Running a safe amateur sports club

This page provides guidance to help those running sports clubs understand what they may need to do under workplace health and safety law.

It does not cover general fire safety, sports grounds safety certificates, food safety or hygiene, permits and licensing, permissions for road closures, insurances or Disclosure and Barring Services checks. However, the page provides details of the different types of legislation involved and other authorities who enforce them.

How the law applies to sports club organisers

Health and safety laws should not be a barrier to organising and running amateur sports activities that are an important part of community life.

Employers, the self-employed and volunteer organisations with employees

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ('the HSW Act'), and the regulations made under it, apply to club organisers who are both employers and self-employed. The law requires them to do what is reasonably practicable to ensure people's health and safety.

The HSW Act sets out the general duties that employers have towards their employees while at work. It also requires employers and the self-employed to protect people other than those at work, such as volunteer staff like coaches, club members, visiting teams and spectators. These people should be protected from risks to their health and safety arising out of, or in connection with, their club's work activities.

Volunteers running sports clubs

Health and safety law does not generally apply to volunteers running a club with no employees, unless the club has responsibility for premises like a clubhouse or playing fields.

Anyone (including volunteers) with control of premises like a clubhouse or playing fields has a duty to ensure the premises, access to them and machinery (for example sports equipment) and substances provided are safe for the people using them so far as is reasonably practicable. Often this is a shared duty between the premises owner, a management committee and users.

The extent of a club's legal duty will depend on the level of control it has over the premises and the type of machinery/equipment or substances provided. For example, if your club owns or manages the premises, then you would be expected to keep the premises and any sports equipment provided in good repair.

If your club uses sports equipment, you would be expected to take reasonable steps to check it is safe to use. For example, check goal posts are secure before a game so they won't collapse and injure a player.

When a voluntary organisation becomes an employer

A voluntary organisation will be an employer if it has at least one employee. An employee means an individual who works under a contract of employment or apprenticeship, whether implied or expressed verbally or in writing.

The courts have shown a willingness to accept that a person could be considered an employee even if they pay their own tax and national insurance. If they are at work and under the day-to-day control of an employer with regard to what to do and where to do it, then that may be enough.

For the purposes of health and safety law, volunteers cannot be regarded as employees because there is no 'mutuality of obligation', which is necessary to form part of the required 'master-servant' relationship.

Legal duties of club volunteers

Volunteer staff will not have duties under the HSW Act, other than a duty not to misuse or interfere with items provided by an employer for health and safety reasons. However, a duty of care under the common (civil) law may apply.

Find out more

Village and community halls: legal responsibilities

Safety during sporting activity

Health and safety law does not cover safety matters arising from the sport or activity itself, for example damaging a wrist during a boxing match or being injured following a bad tackle during football training. Note that a duty of care under the common (civil) law may apply.

Sports national governing bodies

It is not compulsory to follow national governing body (NGB) health and safety guidance and you are free to take other action. However, people taking part in competitions and/or training are generally subject to the rules set down by NGBs. These rules will include topics like supervision (coaching staff to player ratios) and training, plus 'in play' emergency procedures and medical provision. Some of these rules and procedures may go beyond the requirements of workplace health and safety legislation.

Most NGBs and networks are members of the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

Managing the risks

Whether you are an employer, self-employed or a volunteer organiser hiring the use of a clubhouse, think about how you make your club activity run smoothly, and decide on potential issues, such as the safety of any sports equipment you have control over.

For many clubs all that is required is to follow a basic series of steps:

think about the risks – a risk is the chance, high or low, of somebody being harmed by a hazard, and how serious the harm could be
think about how accidents could happen and who might be harmed
think about what you will need to do to control the risks and ask if there is anything you should do to make your club activities safer

Focus on risks that could cause real harm. If there is a genuine risk, see what you can do to minimise that risk and still go ahead – it can often be done. Be sensible and proportionate in your approach.

Stand up for common sense, and if someone says you can't do something for health and safety reasons, challenge them to find out exactly why.

Things to consider may include:

the condition of sports equipment and playing surfaces
safe use and access to premises used as a clubhouse and changing rooms

You can find some practical tips in our checklist for managing low-risk sporting activities.

When COSHH requirements apply for voluntary organisations and/or work premises

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) will be relevant to voluntary organisations that:

are employers (who have duties under COSHH – in addition to those towards employees – to people affected by the work done by the employer), or
are not employers but use substances or products in non-domestic premises that are hazardous to health, such as cleaning products – there is HSE guidance on COSHH and cleaners

Risk assessments before training sessions

You only need to do a risk assessment if you are an employer or a self-employed person. However, this should not be necessary before every training session unless something significant has changed which could lead to a new hazard, in which case it would make sense to stop and review what you are doing.

