Health and Safety Update from the ORC

Health and Safety Update from the ORC

As announced earlier this year the ORC is undertaking a complete review of the Health & Safety of Drivers, Staff and Spectators at our race events.  This review will take place over the next three years and is designed to increase the awareness of all of us to the importance of making our sport as safe as possible for all who are involved in it.

We all accept that Motor Racing is dangerous but this doesn't mean that we shouldn't ensure that the risks are kept to a minimum so that we can all enjoy ourselves in what is, after all, our hobby.

Increasingly, the authorities are taking an interest in out sport and we must demonstrate to them that we take safety seriously and are the best people to ensure that Health & Safety matters are an ongoing concern to us all.

At the beginning of this season the ORC appointed two highly regarded professional consultants to assist them with Health and Safety matters.  Their brief was to deal with the whole spectrum of H&S throughout our sport.  They are focusing, in the first instance, on the re writing of the Code of Practice  for Short Circuit Oval Racing which is a document which was first published in 1994.  Also they are producing a new Noise Testing procedure for all formulas which is being trialled with Brisca F1 Stock Cars.

The Code of Practice is almost complete and will be going to print next month and will be circulated shortly after that.  The Noise testing procedure is well underway and we have already seen the Acoustic Engineers at race meetings and also they have visited various drivers workshops. It is hoped that a static noise testing procedure will be in place by the end of this year and we will then see the development of an Environmental Noise Impact Criteria for Oval Racing.

We are in the initial stages of developing  a series of training programmes for our Staff and Officials which will take place over the winter months.  These will range from basic Fire and Safety Training right up to IOSH and NEBOSH qualifications.

Starting next month an online accident reporting facility will be available for all promoters to report all accidents and near misses at each of their race meetings. All Brisca and ORC promoters have agreed to take part in this and these will be analysed on a regular basis by the Health & Safety Consultants and any trends can be identified and action taken to improve the safety of Drivers, Staff and Spectators.

Our Noise Consultants will also be reviewing another Code of Practice which was produced over a decade ago.  This was entitled 'Code of Practice for the Control of Noise from Oval Racing' and is in need of an update because of changes in legislation.

Add to the above a great deal of work being carried out in producing new ORC Sport Wide Guidelines and you will see that there is much to be done.  As you can imagine all the above is costing a great deal of money and this is being provided by us all - Promoters, Drivers (through the £1 Levy) and our Insurers. It will mean that everyone within our sport and those outside know that we take Safety seriously as well as having consideration for those that are affected by it.

Philip Bond
Health & Safety Co-ordinator
Oval Racing Council International