Risk Areas | Club Learning Institute Training

Golf & Country Club Operations Risk Areas

Your club feels like family, but it must run like a business. Training in risk areas is essential to loss control.
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Safe employees make a safe place for members.

Identifying safety hazards and getting them under control is the goal for all risk management programs. When you consistently inform employees and encourage them to speak up about safety, you've got a winning combination for members and staff.

When employees feel empowered, they are a part of the solution. For example, employees are more likely to identify trip hazards on walkways; drive safer in golf cars to prevent rollovers; use proper communication (LOTO) when working with electrical; be able to identify the symptoms of heat illness; understand why lightning evacuations are important; or use all safety precautions when working with chemicals around others.

Club operations must follow OSHA standards.

Golf and country clubs are held accountable for their safety programs under the Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Act of 1970. The General Duty Clause states,

(a) Each Employer- (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees; (2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act. (29 USC 654, Sec. 5)

The General Duty Clause is a 'good faith' statement which applies to any area of workplace safety negligence. Training that is trackable, including completion records and proof of the training content, goes a long way when showing good faith efforts during an audit or claim.

Don't wait for the accident. Measure your safety program now.

Slips, Trips and Falls.

The number one cause of workplace injury is a slip/trip/fall and they cost employers $13.5 billion annually. Slips, trips and falls are most often cited by OSHA and they are ranked top 5 in workers' compensation claims. Something as simple as training and housekeeping practices can significantly reduce accidents.

Workers' Compensation and Client Services.

Workers' comp insurance claims and client services (such as youth programs) can increase the potential for risk and exposure. Left unaddressed, these negative risk areas create losses and drive up baseline operations costs in the form of high insurance premiums and lawsuits.

Hazard Communication; Bloodborne Pathogens; Heat Illness Prevention; Fall Arrest Systems; Lawful Termination and Hiring; Sexual Harassment; Child Sexual Abuse Prevention; Slips Trips Falls, Pool Liability, Golf Car Safety, Lightning Safety; Diversity & Nondiscrimination Acts; Lockout/Tagout; Hearing Prevention; PPE; Machine Guarding; Food & Alcohol Service. (Many more, depending on the club.)

EEOC and HR Compliance.

Clubs work with a diverse group of people - including guests and members. Diversity awareness and harassment policies must be communicated, trained, and tracked. Supervisors need to know what constitutes lawful termination and hiring. Workplace equality acts must be disclosed and understood by employees. One lawsuit can be devastating. Without documentation for court evidence or an EEOC audit, there is not much room to argue 'a good faith attempt' to comply with the law. (Laws enforced by EEOC)

Food Service, Food Allergens, Alcohol Server.

Food and alcohol service is an integral part of many country clubs. Many states have laws requiring food handling and alcohol server certification. Insurance providers often require certificates as part of an insurance package. Some states now require food allergen training.

Food allergies are fast becoming a concern for many people. Does your staff know how to prevent cross-contamination of foods? Are you able to confidently serve food that has been prepared for an allergy sufferer? Do your club members feel the same way?

Club Learning Institute offers discounted online course codes (in approved states) for clients through the National Restaurant Association and ServSafe®.

Club Risk & Exposure Areas

Don't chance it. Prevent it. Get a Club Learning Institute demo account and see how we can help.

With so many services being provided at country clubs, risk mitigation can become a juggling act. Safety is inferred until it's nearly forgotten. People become complacent and less vigilant about safety routines.

A few 'near misses' without damage to persons or property might be written off as lucky. But one near-miss is often a signal that safety routines are lacking. Unchecked, a full-blown accident is very likely.

Weather Exposures.

Lightning strikes and heat illness are issues all country clubs are concerned with - for employees and members alike. In California (Cal-OSHA), a written heat illness prevention plan and annual training is required. Thousands of workers are affected annually. If a worker is overcome by heat illness while riding a mower or standing over a grill, the outcome is far worse than fainting. Lightning strikes are surrounded in myth. Most people are not hit directly by lightning; they are electrocuted by ground current from a nearby strike. It can affect an area of people as it travels through wet grass. Most people survive lightning strikes but suffer painful side effects for the rest of their lives.

Pool & Spa Exposures.

Pools are a draw for members, but they are a huge liability. Does your staff know about the importance of barriers, alarms, waterborne illnesses, and drowning risks? Train staff on hazards that can appear in or around pools and spas. Also, the P&SS Act is a federal law requiring anti-suction drains. Your pool / spa can be shut down if not installed.

Chemical Exposures.

OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires that all employees understand the chemicals they work with or around. OSHA also adopted the GHS of labelling and classification, changing the standard for labels, safety data sheets, and employee training. It is always in the top 10 cited OSHA standards. Even if you're certified in pesticide use, not every employee will be. Propane, fuels, rust removers, housekeeping products, and water disinfectants are all part of the chemical inventory and training plans that OSHA will consider.

Youth Services Exposures.

Most golf and country club operations host some type of youth programs. It's a difficult topic to discuss, but there is always the risk for childhood sexual abuse. That's why we've expanded our partner training to include this training. It is a proactive course designed to help people addresss potential abuse situations. Whether you offer this training to your entire staff or to a select group at your club, childhood sexual abuse prevention should be a part of every risk prevention program.

Noise Exposures.

Leaf blowers, string trimmers, mowers, grinders, wood chippers, and chain saws are just a few noise hazards encountered at clubs. You need to provide staff with hearing protection devices and you have to train them on how and why to preserve hearing.

Driving Exposures.

Golf cars and utility vehicles are used daily at golf and country clubs. There are an estimated 15,000 injuries involving golf cars in the U.S. each year. Passenger ejection and rollovers account for a significant number of these injuries. Despite the design for low speeds, there are ways to adjust governors to achieve higher speeds. Maintenance crews regularly use tractors, mowers, and sprayers to maintan outdoor areas and courses. Factor in the hilly terrain and numerous water hazards found on golf courses and you've just increased the potential for hazardous driving conditions and injury.

Machine Exposures.

Heavy machinery, machines with rotating exposed parts, grinders, saws, hand tools, cart motors, chippers, mowers, string trimmers, and tractors. These are just a few of the hazards that maintenance crews deal with daily. Proper enegergizing and de-energizing of machines is required to avoid severe injury. Understanding how to report defective machinery and to never disable machine guards as a "fix". Machine guarding and tool safety is an important part of an effective injury and illness prevention program. It's likely that only a smaller group of workers will need this type of training - and that's where our partner programs come in. We offer specialized packages and pricing based on the additional jobs you employ.

Bloodborne/OPIM Exposures.

Laundry, housekeeping, and maintenance staff may have to clean blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) as part of their job. Blood exposure from needles or sharps disposal may also occur. Guests and club members may self-administer medications for diabetes or allergies using needle sticks. If they are not disposed of properly, trash bag removal may pose an exposure risk. In pool, spa and locker room areas, exposure risks may come from minor medical treatment like a bloody nose or from fecal matter from soiled diapers. All risk areas and unidentified materials should be treated with the Universal Precautions method, treating them as potentially infectious.