document.

General Safety

All club members must take personal responsibility for their own safety and be aware of other runners in the same group, in particular new members who may have less knowledge of the routes being taken.

Medical Considerations

If you do not feel well enough please do not attend a run.

All members of the club who declare themselves medically fit to run do so at their own risk and shall not hold the club responsible for any incident occurring through a personal medical condition or current injury. 

Members with any medical conditions agree, where appropriate, to carry with them the relevant details of the condition and their name, address and emergency phone number contact details. 

Voluntary disclosure of medical conditions shall be the responsibility of the individual member or their carer in circumstances where they consider an individual risk assessment approach to their welfare may be appropriate.

Running in the dark

When running in the dark make yourself highly visible by wearing bright clothing, preferably with fluorescent or reflective strips. Be aware that drivers may find it difficult to see you.

Staying in groups

If you are a Run Leader, when preparing to set off, ensure that you or at least two other members in your group are familiar with the proposed route. Each member shall make a head count within each group to ensure that no one individual gets left behind. 

Whenever mixed ability occurs within a group, regrouping shall take place at appropriate times along the route and also when a change of direction is being made to ensure that no one individual gets left behind. 

If anyone decides to leave the group whilst out on the run, they MUST inform at least one other runner in that group. 

Upon returning to the start, check that everyone who started out has returned or can be accounted for.

Carrying a mobile phone is highly recommended should an incident occur.

Road Sense

Take particular care when crossing side roads and driveways. Routes passing along busy roads without footpaths shall be avoided wherever possible and when this is not possible (on quiet roads) runners shall run to the right to face any oncoming traffic or to the left at bends where forward visibility to the right is limited. Off road routes are allowed as long as route risk assessments have been carried out and members are wearing head/body torches at night.

First Aid

All Members and in particular Run Leaders and First Aid trained members should familiarise themselves with the Club’s First Aid processes.

Dogs accompanying owners during Club running activities

We love dogs and some of our routes are suitable for dogs accompanying their owners and some are not. Our Winter Runs are not suitable due to the amount of roads and traffic that is about. Routes with narrow trails are also considered unsuitable. On all other runs please ensure that your dog is on a lead at all times when on trails and road sections or wherever there is livestock in the fields we are passing through. We will post guidance on the suitability of dogs accompanying their owner prior to each run.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the following other club policies

• Code of Conduct
• Grievance Policy and Procedure
• Inclusion Policy

Oxted Runners Health and Safety Policy

Version 21.04.24