TECHNICAL
Insurance Bootcamp
Simon Britton from Perkins Slade talks thinking outside
the box… and the studio… and the sports hall
W
ith an increasing
focus on health, more
exercise is taking place
in the great outdoors.
Still, a bootcamp in your local park
or a tai-chi-o-robics workout in
a field carry similar risks to more
conventional, indoor exercise sessions,
with the added complications of
being outside.
Clearly, getting more people involved
in exercise is a good initiative, and
by making classes more accessible,
this can only encourage more
participation, but trainer-organisers in
particular should take a closer look at
their obligations to the specific health
and safety aspects of outdoor fitness.
Andy Goulbourne, Associate Director
of Sports & Recreation at Perkins
Slade, commented: ‘All the activities
of an indoor session can also be
done outdoors. However, when it
comes to managing risks, trainers
should remember that regular good
practices such as proper warm-ups,
health checks and cool downs should
also be included. Exercising outdoors
does not reduce the risks associated
with an equivalent indoor session. The
same risks apply for outdoors: Just
because you’re not in a designated
indoor space doesn’t mean that you
can have an unlimited amount of
people taking part. Trainers leading
sessions should ensure they are able
to properly monitor all members of
their class, which should ideally be
the same size as they could correctly
manage inside.’
• Events held in the open air also
come with their own set of risks.
Nature is less predictable than
an indoor studio, so a proper risk
assessment should be carried out
for the chosen site, including:
• Suitability of the ground – is it level?
Are there potholes or debris which
could cause injury? Or worse, little
‘gifts’ left by careless dog walkers?
• Will a proper check be carried out
immediately prior to the session?
• Is the area closed to the public?
An enthusiastic running child is
extremely hazardous in the middle
16 www.exerciseregister.org
REPS_OCT_16-17 TECHNICAL_PERKINSSLADE.indd 16
21/04/2016 10:36