INTRODUCTION
This section sets out the water safety policy of London Rowing Club and must be adhered to by all members. Information within this section explains how risks can be mitigated and what actions to take in the advent of an issue.
All members of the club must view safety on and off the water as their first priority. It is an issue managed at Committee level and is the first agenda item of all meetings, decisions are taken by the Committee and must be adhered to by all members. The Club Rowing Safety Advisor advises the Committee and members on safety on the water. Safety within the club building is overseen by the Hon House Steward. Questions or concerns can be raised to the Club Rowing Safety Adviser (CRSA) via safety@londonrc.org.uk and all references within the safety documents to reporting to the CRSA should be sent to this email ID.
MANDATORY DOCUMENTS FOR ALL ROWERS, COXES, COACHES & OFFICIALS TO READ:
Make a risk assessment
Rowing on the Tideway
Guidance for Rowers and Canoeists on shared water
Safety plan
HAZARDS, NAVIGATION RULES, CIRCULATION PATTERNS, EMERGENCY ACCESS POINTS
REPORTING INCIDENTS
EMERGENCY CONTACTS AND EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING TELEPHONES
RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Annex 1 - EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Annex 2 – STEERS POLICY
1 . HAZARDS, NAVIGATION RULES, CIRCULATION PATTERNS, EMERGENCY ACCESS POINTS
All steers and coaches must be familiar with The Tideway Code and navigation rules contained within. These are core to pre-outing Risk Assessments.
A copy of the circulation pattern, including key hazards and emergency points is located on the ground floor water safety notice board.
Hazardous conditions
There are some circumstances that make conditions and usual hazards more dangerous. The following situations should be carefully considered in the pre-outing risk assessment and may force the cancelling of an outing:
Heavy fog (where the Fulham wall is not visible from the Embankment) and other low visibility
High winds
PLA warning flags (see below)
Thames Barrier lowered
Extreme temperatures
Thunderstorms/lightning
Extremely high/low tide predicted
Levels of traffic and exclusions during working hours of River Transport Services and Barges
The club Bye-laws restrictions on boating
PLA Warning System
All steers and coaches must be familiar with the PLA’s flag status before boating. This can be found on the PLA and LRC websites, experience will aid you to apply these as part of your risk assessment. Updates will be circulated to steers as the situation changes.
RED = Extreme Caution – very strong fluvial flows. LRC policy on a Red Flag is that you must check with the Club Rowing Safety Advisor before boating during forecast Ebb tide times at safety@londonrc.org.uk . Boating will be severely restricted in area and to Expert steers with experienced and strong crews. When flows are exceptionally strong, boating is suspended during forecast Ebb tides and possibly also into an early portion of the predicted flood tide.
YELLOW = Strong fluvial flows, beginner crews and their coaches must take extra care on the Ebb tide if it is deemed safe to boat
GREEN = Navigate with caution and maintain a good look out
BLACK= Fluvial flow is less than usual and lower than predicated tides are expected. Navigate with caution at low water; do not boat at low
tide in club shells.
2. REPORTING INCIDENTS
All members are responsible for reporting incidents (see Rules and Responsibilities). Incidents must be reported as soon as is practical to the CRSA via Safety@LondonRC.org.uk and where required via the British Rowing online system within 24 hours.
All incidents will be reviewed by the CRSA who will take the decision to escalate to the club Committee where necessary. Actions required will be agreed by appropriate Officers of the club and Section leads.
3. EMERGENCY CONTACTS AND EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING TELEPHONES
Telephones and contacts
Telephones are located:
Free phones: The office, the catering office (access through kitchen or bar)
Additional telephones for emergency use can be found at KCS boathouse, next door to LRC.
In event of an emergency call 999 and ask for the required service (request Coast Guard for on the water emergencies). The address of the club is ‘London Rowing Club, Embankment, Putney, SW15 1LB.’
Club officials contacts can be found in the office and on the water safety notice board.
Equipment
A defibrillator can be found in the club gym.
