Crazy Golf & Mini golf Risk Assessment

Whether you're running a miniature golf course or taking a large group to play mini golf you must consider the risks involved.

Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club have a safety briefing here. This is issued to large groups and small groups containing children are verbally advised of the same.

Having run a course for a few years in the UK here are my thoughts on how we've tried to minimise the risks.

The risk assessment

Firstly, we've completed a risk assessment.  The UK Health & Safety Executive guide, 'Five steps to risk assessment' (pdf) is a useful start.  

We have identified the main risks to customers and employees.  The main categories affecting the customers are:

The Environs - hut, seating, water courses, steps, hand rails, plants
The Playing area - greens, holes (some may be more hazardous than others), trip hazards, paths
The Equipment - clubs, balls, flags

Each is looked at dependent on whether the player is a child or perhaps disabled.  The risk assessment is under continual review.

 

Cyclic observation 

We initiated a cyclic observation spreadsheet.  Each hole and element of the environs has a separate tab and are regularly checked.  All holes and other elements such as the hut are covered in a two week period.  Also during the daily clean of the course any possible future maintenance or problems are logged.  Those that can be immediately fixed or are considered critical are dealt with immediately.  Otherwise the jobs are planned into the diary.  Recurring problems, such as moss that occur on specific holes can be preempted.

Here's some of the things to look out for:

Moss
Bird droppings
Overgrown plants round edges (Some advice on planting.)
Check paths to and from the hole aren't slippery
Plants between tee border and path 
Plants on fairway and in hole itself 
Loose bricks
Damage to playing surface
Damage to obstacles
Identify and clean any drainage points (NB ensure all drainage holes in cup are clear) 

All holes visible to passers-by or enquirers should be particularly clean and well kept.

 

Warnings

We display warnings on the hut.

This is an adventure golf course with water and rock features. As such there are many slip and trip hazards.

Children should be supervised at all times.

And on the scorecard.

Warning-Please watch your step. The uneven terrain that makes this course enjoyable can add to the risk of injury from falling. Play at your own risk.

Children should be supervised at all times.

 

Staff

Staff should be properly trained and Criminal Record Bureau checked.

 

Accidents

A trained first aider should be available in the vicinity with a first aid kit. Staff should have the ability to contact the emergency services if need be.  They should also have the exact postal address of the location.

An incident report should be filled in as soon as is possible - details here.  You are legally obliged under The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) to do so for serious injuries. 

 

Training

I am an 'Appointed First Aider'.  For information contact St Johns Ambulance

The British Safety Council offer a Level 2 course in risk assessment here.

 

The essence is to provide a safe environment for everybody to have FUN.