Completing a risk assessment of a hired facility

If you are hiring a facility to play sport and/or hold an event, as users you may have a duty to manage risks, so far as reasonably practicable, arising from your own activities. The extent of your duty will depend on the degree of control you have over of the premises and any substances and machinery (such as sports equipment) provided for use there.

Owners and/or those responsible for managing a hired facility will also have a duty to make sure the facility provides a healthy and safe place for people to use. The guidance on legal responsibilities for village and community halls summarises the areas you may need to consider if your organisation owns or has responsibilities for managing premises like a changing room or clubhouse.

There is no need to duplicate work and/or create unnecessary paperwork. As a user, all you need to do is familiarise yourself with the owner or manager's facility checklist and, if necessary, supplement it with your own assessment of any significant risks.

Checklist for managing low-risk sporting activities

Getting started

For community sports events run by clubs who don't have employees, start by reading the Cabinet Office can-do guidance on organising a voluntary event (on GOV.UK)
Speak to all the key people who are going to be involved in the club activities to help you identify any significant health and safety issues and what to do about them
Check with your sports national governing body (NGB) to see if they provide any relevant information. Most NGBs and networks are members of the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA). NGB contact details are on the SRA website
You may need to speal to your local authority about non-HSW Act considerations like selling food or alcohol, permits, licensing and permissions for road closure

If you own or manage the playing surfaces and spectator areas

Ensure the playing surface is in good repair
Take steps to reduce the risk of competitors being injured if they accidentally collide with any fencing, pillars, lamp posts etc that may be located at the edge of the playing surface
Depending on the number of spectators you have, manage entrances and exits to prevent crushing
Keep pedestrian walkways free from slip and trip hazards
Take steps to ensure pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely

Sports equipment/outdoor temporary structures

Check the sports equipment you provide and/or have control over is safe to use (store equipment safely when not in use)
Check the proximity to any overhead power lines before moving equipment like rugby posts and/or erecting large marquees or tents – think about how you will do this safely. It may be sensible to have a large marquee erected and taken down by the company it is hired from
Protect people from electric shock or burn. For instance, if you are using mains voltage outside, use a 'trip device' to ensure that the current is promptly cut off if contact is made with any live part

Indoor venues/clubhouse/changing rooms

Refer to our checklist on village halls and similar premises. That covers fire precautions and emergency evacuation arrangement, safe movement around the building, electrical equipment, gas appliances, asbestos management and Legionnaires' disease.
Deal with any catering related risks, for example the use of hot surfaces, in a sensible way

Emergencies and contingencies

Have a plan for what to do if there is an emergency or something not going according to plan, for example ensuring you are storm-ready
Have a means of raising the alarm if there is an emergency
Have adequately trained first-aiders
Ensure an ambulance and/or fire engine can gain access to your venue
Ensure everyone knows about the emergency arrangements

Common issues handled by other authorities

When a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check is needed

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are not a requirement under workplace health and safety law. For details about the relevant legislation and who needs them, contact the Disclosure and Barring Service. In Scotland, this service is dealt with by Disclosure Scotland.

The role played by local authorities

Both HSE and local authorities are responsible for enforcing the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSW Act) and its subsidiary regulations. Together they ensure employers, the self-employed and those in control of premises like a clubhouse and changing rooms manage the risks to their staff and those affected by club activities.

For the most part, local authorities will be responsible for enforcing the law in respect of club activities.

As land and property owners, local authorities will also be employers in their own right with legal responsibilities. Where this is the case, HSE is responsible for enforcing the law.

The phrase 'health and safety' is commonly used to refer to a number of topics that aren't covered by the HSW Act and its regulations. Local authorities are responsible for many of these broader public health, safety and environmental topics, such as food safety and hygiene, pollution/recycling, and entertainment and sports grounds licensing.

Insurance to cover injuries to participants

Depending on the risks involved, a club may require public liability insurance.

If the club is an employer, it will require employers' liability insurance.

Licences from local authorities

Some clubs may require licences from local authorities for matters that are not covered by the HSW Act and its regulations. You can get advice on licensing from your local council:

Event licensing

Licensing of an event is not covered by the HSW Act and its regulations. If you are organising a temporary event for 500 people or more and want to serve or sell alcohol, provide late-night refreshment, or put on regulated entertainment, you may need to complete a temporary event notice. For further guidance on licensing an event, speak to your local council.