GoodGym group session training

Anyone attending a GoodGym group session must first complete a short, 5 minute e-learning module found here. 

Below is the information contained with the training. 

Tasks for group sessions can be referred by any community group, charity or individual. 

Tasks are set up by local GoodGym staff and members but they may not be in attendance on the day. People attending group sessions are not required to be DBS checked and therefore tasks will not be within private residential homes.

Often GoodGym has not visited, or specifically risk-assessed the site that you are visiting. 

Types of risks

Task owners are asked to highlight potential risks of a task which will may be posted on the session listing. Due to the varied nature of requests, there may always be new and unexpected risks on any session that you undertake and GoodGym cannot guarantee that unknown risks will not be present.

By signing up to a session, you are accepting your responsibility to take steps to keep yourself safe. You are the best judge of your abilities and limitations and we ask you to use your own judgement to ensure your safety at all times.

Risks may present themselves in the following aspects of a group session:

• Getting there
• The environment you are in
• The task you are doing
• The people you are with

This training will address each of these and provide advice that we ask you to follow to reduce risks and keep yourself safe.

You may be visiting community projects unsupervised so you need to be aware of how to continually assess changing circumstances of a situation, in order to know what to do to keep yourself and others safe.

You can leave a session at any time. You will always have the support of GoodGym if you consider that something is too risky and do not want to do it. Always make sure that you take the safe option, even if that means not finishing the task requested.

Getting there safely

You may be making your own way to the task although we recommend meeting up with other people for all or part of the journey. Travelling with others can be more fun and is safer. Here is some advice for arriving at a task safely:

Do not bring unregistered friends Anyone attending a GoodGym session must have signed up in advance and completed this training. Please do not bring friends along who have not done this first.

Plan your route: Plan and familiarise yourself with your route ahead of your journey and make sure you take a smart phone (if you have one) or map with you. Try to avoid stretches of road that are very dark or narrow and where no-one lives. Avoid parks or isolated stretches of canal at night.

Trip hazards: To reach the task you may be travelling on uneven surfaces. Look out for hazards and avoid them. Reducing your speed will reduce your chance of a more serious injury. If you are travelling with others please make them aware of any hazards you spot.

Traffic: Running can make you want to cross roads really quickly. If running, always be careful when you cross roads. Never risk your life at a crossing - wait until it is safe to cross.

Road rules and cycle lanes: If cycling please obey all road rules. Use cycle lanes where possible to put distance between yourself and motor traffic.

Busy streets: If running, you are likely to be on busy streets so be aware of pedestrians. Go slowly if needed. Make sure you have sufficient space around you while running, especially in confined areas. Other runners can obscure your ability to spot obstacles. We advise you not to check phones or your watch when running to ensure you keep looking ahead.

Take your phone and some money or a bank card: This is important in case you need to call for help, or have an injury and need to take public transport home.

Injury or illness: Do not attend a session if you have an injury which will prevent you from completing the task safely. If you are ill do not attend as you may infect others.

Let someone know: It is a good idea to let someone like a flatmate, friend, partner or family member know that you are going on a GoodGym session, and let them know when you are going to come back.

Exchange phone numbers and stay in contact: You may know other people attending the task. Many areas use messaging apps to stay in contact with each other. If so let them know when you set off and update them on your progress, particularly if you are running late.

If there is an emergency while getting to a task or you are concerned about your safety please dial 999.

Arriving at the task

You may arrive at the task alone. If so look out for other GoodGym members in their red tops. Tasks may be inside or outside, and maybe for a large organisation with lots of people present or an individual with no one else around.

Be aware of the environment around you as you arrive: No environment is ever free from risk and there may be environmental hazards on the site such as slippery ground, wires, trip hazards, water or falling objects. Look around you as you arrive and take notice of any potential hazards which may impact on you completing the task safely. Always alert other people when you see these things that might pose a risk.

