Risk Management
DEFINITION: Risk management is the process by which a Branch, Association, League or Team reviews its activities, programs and operating procedures (including buildings and staff) to identify, understand and insure against the everyday risks confronted in operating an organized program.
Risk management consists of four (4) basic steps, performed in a logical sequence:
Step 1. Identify the risks connected with an activity (e.g. game, dressing room, arena parking lot, travel).
Step 2. Assess the relative significance of all on-ice and off-ice risks.
Step 3. Eliminate or minimize the identified risks.
Risk management is an ongoing process, not a one-time activity. It is not an isolated function or a committee task. Each association, team or league must ensure that the overall operations and planning process of the organization include an active risk management and safety program. Every member of the organization must be aware of his or her role and responsibility within that risk management structure. Remember that risk management is any organization’s best defense against accidents and injuries. Be aware of all the risks involved in all hockey related activities and always err on the side of caution.
Criminal Record Checks
CMHA requires that all volunteers undergo a Criminal Records Check (CRC) and a Vulnerable Person's Check every 2 seasons. This is in keeping with BC Hockey policy and helps to ensure the safety of the players within our organization. .Starting in 2014, we will now be using the Province of BC’s Criminal Records Review Program (CRRP). This is a secure system that allows volunteers to complete the review process from home. There is no cost for this service so it saves the Association money and it saves time for volunteers.The results are the same as CRCs completed through RCMP detachments.
Please click the following link to request an access code for the CRC: CRC Request
More information on the CRRP can be found at: https://justice.gov.bc.ca/eCRC/home.htm
If you have difficulty with the online system, you can attend a police detachment to complete the check. You will need to first request a Volunteer Letter to ensure you do not get charged a fee: CRC Volunteer Letter Request.
Respect in Sport (formerly Speak Out)
BC Hockey / Hockey Canada rules stipulate that all team officials must have taken the SpeakOut course, or, as of the 2009/2010 season, take the Respect in Sport Course.
The Respect in Sport course is a sport-generic course that provides in-depth information on the subjects of bullying, abuse, harassment and neglect in a convenient, safe and easy to comprehend manner.
Link to Respect in Sport: https://bch.respectgroupinc.com/secure/
HCSP – What is it?
The Hockey Canada Safety Program (HCSP) utilizes a proactive, preventative, common sense approach to keeping our children safe. The goal of the program is for the safety people to implement effective risk management programs with their own teams where player safety is the first priority at all times, both on and off the ice.
The Safety Person (HCSP) is a volunteer who has become HCSP certified. This certification program must be successfully completed every THREE (3) years in order to qualify as a team’s safety person, even if the individual is a medical professional.
For more information visit: https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/hockey-programs/safety/essentials/safety-program
The safety person:
· must conduct regular checks of players’ equipment.
· is responsible for promoting proper warm up and conditioning techniques as a form of injury prevention.
· coordinates plans for road trips, tournaments, etc. and assists in the overall supervision of the team.
· establishes medical history files on every player and caries these files and the team first aid kit on every outing.
· implements an Emergency Action Plan for the team and through this is prepared to react in the event of accidents, injuries and medical emergencies.
· manages all injuries, learns to recognize serious injuries and refers injured players to qualified professionals.
· Provides BCHockey injury report forms to player/parents when there is an injury. Ensures they are completely filled out and forwarded to BC Hockey to ensure the player is also covered by Hockey Canada’s supplemental insurance.
· must assume a leadership role in promoting the values of safety, fair play and integrity.
As you can see, there is more to being a safety person than just a name on a sheet to fulfill a paperwork requirement. This person is responsible for the safety of the team while they are together. There must be an HCSP qualified person at every event the team takes part in (even fundraising!).
Special Event Sanction Forms
The purpose of a sanctioning a special event is to extend Hockey Canada Insurance Program coverage such as Major Medical / Dental Coverage to activities that do not fall under regular hockey programming. Special Event Sanctions are for usage of events such as dryland training, fundraisers, and other activities outside of regular hockey programming. Not all activities are eligible for coverage.
For more detailed info please go to the BCHockey Special Events Website
Emergency Action Plans
An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is used by the team safety person in case of injury or other event. The HCSP manual spells out in detail what an EAP is and that should be followed by the safety person. A good EAP involves more than just the team safety person. Typically the safety person is the “Charge” person. They are in charge in a serious event. There is a “Call” person. This person is responsible for calling emergency services and acts as the information conduit. Then there is a “Control” person who is in charge of keeping parents and players out of the way but also keeping them informed as to progress.
