Liverpool University Canoe Club

This info was copied from lucc.info April 2008 

Inland River Risk Assessment

Risks: Injury, Hypothermia and Drowning.
Hazards: Water, Rocks, Trees, Other river users, Equipment, Other obstacles and Cold.

Swimming
All paddlers must wear a buoyancy aid.
All paddlers must be able to swim 50 metres or must inform the trip leader that they can not.
All paddlers will have been briefed on how to swim in moving water.
All boats will have grab handles on bow and stern.

Injury
All paddlers must wear helmets on anything other than flat water. At minimum someone with basic first aid knowledge will be present on every trip.

Hypothermia
All paddlers should wear warm clothing and a water & windproof layer.
Groups should carry survival bags and emergency food.

Rope Entanglement
Entanglement or attachment to rope/lines can trap paddlers, rescuers and swimmers under water. All ropes/lines must be stowed securely.
Anyone attached to a rope must have a quick release device.
Anyone using ropes should have a knife.

High Water
A river’s speed and power increase tremendously as the flow increases, raising the difficulty of most rapids. Rescue becomes more difficult. Floating debris and strainers can make even an easy rapid quite hazardous.
Reliable gauge information will be used wherever possible.
Paddlers should be aware that heavy rains, dam releases, sun on snow can greatly increase the flow.

Strainers
Brushwood, fallen trees, bridge pilings, undercut rocks or anything which allows river currents to sweep through can pin boats, paddles and swimmers and the water pressure can be overwhelming. Rescue can be extremely difficult. The pinning may occur in flat water with little or no rapids to warn of the danger.
Groups should be told to avoid trees.

Dams Weirs, Ledges, Reversals, holes and hydraulics
Water drops over an obstacle, curling back on it forming a strong upstream current, which may be capable of holding a boat or a swimmer.
Paddlers should try to avoid all holes that they don’t know are safe to play in. Swimmers should be briefed on methods of escaping holes.

Broaching
Paddlers should throw their weight down stream in a possible pin situation.

Other Risks
Other risks may occur, i.e. under confident paddlers and overconfident paddlers. These will be minimised by the experience and expertise of the group.

Notes
Any concerns regarding this code of safety should be addressed to the Committee