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Unit 4 Assignment 1. Preparing sport and exercise field – and laboratory- based testing.
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Unit 4 Assignment 1Unit 4 Assignment 1. Preparing sport and exercise field – and laboratory- based testing
Kingston Sports Club have chosen me to work as a volunteer for them to help carry out the fitness testing
and the teacher has asked me to complete a written report that demonstrates my understanding of the
preparation required and health and safety involved in fitness testing processes.
Introduction:
Fitness testing is a method of learning more about an athlete's physical and skill related components of
fitness. Numerous settings can be used for testing, with laboratories providing the most precise results.
Outside of the lab, you can do a wide variety of tests that yield a wealth of insightful data during field-
based fitness test as well (Walden, 2022). Fitness tests are conducted to point out athletes’ talents and
weaknesses so that training programmes might be influenced; check a training regimen to evaluate if it
aids an athlete in accomplishing their objectives; assess athletes’ level of fitness after an illness, injury, or
the offseason; help with goal setting; identification of talent; and to aid motivation. Fitness tests can
measure health-related components of fitness (cardiovascular endurance/stamina/cardiorespiratory
fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition) or skill-related
components of fitness (speed, agility, coordination, reaction time, balance, power). There are numerous
internal and external factors that can influence the results of fitness testing such as: the time of day;
weather circumstances; environment (surface, noise, and other people's presence); an alternative
assessor; precision in measurements; not exactly using the same test process as before; time of the
athlete's most recent meal; emotions; levels of hydration; athletes' health (recent illnesses and colds);
and the athletes’ medications (Walden, 2022).
Health and Safety in a Sport and Exercise Laboratory:
When it comes to health and safety of participant, it is essential for researchers to abide by the Health
and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974 (amended 1992 and 1999). It outlines the fundamental obligations
that the employers must have towards workers and the public employees should be respectful towards
each other, and some self-employed people have both toward themselves and others (HSE, n.d.-a). The
law requires businesses to take reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their staff
members as well as the safety of other people. Researchers can ensure that the act and various
documents and "signposts" are made available to those that will be carrying out the tests. Researchers
should aim to remove or regulate any potential risk of violence at work in accordance with the act. A
documented health and safety policy statement outlining how to manage health and safety in an
organisation is required if five or more employees are employed by an organisation (HSE, n.d.-b). This is
important for researchers to know not only for legal reasons, but also to make sure that their employees
and participants are safe during fitness testing.
Risk management:
Risk management is concerned with foreseeing what might go wrong and having measures in place to
reduce uncertainty to a manageable level (© Association for Project Management, n.d.). Risk
management needs to be carried out before research because within the sport and exercise research, risk
management can be implemented as a best practice for health and safety. The procedure permits the
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,Unit 4 Assignment 1
estimation and evaluation of risk levels connected with activities as well as the identification of risk factors
that may result in accidents. Participants can use this information to proactively find rehabilitative and
preventive strategies to lessen the incidence and/or severity of injuries in experiments (Fuller & Drawer,
2004). There are five main essential steps that are involved with risk management which are to determine
the risk, analyse the risk, rank the risk, solve the risk, monitor, and review the risk (Thomas, 2022).
Finding the hazards to the researcher(s) and participants is the first stage in the risk management
approach. There are many distinct kinds of hazards, including: regulatory risks, legal risks, environmental
risks, health risks, and ethical concerns. It is essential that all risks are identified and noted down. These
risks can either be manually recorded or simply entered onto a system. The benefit of this strategy is that
everyone involved in fitness testing can now see these hazards. Anyone who wants to discover which risks
have been detected can access the information in the risk management system, which is allows the
participants to know exactly what they may encounter if they give their permission for the fitness test.
A risk must be examined after being detected. Understanding the relationship between risk and various
testing-related factors is also crucial. Risks should be divided into many categories to assess their
significance and severity. While some hazards will only cause minor inconveniences and are acceptable,
others can be substantial and should not be ignored. Each risk should be associated with a specific
document (such as a questionnaire), policy, or practise. The researcher(s) will then be able to assess the
risks and determine the long-term implications of each risk (Thomas, 2022). It is necessary to rank and
prioritise risks. Depending on the risk's intensity, most risk management solutions have multiple types of
risks.
Risks that could result in minor discomfort are ranked lowly, while those that could cause serious harm
are rated highly. Ranking hazards helps the researcher(s) get a comprehensive understanding of how
much risk exposure participants are exposed to. The test may be susceptible to several low-level hazards,
but it might not necessitate significant interventions. On the other hand, even one of the worst threats is
sufficient to call for prompt action. It is essential to minimise or eliminate any risks. If necessary, this is
accomplished by contacting subject-matter specialists in the area where the risk lies e.g., surface installers
for surface damage to Astroturf. Through forms and questionnaires, all participants should be aware of
the risk management solution for identified risks. Some hazards cannot be completely eradicated; they
are always there (Galaxy, n.d.). Certain risks must always be watched out for. All risk factors, notably
health hazards, must be closely monitored by the researcher(s). Before testing, if any factor or risk
changes, it must be immediately reported to the professional in charge. If the change cannot be avoided,
all participants must be informed.