First aid kits can be found in the office, behind the bar, the gym, and on the landing outside the changing rooms. Please ensure any item taken from the first aid kit is reported to facilities@londonrc.org.uk and all incidents requiring attention are recorded in the accident book/s, located next to the external door by the lift (water related incidents) or behind the bar (land based incidents).
Throw bags are located in each launch and should not be removed. Any use of the throw bags should be reported to the CRSA, British Rowing (via online reporting system) and Chief Coach. Throw bags will be checked after each use and annually as part of the club safety audit.
Launch Safety Kit and Paddle
No launch may go afloat without a safety kit and paddle. Safety kits will be checked after use and annually as part of the club safety audit. Use of the safety kit should be reported to the CRSA.
Lifejackets are required for all coxes and launch drivers/passengers. Lifejackets are found in the equipment room next to the ground floor disabled lift. Self-inflating life jackets must not be used in bow loading boats – the method of inflation is marked on the reverse side of the lifejacket. Any deployment of a lifejacket must be reported to the CRSA and if appropriate recorded reported via the British Rowing online system. Lifejackets are tested and serviced semi-annually as part of the club safety audit, but if a user has concerns about a club lifejacket this should be escalated immediately to the CRSA and the vest should not be relied on as functional and labelled as such. Anyone using their own personal lifejacket takes on responsibility for ensuring that it is in good working order and has been tested.
Additional heel restraints, single hand release line, and bow balls can be found in the workshop. It is the responsibility of each crew to check these items along with the integrity of hull and other fittings before boating. Any use of spares must be reported to safety@londonrc.org.uk so adequate stocks can be maintained.
A hypothermia prevention box containing dry clothes can be found above the valuables lockers outside the changing rooms. All use resulting from an incident on the water must be recorded in the incident book and reported via the British Rowing online system. Bags are checked yearly at Club Pride Day.
4. RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities of all members and coaches
Each member has a responsibility to ensure the safety of themselves, their crew and other river users. Every launch driver, steers and crew should complete their own risk assessment prior to boating, this can be as a group prior to mass boating, but the individual steers retain their autonomy when erring to the side of safety. All members are expected to be familiar with and/or comply with:
This Club Water Safety and Emergency plan;
and all reasonable instructions from the Captain, Coaches and CRSA.
Failure to so do may result in suspension of steering and/or boating privileges, including privately owned boats.
Launch drivers
No launch driver is permitted to go afloat without a kill cord. Kill cords must always be used and secured to the driver before any attempt to start an engine. Launch drivers must wear a suitable lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD) when on the water. Any launch driver paid for their work must hold a RYA 2 power boat certificate. Voluntary drivers must have been given training by a qualified or suitable instructor and be familiar with how to perform a rescue from within the launch (see Emergency Action Plan) and the Tideway Code. All launch drivers must carry a mobile phone with substantial charge in a waterproof pouch on their person. No launch should be afloat without a paddle and launch bag.
Steers of crew boats (and their crews)
Steers have legal responsibility for their crew. Coaches and other crew members must respect this at all times and should not ask or encourage a Steers to perform any activity or take any action that is unsafe or violates the Tideway Code. Steers have a responsibility to ensure that safety of all crew members and must raise concerns if they are asked to do something that is unsafe.
Steers policy
All steers must be accredited and can only boat in conditions appropriate to their accredited level, or if accompanied by an Expert or Expert coach who has carried out and discussed a risk assessment to ensure that conditions are safe. It is the responsibility of the individual member to ensure their level is recorded by the Club Rowing Safety Advisor once it has been agreed by the Section lead and CRSA. A copy of the Steers Policy can be found on the notice board above the signing out book on the ground floor. It is required that all Steers including Scullers have with them when boating a mobile phone secured to them or the hull in a watertight pouch to enable the summoning of aid should it be required. Any steers seeing another crew or sculler in distress or suspect that they may be should offer assistance or guidance, but should not risk their own or their crew’s personal safety. Cold hands cause problems operating smart phones and it is suggested that the voice instruction system is activated, otherwise one’s nose should retain enough surface heat to operate the phone.
