Health and safety
Health and safety
Club management
All sport and recreation clubs in New Zealand must take health and safety seriously. Keeping people safe is not just good practice — it’s a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2016.
Your legal duty of care
If your club employs staff (even part-time), it is considered a PCBU - a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking. This means your club must:
- take all reasonably practicable steps to keep workers and others safe
- manage risks and hazards
- provide training and supervision
- report incidents and injuries
If your club is run entirely by volunteers and does not employ anyone, it may be exempt from PCBU status. This is a narrow exception and does not apply to most clubs.
What your club is responsible for
- Pay ACC levies — even if you only employ part-time staff
- Assess risks — identify hazards in your sport, facilities, and events
- Create policies and procedures — including emergency plans and hazard reporting
- Train staff and volunteers — so they know how to manage risks and respond to incidents
What’s not your responsibility
Your club is not liable for personal injury to volunteers or members who are injured while participating in club activities. However, you can be fined if your club fails to provide a safe environment.
Why health and safety matters
Health and safety is about managing hazards in your club environment. These include:
- Fire exits and evacuation routes
- Toilets and hand-washing facilities
- First aid kits and trained first aiders
- Emergency plans for accidents or civil defence events
- Contact details for members’ next-of-kin
Whether your club is large or small, you need plans to deal with health and safety issues. The level of detail will depend on your size and structure, but even small clubs using community facilities should consider these points.
Develop a health and safety policy
A good health and safety policy should cover:
- First aid procedures and contacts
- Hazard register and notification checklist
- Incident and accident reporting forms
- Emergency procedures
- Roles and responsibilities
Include:
- A statement of purpose — for example, “Our club will take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of everyone on the premises.”
- Procedures to meet the policy, such as hazard identification and reporting
- Emergency evacuation procedures for fire, earthquake or other incidents
- Incident management — what to do if an accident happens
Download templates and guides
Health and safety essentials
- A first aid register
- A hazard register
- A hazard notification checklist
- Health and safety contacts
- An incident/accident reporting form
Appoint a health and safety coordinator
Your committee should appoint someone to oversee health and safety. This role includes:
- Managing hazards
- Keeping safety checklists up to date
- Recording and reporting accidents
- Ensuring emergency procedures are displayed
Manage hazards
A hazard is anything that can cause harm. To manage hazards:
- Create a hazard identification register
- Use a checklist to regularly check facilities and equipment
- Record hazards and discuss unresolved issues at committee meetings
Emergency procedures
Make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency. If you use a venue you don’t own, get their procedures and share them with members.
Contact your local Civil Defence centre or council for guidelines. Keep emergency supplies such as food, water and blankets on hand.
Civil Defence resources
Record and report accidents
If you employ staff, you must:
- Record and investigate all workplace accidents
- Notify WorkSafe of any accident involving serious harm
Even if you don’t employ staff, keep an accident register to prevent repeat incidents.
Key actions for your club
- Understand your legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
- Develop a health and safety policy
- Appoint a Health and Safety coordinator
- Identify and manage hazards
- Display emergency procedures
- Record and report accidents
- Provide training for staff and volunteers
Training and courses
First aid and health and safety training is available from:
Useful resources
Business Capabilty - health and safety section