When a risk assessment is conducted, the procedures to take to reduce the risk involved in research and
what to do in the event of any issues should be available to participants. Usually, these are available in
the technician's office in the laboratory building. In a field-based test, this could be given before
experiments in an email or as a handout. The risk assessment will be explained to participants doing a test
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,Unit 4 Assignment 1
for the first time, and participants using equipment or performing procedures outside of laboratory tests
i.e., field tests, will receive a copy of the pertinent risk assessment (StudeerSnel, 2010).
A method of categorising and identifying risks is using the 5 x 5 matrix.
(Guevara, 2022)
Each risk box shows the risk rating, which is determined by the probability and effect at which the risk
occurs. The 5x5 risk matrix typically employs numeric numbers to depict the risk levels more accurately.
The first stage is to give each of the categories under "Probability and Impact" a numerical value between
1 and 5, with 1 being the lowest. Next, calculate the risk level using the formula (Risk Level = Probability x
Impact) by multiplying the probability and impact values. Because of the analysis, the following numerical
values and representations of risks are discovered: 1-4: Acceptable - no additional action may be required,
and it is encouraged to continue control measures. 5–9: Sufficient – may be considered for further
investigation. 10–16: Acceptable – must be promptly reviewed to implement improvement measures. 17-
25: Inadmissible; must implement a halt to operations and support prompt action. With these, you can
adjust your current risk control strategies as necessary and suggest additional steps that the researcher(s)
can do to support in creating a proactive safe environment (Guevara, 2022).
An important part of ensuring that any risks to health and safety are maintained is by abiding by the
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR 2013) law. The
RIDDOR law mandates that employers and others in charge of workplaces disclose and maintain records
of workplace incidents that result in fatalities, incidents at work that result in specific significant injuries
(reportable injuries), identified instances of specific industrial illnesses, and hazardous events i.e.,
incidents with the potential to cause harm (HSE, 2013). As a result, the researcher is required to disclose
and document any injuries sustained and potential injury or danger during fitness testing protocols.
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, Unit 4 Assignment 1
Risk assessments are important because they are a crucial component of a management strategy for
health and safety as they help to create awareness on risks and hazards, discover who might be at risk
(e.g., employees, cleaners, visitors, contractors, the public, etc.), find out if a control strategy is necessary
for a specific hazard, check to see if the current control measures are sufficient or if more needs to be
done, avoid illnesses or injuries, and prioritize the risks and preventative measures with any applicable
legal requirements (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, 2022). The consequences of not
conducting risk assessment are not having risks under control. In every instance, there can be
unanticipated or unforeseen hazards. The researcher and most importantly the participants are more
likely to experience an accident if researchers neglect to take these risks into account (Jeffery, 2022). The
researcher cannot know what could harm participants or what control measures need to be in place to
protect participants if the researcher is not aware of the risks. There are certain things that researchers
cannot be sure of if they do not conduct risk assessments which include the dangers are present, who
could suffer harm, what specifically could cause harm, and if additional controls may be required. A
researcher may have some controls in place for previous or obvious risks. However, researchers can never
be certain that they have all the risks under control unless they risk assess fitness tests.
Aside from being unaware of potential risks or required controls, one of the consequences of an accident
(especially a serious injury) occurring is that a researcher may be investigated. HSE (Health and Safety
Executives) inspectors are authorised to enter any workplace, not simply those where accidents have
occurred. So, researchers may be inspected at random at any time. However, if a researcher is responsible
for an accident, they can be singled out for scrutiny (Jeffery, 2022). Additionally, researchers should
anticipate enforcement action if the HSE inspection reveals that they neglected to do a risk assessment
before an accident occurred. Risk assessments are required by law, meaning that enforcement action can
start with advice and cautions and progress to notices and legal action. More significant enforcement
action is likely to be due to a more severe the breach. Enforcement action can include verbal advice,
written advice, formal caution, improvement notice, prohibition notice, and prosecution (Jeffery, 2022).
The HSE may issue official notices or even bring legal action if there has been an accident or if there is a
danger of serious injury to others and researchers have not conducted a risk assessment. The fine may be
very expensive. If the HSE discovers any violations (no matter how minor), they will still charge researchers
under a policy known as Fee For Intervention for the time spent conducting the inquiry.
RIDDOR is important because the RIDDOR regulations legally require employers to report accidents to the
HSE Executive. This is significant in terms of worker safety and compliance. This act covers injuries like
fractures and blindness. RIDDOR's scope also includes potential occupational illnesses and hazardous
situations. For the UK Government and HSE, the RIDDOR laws work to try and maintain an accurate record
of events which makes it possible to determine which industries may have had an increase in accidents
and what may be done to stop them from happening again in the future (HSE Network, 2020). This act is
important for ensuring that researchers can avoid incidents fitness laboratories as this act would enable
the government to give necessary interventions to make fitness laboratories safe. Legal and safety
repercussions may result from failing to report an occurrence when the RIDDOR regulations deem it
required. The consequence of not abiding to RIDDOR would lead to the analysis of occupational injuries
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