An important part of the EAP is the background information needed for each facility that your team uses. There is a form developed which should be filled out and kept on hand during the game. We do have some of these forms completed for some of the arenas our teams play in.
If your team is going to play in a facility not listed here, please download a blank form, fill it out and use it during your game(s). Once your games are done, please forward them to the Risk Manager of CMHA so it can be added to this site.
What To Do When a Player is Injured - Injury Reports
Your son or daughter has been injured during a game. It may be a small cut, broken bone, or it may be a spinal injury or concussion. Either way, a BC Hockey injury report must be filled out and submitted to BC Hockey. This ensures that the injured player will be covered. This report must be filled out completely before being submitted. There is a section for the attending medical professional (ie. emergency doctor, dentist) to fill out. It is difficult to go back a day or two after treatment to get this filled in by the same doctor sometimes. It is recommended that each team safety kit have at least 2 of these forms in it at all times.
The BC Hockey Injury Report Form can be downloaded here.
Once the injury has healed and you child is ready to return to the ice, a “Return To Play” form must be filled out by a doctor before they can start practicing/playing with their team again.
The Return To Play form can be downloaded here.
If you son/daughter has suffered a concussion, there is a slightly modified version of the return to play form that you must have filled out by your family doctor. It says that the doctor acknowledges hockey is a sometimes violent sport and the potential for re-injury exists.
The Return To Play After Concussion form can be downloaded here.
Injury Logs
An injury log is simple log of injuries that happen through the course of a season. It is not an official document, but it can be a valuable tool to track recurring injuries to particular players. This log should be kept by the HCSP and used to record injuries that require a coach/trainer coming on the ice when play is stopped due to an injury whether it requires medical attention or not.
A blank injury log can be downloaded here.
Player Medical Information
At the beginning of each season, medical information should be gathered for each player and kept with the team safety kit. It is only to be used in the event of an emergency and should be kept confidential. At the end of the season, this information should be either returned to the player, or destroyed.
A blank player medical form can be downloaded here.
Team Code of Conduct Form
At the beginning of each season, it is CMHA policy for each player/parent/team official to sign a Team Code of Conduct Form. This is a promise by each member of the team to adhere to CMHA/BCHockey codes of conduct. It must be turned in to the team’s division director by November of the current season.
The Team Code of Conduct forms can be downloaded here.
Player/Goalie Equipment Checks
This probably sounds simple, but it is a fact of life that we all have growing kids. Unfortunately, that rate of growth is not consistent and can, at certain times, be in large spurts every 3-6 months depending on age. It is for this reason that we recommend parents and players go through their equipment at least twice each season. Most parents look at their kids equipment in August before the season begins, but they should also check it again in November/December and again in February. The easiest thing to do is ask the players if their equipment is still fitting OK. We have put together a checklist and a description. It will become policy in the future that each team do this check once a year.
This information was taken from the Safety for All / Teamwork for All handbook.
The Equipment Guidelines can be downloaded here.
A blank Team Equipment Checklist can be downloaded here.
Concussion Risks
Concussions have become a hot topic in the last few years. Doctors and Scientists have discovered that a concussion is not a simple “bump on the head”. They have found that the effects of concussions are cumulative and that once you have a concussion, it is easier to get another one.
For these reasons, Hockey Canada has developed a concussion awareness card that makes it easier for coaches and trainers to spot concussions. It also has recommended steps to take before returning to play after a concussion.
We recommend you do some investigating of your own into what concussions (Mild Trauma Brain Injuries) are. The Hockey Canada Concussion website would be a good start.
The Concussion Awareness Card can be downloaded here.
Safety for All, Safety Requires Teamwork
Hockey Canada has created a handbook that outlines much of what we have discussed here on this page. It is a valuable resource and includes equipment checks, the BC Hockey injury report and an overview of the Hockey Canada supplemental insurance policy as it pertains to minor hockey. I would recommend that you download it and have it on hand.
It can be downloaded here.
Energy Drink Information
The Issue:
Excessive drinking of “energy drinks” can have serious health effects. “Energy drinks” are meant to supply mental and physical stimulation for a short period of time. “Energy drinks” should not be confused
with sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade, which re-hydrate the body. These sports drinks also provide sugars, which the body burns to create energy and replenish electrolytes. Electrolytes maintain salt and potassium balances in the body.
For more information from Health Canada click here