Rowing at night
Rowing at night is restricted to:
Crews boats steered by Advanced steers and accompanied by a launch
Crew boats steered by Tideway Experts (preferably accompanied by a launch)
Single scullers of the level Tideway Experts accompanied by a launch or in flotilla
Single scullers of the level Tideway Experts who are a suitable floatation device AND have received permission from the LRC Rowing Sub Group (RSG)
No individual crew, sculler or launch should boat alone after dark unless given express permission by the Captain and CRSA to do so, coaches must ensure they stay within shouting distance of another boat or crew.
No rowing boat should navigate below Putney Bridge after dark under any circumstances.
Lights
All rowing boats are required to have FOUR working white lights attached to the boat canvas (steady beams on the stern, flashing beams on the bow). Crews without sufficient lighting must not boat. All launches are equipped with a lighting bar that must be fixed and checked prior to going afloat in poor light and in any circumstance where visibility may become poor.
Annex 1
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
In the event of capsize, immersion, collision, ill health or equipment failure resulting in a boat being un-rowable the first priority must be for all involved to be moved to a place of safety and out of the water. Everyone should be aware of the impact of cold water immersion – Read RNLI’s guidance on how to deal with cold water shock here. If a member of a crew is ejected from the hull following a crab the crew must immediately cease rowing and manoeuvre the hull towards the casualty. Swamped hulls should be rowable and should be rowed to the nearest safe shore to be emptied. The safest course of action in the event of capsize is nearly always to stay with the boat. In the event of capsize the crew should follow the guidance in the British Rowing Row Safe document (section 3.7), read this now.
Use the capsized boat as a floatation device to reach the shore. In cold weather be sure to get as much of your body as possible out of the water. Do not attempt to paddle directly to the shore, instead aim for a diagonal point in the direction of the prevailing stream and take into account hazards down stream of your location. In exceptional situations when being swept towards a hazard an oar or pair of sculls will provide limited buoyancy when removed from the gate.
In all situations all crew members should attempt to stay together until safe.
Use of safety launch for a rescue
Extreme care must be taken in performing rescues into a launch this should only be as a last resort, our launches are not designed to rescue casualties and are at severe risk of being tipped and filling. If there is no alternative except to attempt a rescue, launches should be loaded from the BOW to avoid capsize. If attempting a rescue the engine must be turned OFF and extreme care taken near the propeller even with the engine off. In cold weather or if unwell individuals removed from the water should be taken to the nearest open boathouse.
In any situation where there are multiple people in the water or in cases of unconsciousness or severe ill health the launch driver should alert the Coastguard on 999.
All launch drivers have a responsibility to go to the aid of anyone in need, not just members of LRC.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a serious concern after a capsize and can be serious if not treated. Hypothermia is a drop in body temperature below 35C (normal temp is around 37C). Early symptoms include:
Shivering
Cold and pale skin
Slurred speech
Fast breathing
Tiredness
Confusion
In several cases, or where you are unsure always call 999. NHS advice on first aide for hypothermia is to follow these five steps:
Move them indoors
Remove wet clothes and dry them
Wrap them in blankets
Give them a warm non alcoholic drink but only if they can swallow normally
Give energy food that contains sugar (if they can swallow normally)
Avoid the following actions:
Do not put them in a hot bath
Do not massage their limbs
Do not use heating lamps
Do not give them alcohol
Hypothermia can happen in cold weather without capsizing. Dress appropriately for the weather.
Annex 2
STEERS POLICY
Tideway Steering at LRC: Updated 2023
Our obligations
● The PLA requires all Tideway clubs to have an Authorised Steers Accreditation System in place. Any coach, cox or steers must have completed an appropriate steering and navigation test to prove their understanding and knowledge of the Tideway Code. For accreditation, they must prove their competence to steer and show an understanding that the Tideway is often fast flowing with strong tidal sets. Accreditation must be given by a suitably qualified person and clubs must keep an up-to-date record of accredited steers.