Preparing for differences: You will be helping people or organisations who may do things differently to you. Similarly you may be completing the tasks with other people who have differing opinions. You should expect that the people you meet will be from a diverse range of backgrounds and may have sets of beliefs that are quite different to your own. We expect people to treat the people we help in a friendly manner and to respect any differences that exist as outlined in our Code of Conduct. You will be sent the link to the full policy on completion of this training.

Don’t start alone: When you arrive at a task you should wait for at least one other person to arrive before starting the task.This is for your own safety and that of others. Other people may arrive at different times. If no one else arrives for the task don’t complete it unless you feel it is safe and able to be done alone. It may be difficult but in these circumstances you should leave the task and report to the GoodGym Central team.

If you feel uncomfortable in the environment, or unsafe, you do not need to participate in the task and can leave.

Environmental risks at the task

There may be hazards at the task which could cause a risk to yours or other people’s safety. Here is some advice on the more common ones:

Animal diseases, faeces and poison: It is possible that there is animal matter or other substances that may cause you illness or infection; be aware of this and avoid close contact with it. We advise you to bring gloves to every task to avoid contact with skin. On leaving the site make sure you wash your hands or bring hand sanitiser with you. If concerned do not touch or enter an area you feel may pose a risk.

Uneven or slippery ground, trip hazards and falling objects: There may be environmental hazards on the site such as slippery ground, wires, trip hazards, water or falling objects. Move slowly, look out for these things and avoid them where possible. Always alert other participants when you see these things.

Sharp objects: There may be sharp objects, such as needles or glass, concealed by leaves or sand or some other substance. Similarly there may be objects that are sharp, or have splinters or nails in them. Be aware that these objects may be present, look for them and avoid if possible. Always bring gloves to protect your hands.

Throwing things away: Part of your task might be throwing things away. It is important that you don’t make any mistakes so obtain clear instructions and, if possible, consult the task owners opinion and obtain consent for each thing to be thrown away.

Tasks in the dark or poorly lit areas: Wear light, reflective clothing so others can see you, and bring a head torch to the task. You may be working in the dark and therefore should use artificial lighting as required. It is suggested that you work in a group with others and take turns holding any torches/artificial lights. Do not carry out any work that you do not feel comfortable doing in the dark or with low light.

Fumes, particles or irritants on site: Be aware of any fumes, particles or irritants when working on the task. If you suspect that there are any potentially harmful fumes then please inform other participants, report to the task owner and avoid that area of the task.

Working close to each other: You are likely to be working in close proximity to others. Be aware of those around you. Stop working if you’re likely to make contact with another participant, particularly if you are using any tools. Alert others to your presence if you think they might not know you’re there.

Violent or abusive people or animals: As with any public or private place, it is possible that you will encounter violent or abusive people or animals. Be aware of these people or animals and avoid them where possible. Alert other people to their presence. If people shout abuse at you ensure you do not retaliate and that you stay with the group. If other participants are unaware that any violent or abusive has happened report it to them at a suitable time and to GoodGym Central the next working day. If you need immediate assistance then you should phone the police.

Work quickly but safely: There may be pressure from the task owner, other participants or yourself to get the task completed quickly. At no point should you rush in a way that is not safe. Always prioritise your safety above that of completing the task.

Physical risks at the task

The nature of the tasks for which organisations need help can present with hazards. Here is some advice on how to deal with these:

Bring gloves: We recommend bringing gardening gloves to all GoodGym tasks. They can be useful for a large number of tasks for which GoodGym regularly get called to do.

Tools and equipment: It’s likely you’ll be using some simple tools and equipment to complete your tasks on GoodGym tasks, such as shovels, screwdrivers or hammers. You do not have to use any tools or equipment if you do not want to, or if you feel that you are not adequately trained or protected to do so. Never use tools that you’re not comfortable with.

Do not use power tools: You should not be using power tools such as drills, chainsaws, band saws, angle grinders or similar tools with sharp or dangerous moving parts and which require protective equipment. You have not been trained to do so and you do not know that the tools are in working order. GoodGym does not accept tasks with these tools so it should not be expected of you. If we are asked to help with a specific task such as lawn mowing, we will inform you of the details of the task in advance and you should only accept the mission should you feel equipped and safe to do so. You can use Lawn Mowers and Strimmers, as these are considered low risk, and require less skill.

