Accident prevention

All sports leaders have a duty of care over their lesson participants and assume responsibility for their safety for the entire duration of the sports activity. Leaders shall take all necessary and reasonable measures to ensure safety.

Safety regulations provide the guidelines within which the leaders should operate and make their decisions (below is a selection, not exhaustive):

General

Management staff

  • decide on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific circumstances, using their training, age and experience to make judgements;

  • are able to take environmental and weather conditions into account and react appropriately;

  • carry out the planning, execution and evaluation of lessons conscientiously and carefully;

  • recognise and observe the special features of the respective sport with regard to safety;

  • discuss tasks, responsibilities, dates, times, rules, etc. with participants and co-leaders and ensure a smooth flow of information;

  • are able to raise the alarm.

Depending on the type of sport, special situations may arise that require further, specific guidelines.

On the road

Management staff

  • Know and follow the general rules of the road;

  • Use clear forms of organisation in road traffic;

  • Check that a helmet is worn when cycling, that the vehicles are intact/maintained and that everyone is travelling at an appropriate speed;

  • Check that when moving by car/minibus, drivers have the appropriate driving licence and the ability to drive the vehicle safely, that all occupants are wearing their seat belts and that children are secured with the correct child restraint system (driving licences and safety precautions in military service are specially regulated). 

At/in the water

Management staff

  • have an appropriate SLRG licence:

    • Basic pool for supervised indoor and outdoor pools;

    • Plus Pool for unsupervised indoor and outdoor pools;

    • Lake module for unsupervised lake pools.

 

Activities in the mountains/in nature in summer

Management staff

  • without specific additional training, only undertake hikes or, if necessary, mountain hikes (up to T2 according to the SAC hiking scale) on official, marked hiking trails;

  • recognise the planned routes and the current conditions;

  • inform third parties about the planned route;

  • have planned alternative routes and take an accompanying person with them if necessary.

Activities in the snow

Management staff

  • pay sufficient attention to the increased dangers (cold, wet, orientation problems, etc.);

  • only use official, open pistes, winter hiking trails and snowshoe trails with their group;

  • minimise the risk of avalanches by carrying out activities exclusively on secured paths, roads or in flat areas, if possible in residential areas;

  • make sure that access is safe in winter when staying overnight in a house in winter.

Specialised training

Sports that require specific training for accident prevention:

  • Skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping

  • Mountain sports: sport climbing, mountaineering, ski touring

  • Canoeing, rowing, swimming, sailing, windsurfing, triathlon

  • Camp sports/trekking

  • Equestrian sports

  • Sports shooting

More info: