This part of the site is not an exhaustive list of the safety considerations applicable to rowing. This is a highly informal guide and is probably wildly inaccurate.  For a complete guide please see the British Rowing Rowsafe guidelines here:

http://www.britishrowing.org/row-safe

This part of the site is merely to give you an overview to some of the key points to consider whilst rowing for QCBC to get you thinking and hopefully encourage you to become more safety conscious. Common sense is often your most useful safety tool.

Responsibilities

• Make sure you have read the notices on the large blue board (Safety Board) in the Boat House and the information on this website.
• Take care of your equipment, including washing down the boats after use and regularly cleaning the ergs as guided by your coach.
• Your coach/experienced cox is responsible for your safety, make them aware of anything you think is relevant, e.g. You have asthma/there is a Salters steamer right around the corner they haven’t seen yet!
• If you see something unsafe or that you are unsure of, don’t be afraid to ask or report it to a member of the Committee or OURCs.

Existing Health Conditions

• If you have any pre-existing health conditions make sure the club is aware of them before you begin exercising, and if in doubt consult your GP before starting any exercise. Don’t be tempted to take the advice of medical students/coaches, see a Doctor.
• If you have a cold, take time to rest. Missing a few training sessions is annoying, and your crew may grumble, but rowing whilst ill will not make it better, will probably prolong your illness and may make it worse.

Weather and Flag Status

• Don’t go out if you can’t see the far end of BH island from the other end (fog/rain), if there is lightning, if the wind is too high, if you can see conditions are causing other crews difficulty, if your crew isn’t appropriately dressed for the temperature or if the stream conditions are dangerous.
• The ‘Flag Status’ is a guide to the stream conditions but do NOT include a wind assessment. Read the rules on the menu above, in the OURC’s rules or on the OURCs webpage. Don’t go out if you aren’t confident in the ability of your cox/coach to handle your crew.

Swimming

• You MUST be able to swim in clothes to do rowing at Oxford. You will be tested. Every year someone goes to the swim test, jumps in, followed a minute later by the lifeguard. Don’t be that person! If you can’t swim the gym runs lessons.

Kit

• Wear appropriate kit for the conditions. Layers are warmer than the one hoodie. If unsure what to wear, speak to your coach. As a rule, tight clothing is better to avoid things catching, a cap can be useful in sun and rain, gloves are a must to and from the Boat House in winter, but are not allowed in the boat, don’t wear shoes that you don’t want to get wet/muddy.
• Bring a water bottle. Always bring a water bottle. Stay hydrated. Drink before, during and after an outing.
• Always bring spare dry clothing, just in case.

Equipment

• Clean the equipment after use. If you don’t do this, or refuse to take part you won’t be allowed to use anything nice and we will put you in a horrible old tub that goes backwards and lists heavily.
• Don’t forget that water bottle, sun glasses for the summer, sun cream, lots of layers and warm clothes for winter. This section is a little repetitive.

Cycling

• If you turn up without a helmet for the cycle to Abingdon, the outing will be cancelled. No middle ground.
• If there is any chance you will need lights for the cycle and you don’t have them the outing will be cancelled.
• Nothing is worse than cycling to Abingdon and your bike being in a bad state. Pump those tyres, oil the chains, tighten everything up, tune the gears and if possible get road tyres for your bike (they should only cost about £15).
• Obey the Highway Code.
• Don’t mess around when cycling, don’t try and race each other, be sensible.

Indoor and Weight Training

• Read the notices on the board.
• Don’t start training without consulting your GP if necessary.
• Make sure you know what you are doing. If you are unsure do not risk injury, ask for training and help. People will be happy to give it to you.

Competitions

• Information will be given at the time, but make sure you bring plenty of food and drink, let people know where you are going (they may even come to watch) and when you will be back, give your coach contact details for your family, make sure your phone is charged.

First Aid

• A good guide to First Aid can be found here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/first_aid/procedures_index/index.shtml

• First Aid equipment can be found under the sink in the Boat House.

Diseases and Care

• Wash your hands after every outing. Infected blisters can happen, it’s horrible, you will need antibiotics, maybe a trip to A + E, your whole finger swells up. Washing your hands as soon as you get of the water will help prevent this.
• Weil’s Disease – It’s rare, but very dangerous. Know what it is:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Leptospirosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

• Keep cuts clean and covered.
• As above, don’t exercise if you are ill.
• Hypothermia – This is a big one, and not that uncommon. If you are getting cold, very cold, tell your cox and coach. Pulling hard will help alleviate this, but if the outing is a long one and the coach is keen and warm on his bike, and the cox is wearing so many thermal layers that they are perfectly round they may not be as acutely aware as you are. Sound out, go in and get a warm drink. Read the info. below, but as a rule - warm up slowly, don’t hop in a boiling shower, drink warm drinks and put on layers of dry clothing. To avoid it in the first place, wear proper clothes, don’t forget a beanie, stay active and keep aware. Information can be found here:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Hypothermia/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Potential Emergencies

• Man Overboard – Someone has gone in. What you do next depends on the circumstances. First thing, call out ‘Man Overboard’, then stay quiet to allow your coach/cox to be heard. The priority is to get them out of the water whilst remaining safe yourself. If the safety launch is with you let them pick the person up. If you are on your own they will need to get back to the boat and get in.
• Priorities –
• Stay safe yourself –don’t make the rescue of one person become the rescue of a crew.
• Assess the situation, are the emergency services needed?
•  Get them out of the water, dry and warm. Be very aware of hypothermia and how to treat it, even in warm conditions, assume the stream is extremely cold all year round (it is).
• Get the person home safely, accompany them and make sure they are OK
• Alert the necessary people as to what has happened, the Club will need to know to fill out an accident report, the Boatman may need to know to repair the boat, etc.

Bike Crash

• This is very dependant on the situation, if it is bad, call 999.

Collision

• Stay calm. Don’t scream, don’t panic. Stay quiet. Your cox and coach will need to extract you, and you will need to be able to hear them. If there are injuries let the Cox know, but then stay quite again. Don’t try and gain control of the situation, your Cox and Coach will do that, your job needs to be to listen and obey what they tell you to do.
• After you are extricated check yourself and the equipment for damage. Let the Coach and Cox know of any.
• Don’t yell at the other crew or be offensive. They are just as scared as you are and if it was their fault they will be penalised.
• Report the incident to the Club.

Useful Telephone Numbers And Links

OURCs – Oxford University Rowing Clubs – A source of safety and racing information, rules, gossip and fun forums

http://www.ourcs.org.uk/

British Rowing – The governing body of UK rowing

http://www.britishrowing.org/

The Iffley Lock - 01865 777277
Queen’s College Porters - 01865 279 120
Emergency Services – 999
Christ Church Lodge (for Emergency Access to the Meadow) - 01865 276150

Problems

If you think someone in the club isn’t conforming to the Safety regulations and you are worried about things or feeling under pressure to do things you don’t want to do, and speaking to the problem person hasn’t helped, then get in touch with the appropriate Captain. Failing that the President is the person to talk to. The Senior Member of the Club is Dr. Martin Edwards, and the Safety Officer is Greg Petros. OURCs enforces rules for college clubs and the contact details of the Secretary can be found on their website.