Holiday accident prevention - Ask the sailing expert

When we venture out on our holidays many of us are all for experiencing some local culture or up for the challenge of trying something new. Under the guidance of our tour reps we book to go on trips or take part in leisure activities but we certainly don't expect to end up in casualty after being involved in a holiday accident.

There is nothing more exhilarating than taking part in water sports such as water skiing and paragliding when holidaying in sunnier climes but for those who want to have a go at something a little more chilled and learn a new skill sailing is a popular choice.

However, holiday accidents are a fact of life and in order to avoid sustaining serious personal injuries along with your glowing tan there are some specific safety measures that you should take.

Sailing safety advice
YouClaim have spoken to Pete Alner, Chief Sailing Instructor at Cobnor Activities Centre, West Sussex (www.cobnor.com).

He says that while the Royal Yachting Association's (RYA) aim is to promote safe and successful UK sailing and motorboating, many other holiday destinations such as Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and Australia also follow the RYA's stringent safety standards www.rya.org.uk.

He suggests that both holidaymakers who wish to enjoy their sailing experience and establishments that run sailing activities should follow safety advice outlined by organisations such as the RYA in order to avoid the risk of holiday accidents occurring and subsequent compensation claims being made.

Pete has provided us with some details of the safety measures taken at Cobnor Activities Centre and has suggested some advice for avoiding sailing holiday accidents.

Risk Assessments
Each sailing establishment should conduct their own risk assessments in order to avoid the possibility of holiday accidents. This is a legal requirement in the UK and many other popular holiday destinations. Risk assessments could be presented in a variety of ways but should always cover the following areas:

• Identify a hazard.

• Assess the risks associated with that hazard.

• Calculate a risk's severity.

• Where appropriate, decide on a modification, or control, to reduce risk to within an acceptable level.

• Record the controls or strategies necessary to maintain the risk level required.

Cobnor Activites Centre carries out risk assessments for all its activities, including sailing, kayaking, climbing and archery, and these are constantly updated. They may also be updated as a result of feedback from staff and National Governing Bodies, such as the RYA. An example of a risk assessment carried out before a sailing activity may be as follows:

• Hazard = Wind Strength.

• Risk = If too strong the boat will become overpowered and personal injuries or damage to equipment may be experienced.

• Severity = Moderate to High.

• Control Measure = Reduce sail size and issue helmets.

Session Planning
At Cobnor each block of time, such as a morning on the water, is called a session. Pete says that his team of sailing instructors always record the following information:

• The quantity of people involved in a session.

• The particular equipment being used.

• The objectives for that session.

• Where they are going and what time they will be back.

They also make a dynamic risk assessment which is additional to the standing risk assessment highlighted above. This includes considerations that may need to be addressed on any given day. For example, if it's a very cold day plenty of clothing will need to be worn and sessions will need to be made shorter to avoid hyperthermia or other personal injuries caused by the cold.

He adds that such safety measures are an important way of keeping track of everybody and that even if you are taking part in an activity such as sailing when on your holidays, it is a good idea to check if the establishment that you are sailing with carries out such practices which can help improve efficiency in case a holiday accident occurs.

Group Briefings
When taking part in a sailing activity while on holiday you are likely to be part of a group. Peter says that when briefing groups he gives a tour of the centre so that people get to know their way around. This is an opportunity to point out potential accident risks. For example, people must be extra careful when moving boats around so that the mast does not hit overhead branches.

Briefings are also given before the start of each session, including the procedure that must be used and any risks involved. This equips students with knowledge that is needed to protect themselves while achieving their objective and would be equally useful for those learning to sail abroad to avoid holiday accidents.

Safety on the Water
Wherever you are sailing, it is not only the students that must be aware of hazards but staff must also use their training and experience to constantly monitor and assess the conditions before them. Based on this, they should alter their session accordingly.

Without the experience, students may not perceive an object or a situation as a risk and a potentially fatal accident could easily occur. When on a sailing holiday or taking part in a sailing activity organised by your tour operator it is very important to make sure that you are supervised by qualified sailing instructors at a reputable sailing establishment. This will help minimize the risk of a holiday accident and any resulting holiday accident claim. Personal injuries most commonly associated with sailing accidents include neck injuries, head injuries and even brain damage caused by lack of oxygen to the brain when drowning.

Advice
Being able to spot a potential hazard which could cause a holiday accident takes experience. Sometimes people do not realise that they do this in their everyday lives and it only takes a bit of guidance and familiarisation for them to be able to make risk assessments.

Wherever you are sailing, if you feel concerned or unsafe about any situation you should discuss it with your leader or instructor. They should do their best to address the situation and explain the measures that are taken to manage the risk. Here is a quick checklist for avoiding holiday sailing accidents:

• Apply plenty of sun cream with a high SPF rating. You can still get burnt in spring and autumn, and even on cloudy days.

• Wear sunglasses where practical. The reflection off the water can be quite dazzling.

• Be dressed for the weather and your activity. It doesn't matter if you take too much kit but if you haven't got it you can't use it.

• Always check that the equipment you are using is sound. This should be done regularly by the staff at the place where you are learning to sail but it doesn't cost you anything and it gets you into a routine.

• Inspect your boat, trolleys, sails etc for wear and tear.

• Always report damage and incidents. If it isn't reported it cannot be dealt with.

• If you are not sure what you are doing ask somebody.

• Be aware of your environment and surroundings. Plan your actions.

For more details about RYA approved sailing lessons run by Cobnor Activities Centre please visit www.cobnor.com. 

How you can make a holiday accident claim with us today
If you have been unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident that wasn't your fault while on a specially organised activity holiday or while taking part in an activity arranged by your tour operator, then you may be able to make a no win no fee holiday accident claim.

As well as claiming back compensation for any pain, suffering and distress you may have encountered we may also be able to claim back the cost of the holiday that was ruined by the occurrence of your holiday accident.

We have an expert panel of personal injury solicitors who work on a no win no fee basis. We promise that you won't have to pay a penny for their services, no matter what the outcome of the case, and we also guarantee that you will receive all compensation awarded to you.

If you would like free legal advice or would like to find out more about making a holiday accident claim through discuss your claim using our simple e-chat facility or just call 0800 10 757 95.