David Ashby - Moderator Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Yes = your club does have a safety officer. No = your club doesn't and it's down to each individual to be a 'safety officer'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 It's a poll prompted by me folks. As always, I'm, just curious Personally I've never liked the idea of a safety officer, what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Our club has a Hiviz jacket with "Safety Officer" printed on the back but we can't get anyone to wear it so no gets my vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Ashworth Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 We have a nominated safety officer but have three distinct groups within the club, midweek, Saturday and Sunday fliers. In the absence of a safety officer for each group we have elected to emphasise that safety is the responsibility of each member and we are encouraged that if we see anything we think is wrong, do something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Whisky Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 It is a pity that this poll assumes that the two are mutually exclusive, which in my view they should never be. It implies that by having a Safety Officer everyone else in the Club can completey abdicate any responsibility for safe practice. That is surely an UNSAFE state of affairs. In our Club the answer would be BOTH. (See Safety Matters page on our website dmfc.org.uk). We have a Safety Officer who reports safety issues and violations to the Committee, but our Club Rules point out that safety is everybody's responsibility, and naturally there will be many times that the Safety Officer is not present at the field. Whether he is present or not is largely irrelevant as all members have a responsibility for safety, including tactfully and respectfully pointing out any potential dangerous practices they observe. Ours is a friendly club and members also seem to appreciate that correcting a friend takes courage as well as needing tact and respect, and I have heard members thank and apologise to the person who has pointed out safety issues to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Sadly we have a few of em. Lads on committee got sick and tired of meetings, turning up at field and being dragged into childish arguments, mostly over which side of the field we're flying from due to the sun/wind (on far side it's a longer walk). If people can't agree among themselves and toys start getting chucked out the pram, the poor fella who's S.O will restore order and pick the toys up. Odd as it is, they seem to manage by consensus now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 We tend to look at each other’s setup / flying and police safety that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 For my sins, I am currently the safety officer for my club. We try to encourage individuals to think about their operating practices and I feel that my duties are primarily to offer advice, either at the field or via the club newsletter. On the rare occasion that someone does something blatantly unsafe, I have a quiet word with them about what I feel is unsafe and how they might operate more safely and I have yet to take any further action. I do not possess a high vis jacket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 My club hasn't got a safety officer, or any system, and it can get dangerous. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I need to be able to vote both. But I rarely see the safety officer, he flies Sundays, and I don't. We look after ourselves fairly effectively. We have a few simple rules. And hopefullly, enough common sense to fill in the gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I think we have a safety officer but I'm not sure who it is. However we have a few of what I think are sensible rules. 1. No taxiing in the pits 2. There's a written map of where we pit and fly depending on wind direction. Mostly it's the same place except when the wind blows directly into the pits. 3. No overflying of the pits or car park. There is a no-fly zone but it's not restrictive. 4. No cars to be left in the pits other than loading/unloading (we're lucky) 5. Flyers and those waiting to fly (ie take off) are expected to communicate with each other and new members are (politely) asked to do the same. Mind you that didn't stop the chairman overflying the car park and stuffing his model into the back of the (steel) hut. Luckily it did very little damage to the car it fell back on. I think there were 'words' but the car owner was fairly relaxed. When there are a just a few there, rule 4 tends to be ignored as we can fly safely well clear of the pits. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Both - So I can't vote as we have a safety officer as dictated in our constitution who communicates by a quite word if he sees or someone mentions an unsafe practice. But then we also have in our constitution that safety is every members responsibility. Any differences in opinion are decided by majority present as they will be effected. Works for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Fairgrieve Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 For my sins, I am our clubs SO. Not that it is just my responsibility. Everyone is a safety officer and looks out for everyone else. I write the safety rules and have them ratified at committee level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Monster Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 We could do with a Psychiatrist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Posted by Model Monster on 21/03/2019 17:42:53: We could do with a Psychiatrist. We have a few lads who're experts on that, and every other subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 A long time ago the then secretaryand another person who left the club a long time ago pushed through the rule about a Safety Officer. Interestingly the then secretary was wearing the yellow jacket and was asked to get someone to move their glider towline as they were causing a problem. He reaction was "Oh well, he has it set up now" and that was that. The other person on another occasion refused to wear the vest. This resulted in a change of secretary, I phoned the SMAE and asked their opinion. IT was suggested that when there is a safety officer the other members tend to rely on the Safety Officer to keep them safe and thus reduced safety. I have also read that if you take a group of senior officers and put one in charge the rest will tend to "goof off"! Now we do not have one and anyone can politely draw attention to a possibly unsafe practice or action. It works!! Edited By Peter Miller on 21/03/2019 18:19:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Our club rules explicitly state that every member is to consider themselves a safety officer. In any case, we can fly 7 days a week, and in the summer up to 8 hours a day. That would mean if we did have a nominated safety officer most of the time he wouldn't be present, or if he was it would - at 56 hours a week be rather more than a full-time job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 IMO it's not the safety officer's job to be the club safety policeman. His job should be one of observing & reporting on any unsafe or potentially unsafe actions, procedures or scenarios. Also if possible offering advice towards preventing re-occurrence. All members should be active in preventing &/or stopping unsafe situations occurring. Sometimes people create dangerous situations without being aware of it, a quiet word will usually have more effect than a perceived rollicking or angry outburst. Edited By PatMc on 21/03/2019 21:18:43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Posted by Model Monster on 21/03/2019 17:42:53: We could do with a Psychiatrist. We've got one! Nice chap with an excellent sense of humour. Both of my clubs also have a safety officer, but the BMFA is pretty clear that the responsibility for safety lies with the pilot, so we should all remember that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Richardson Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Yes we have one, but at the same time it is expected every club member be part of the process and we should look out for each other, not leave it just for the SO. So as a previous post stated we have both with the SO reporting at our meetings if anything is not as it should be, our flying sites over here as elsewhere in the world are highly valued and to lose one is something none of us wish to see happen. Edited By Tony Richardson on 22/03/2019 03:39:36 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Posted by john stones 1 on 21/03/2019 11:52:36: Sadly we have a few of em. Lads on committee got sick and tired of meetings, turning up at field and being dragged into childish arguments, mostly over which side of the field we're flying from due to the sun/wind (on far side it's a longer walk). If people can't agree among themselves and toys start getting chucked out the pram, the poor fella who's S.O will restore order and pick the toys up. Odd as it is, they seem to manage by consensus now. Ah yes......the old which side of the field to fly from question. Twenty or so years ago my club had several very close calls because of people wandering about on the patch and giving no thought to their own safety or consideration to those flying their models. The decison was taken to only fly from a pilots' box on the north side of the patch and stop pilots standing behind their models on the strip at take off. After six months, everyone had got used to it and it's never been a problem since. We have no individual safety officer but expect members to communicate concerns to the committee, where we'll look into any issues that might need a change to procedures. Happens very rarely. Edited By Cuban8 on 22/03/2019 07:50:37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cooper Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 During a break at our last AGM, I popped out for a wee...... when I came back, the assembled company joyfully announced I had been voted to be the Safety Officer in my absence . . . Almost as sneaky as daily life at Westminster, eh.. Anyway, I like to quote Article 241 (or whatever number it is this week) which states: ‘A person must not recklessly or negligently cause or PERMIT an aircraft to endanger any person or property.’ It is the "permit" part of the wording which clearly makes us ALL Safety Officers. Ergo, if we see someone acting dangerously and say nothing, by definition WE are breaking the law because we are permitting it. 'Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Stainforth Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 David, I am a little bit amazed that you are not too fond of safety officers - particularly given your position of influence. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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