Do not use axes: If you are asked to do so you should decline.

Be careful of blades: You are likely to come across saws, loppers and various types of blades. Always treat blades carefully and do not use the blade if you do not feel safe and protected to do so. If you would prefer not to use a blade do not. If you see anyone behaving inappropriately with a blade it is your responsibility to inform them, to move away and to report it to GoodGym if you feel the behaviour presented a continued risk.

Manual handling: Some tasks may involve lifting heavy objects. It is important that you do not lift anything that you do not think you can comfortably lift. Ensure that you keep your back straight and that you have your feet planted firm shoulder width apart. If you experience any pain stop immediately, and be careful not to drop the object on yourself on anyone else. Always ask others to help when lifting heavy objects.

Keeping each other safe

GoodGym is a community and it’s important we look out for each other’s safety as well as our own. Everyone attending the task would have completed this training so please refer to it with other people.

Look out for each other: If you see a risk to the safety of another person you should alert them to it. If you see someone doing something you consider to be dangerous you should advise them to stop.

Be careful of those around you: If you are using a tool be careful of those around you. It is easy to swing round, slip or misplace a tool and accidentally hurt another person. Constantly communicate where you are and keep safe space between you.

Peer pressure: Sometimes there may be pressure from the task owner or other participants to get involved in a task you do not feel is safe. If you feel pressured you should tell the other person.If you feel you should then leave the task and report the incident to GoodGym the next working day. As a participant you should never pressure someone else into taking part in a task. If someone does not want to do something you should respect their wishes after the first time of asking and not put pressure on them or ask them again to do it.

Lone working: At the task work within eyesight of other runners wherever possible. If the task requires you to work alone tell other participants.

Boundaries

Knowing the limits of the relationships between you and organisations you are helping is important, particularly to help protect everyone involved.

Here is a basic set of rules that we ask everyone to adhere to:

• Stick to the task you have been asked to do. If you are asked to do additional tasks you do not feel comfortable doing, explain that you are not authorised to do so and direct the person back to GoodGym.
• Never accept money or gifts for a task you have completed. It is ok to accept a soft drink and a small snack if offered.
• Never give your contact details to the person/people you have helped. If they ask for a contact number, provide the GoodGym email address: tasks@goodgym.org.
• Do not complete a task you are not happy to complete.
• Never return to complete another task for someone outside of GoodGym sessions. If someone asks you to return on another day or to complete an additional task elsewhere you must direct them to GoodGym.

What to do if something goes wrong

Although the vast majority of our tasks go ahead without any problems the nature of what we do means there is potential for issues to arise.

If the organisation or task owner no longer wants help: Even if GoodGym has confirmed the task, they have the right to change their mind or may have found someone else to complete the task. This could at short notice on the day you were due to do the task, on arrival, or during the task. We advise that you leave the location, and email tasks@goodgym.org to let us know.

If the organisation or task owner is not there: This is something that rarely happens. Most tasks will involve the task owner being there. Occasionally we may get tasks where the task owner will not be present and you will be informed of this in the task confirmation email. If no one is around we advise knocking, and waiting for 10 minutes. If you have still made no contact then leave. Always let GoodGym know if this happens

If you are concerned about anything at a task: If there is an immediate risk then call 999. If there is something that can wait until GoodGym office hours then there is the opportunity to give feedback in session follow up email, and someone from GoodGym Central can arrange a phone call with you.

Reporting an accident, incident or issue: Any incident or accident which happens on the way to or at a task should be reported to the Central Team. It doesn’t have to be something that resulted in injury, we want to hear about anything which you felt we should know about. Let us know at https://www.goodgym.org/accidents. GoodGym does not operate an out of hours service, so please email with any other concerns or phone the office from 09.30 - 18.00 the next working day.