Steers accreditation process
Members wishing to apply for steers accreditation should first contact their squad organiser, lists below. Private scull owners who wishes to boat at their own discretion should contact the CRSA on the safety@londonrc.org.uk email id.
The process starts with the self-certification form followed by passing the online test, your accreditation is then checked and confirmed by the rowing sub-group. The rowing sub-group may not have first-hand knowledge of a member’s ability, in these instances there will be further checks; most likely including a water assessment. Those progressing from Beginner to Intermediate will require an on-water audit.
The form is a self-certification of your level, the level declared should be candid and relevant to boating on one’s own or requiring outside guidance and having reviewed the levels those who need more knowledge can be helped to gain that knowledge.
The online test of the Tideway Code and other aspects regarding boating from the club has a pass mark of 50 out of 56. This can be found via this link:
This is an open file test, candidates may and should consult the Tideway Code when completing their answers. You will have noted that the PLA site has been updated and now has the Ebb tide flag and tide times, it is a useful page to store as a favourite on your browser, it can be found here:
Each squad at LRC has an organiser/leader who is responsible for ensuring members of their group are categorised, acting in a safe manner and obey the navigation code, they can escalate concerns or seek advice from the Club Rowing Safety Advisor (CRSA) when they need to. That individual will be a point of contact for the safety advisor on any issues with members of the squad should it be required and will be used to cascade messages and information. They may be asked to help the CRSA when matters concerning their squads are raised by the PLA/TRRC or help the CRSA in giving additional advice or training to crews that have been involved in an incident or are subject to a complaint, on the rare occasions where this occurs. These individuals are responsible for ensuring anyone within their group is accredited to steer at the appropriate level and that lists are compiled and sent to the office to be held/updated as required.
The list of squad organisers is below (please notifying the WSA with any changes)
Irregulars: Eddie Markes | Email Eddie
Millennials & Masters: Jason Bowyer / Email Jason
Squad: Stuart Heap | Email Chief Coach
Young Irregulars: Kathleen Curran | Email Kathleen
Water Safety Advisor: Rui Xu | Email Safety Advisor
Rob Porter (captain@londonrc.org.uk) may also sign off steers.
LRC STEERS LEVELS/PERMISSIONS
Beginner
Allowed to steer a boat only when accompanied by a coaching launch with an approved coach, the coach will take responsibility for the behaviour and safety of the steersperson (although legal responsibility always rests with the steer) in benign conditions.
The coach must be someone approved by the ‘squad organiser’ and be deemed a Tideway expert.
Requirements:
None
WHO IS COVERED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Anyone below Intermediate will be classified as beginner until they qualify for the next level (see below).
No beginners should steer in the dark, during wind, fog or strong/unusual tides no matter the level of other crew members or coach.
No beginners crews will row down river of Putney Pier.
All beginner crews must have a safety launch with them. This should be 1:1 for crews with beginner steers (including coxes) or a maximum 3:1 if the steers are advanced/expert level. All crews must remain insight of the coaching launch at all times.
A beginner may go out in a double with a tideway expert if they have permission of an appropriate person (see below).
NOTE: beginner crews carry a higher level of risk than other crews as those rowing will lack the skills and awareness to get out of trouble if required, therefore the steer level of the steer does not set the boating permission level.
LRC STEERS LEVELS/PERMISSIONS
Intermediate
Allowed to scull unaccompanied in accordance with the rules base in the Water Safety plan.
Allowed to steer/cox a crew boat during sessions with appropriate safety launch cover or if accompanied by a Tideway expert in the boat (safety launch can be supervising multiple crews) in daylight and good conditions
Allowed to cox a crew containing Tideway experts (at least half crew) without a launch in daylight and good conditions.
No intermediate crews will row down river of Putney Pier.
Requirements:
Is familiar with the Safety and Navigation documents required by the club,the PLA, Tideway Code and the BR Row Safe document)
Given a water safety and navigation induction by a Qualified Coach, CRSA or TRRC
Coaches/Squad Organiser satisfied the person can:
– Work out which way the river is flowing and be aware of how this
affects navigation
– Cross the Tideway quickly and safely
– Be aware of obstacles and hazards
– Has the physical and technical skills required to manoeuvre and
control the boat
– Previously been signed off within the club steers accreditation
process at the level of Intermediate
WHO IS COVERED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Beginners can move up to Intermediate once they have undergone a full navigation briefing, passed a written multiple choice or verbal test given by an appropriate person or squad organiser and been observed at least three times by a coach. New rowers are expected to have rowed a full season before moving up.
All new club members that have at least two years rowing/coxing experience (at competition level) can pre qualify as intermediate once their competence and Tideway knowledge has been verified by an appropriate person.
LRC LEVELS/ PERMISSIONS
Advanced
Is competent to scull and steer a boat without a launch present in accordance with the rules base in the Water Safety plan, provided there are no prevailing adverse conditions, examples of which are:
When it is dark or is about to become dark
When there is a very strong stream running
If there has been a severe weather warning
If there are white horses on the water at the beginning of the outing
When the Fulham wall is not visible through fog
An Advanced steers is expected to recognise these conditions and can boat if it is deemed safe to do so, but must be accompanied by a launch (to a sensible ratio for the conditions).
Requirements:
Satisfies all requirements above (at Intermediate)
Has successfully steered/sculled supervised on the tideway over a number sessions in various conditions
Is deemed to have the skills as a rower/sculler/cox to cope with a variety of condition by an appropriate person or squad organiser
Previously signed off within the club steers accreditation process at the level of Advanced.
WHO IS COVERED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Sign off as above
Anyone steering the tideway for the past 2 years or more that has been signed off by a coach as competent can pre qualified as Advanced.
Intermediate level steers can qualify as Advanced once they meet the requirements.
LRC STEERS LEVELS/ PERMISSIONS
Tideway Expert
Can boat unaccompanied in accordance with the rules base in the Water Safety plan on their own risk assessment.
Requirements:
Familiar with the Tideway and its hazards from Westminster Bridge to Richmond Lock at all states of the tide (on the ebb and flood)
Able to apply the Tideway Code
Able to perform their own risk assessment prior to boating
Has experience steering in the following conditions (on the tideway) AND has been deemed Expert by an appropriate club Expert
Extremes of high and low tides
During strong stream conditions
High winds (white horses)
Fog
During darkness
Previously signed off within the club steers accreditation process at the level of Expert.
WHO IS COVERED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Squad organisers can automatically sign off any member as Expert if they have been on the Tideway more than 4 years, have filed a self-certification form and passed the Tideway Code online test and the coach/Captain/CRSA are content they are safe and abide by the code,. New members or coxes from other tideway clubs known to an appropriateperson may also be given automatic status if appropriate.
Members with less Tideway experience can be signed off if they have been observed and found to be safe over time in the conditions listed by the Captain/CRSA/Head Coach.
This permission can be revoked at any time should the steersperson give cause for concern.
Appropriate Persons
Club Captain, Chairman, CRSA.
Qualified Coach (either a paid coach or as deemed by the Captain/Chairman)
Annex 3
The QR linked form replaces the outing logbook. This feeds the LRC boat Bay Status in the members section of the website, the link is here: LRC Boat Bay Status
Please check who is out from your bay on this page. You may find it easier to save both links on your phone. If you are the last off the water from your bay, please lock up the bay, regardless of the time of day to keep the club secure.
Club boats must be booked out using the FitClub booking system. Any boats not on the system that you wish to use must be approved in advance by the by the Captain or Chief Coach (Captain@londonrc.org.uk and Chief.Coach@londonrc.org.uk)
Please stay away from the club if you are ill to help keep the whole club heathy. Continue to practise good hygiene, washing boats and hands well after outings to reduce the spread of water born disease and infection.
