HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

Zug Rugby Club
Version September 2026

1. Purpose and Legal Responsibility

Zug Rugby Club (“the Club”) is committed to providing a safe and appropriately controlled environment for all members, players, volunteers, and visitors. All parties, including the Club, recognise that participation in rugby involves inherent physical and other risks, which are managed but not eliminated.

As an association constituted under Swiss law, the Club is required to:

Take reasonable and proportionate measures to safeguard participants
Identify and manage foreseeable risks
Ensure appropriate care and oversight

This policy is intended to support the Club in meeting its duty of care obligations in a structured, volunteer-friendly, proportionate and effective manner.

2. Policy Principles

In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Club applies the following principles:

Prevention: risks are identified and addressed in advance
Responsibility: roles are clearly defined
Proportionality: measures match level of risk
Responsiveness: issues are addressed promptly

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Board:
The Board retains overall responsibility for health and safety within the Club and shall:

Ensure appropriate policies and controls are established
Satisfy itself that risks are being appropriately identified and managed
Review material incidents and determine any necessary actions

The Board may delegate specific responsibilities but retains overall oversight and responsibility for ensuring that the Club's health and safety arrangements are appropriately managed.

Health & Safety Extended Board Member:
The Health & Safety Extended Board Member is elected by Club members annually at its Annual General Meeting. This individual is appointed to support the Board in discharging its responsibilities and:

Acts under delegated authority from the Board
Oversees the implementation of this policy in practice
Maintains appropriate incident records
Provides guidance to coaches, club officials and volunteers
Escalates significant risks or incidents to the Board

Coaches and club officials:
Coaches and club officials are responsible for the safe conduct of rugby activities, including:

Appropriate pre-activity checks of playing areas and equipment
Supervising activities and enforcing safe participation
Intervening where conduct or conditions present increased risk

Players, spectators and other volunteers:
All participants are required to:

Exercise reasonable care in their actions
Follow reasonable instructions, safety guidance and behaviour standards established by the Club, its coaches, officials, and designated activity leaders
Report hazards, unsafe conditions, or incidents promptly

The Club may take appropriate action where a participant repeatedly or seriously fails to follow reasonable instructions or engages in behaviour that creates a safety, safeguarding, or other significant concern. This may include requiring the participant to leave an activity or, where appropriate, temporarily or permanently excluding the participant from participation in Club activities.

Where the participant is a child, the Club will, where appropriate, involve the parent or guardian in addressing the concern.

Team and/or section health and safety representatives:
Team and/or section health and safety representatives support the Board and Health and Safety Extended Board Member in the implementation of the requirements set out in this policy, including escalation of any matters requiring intervention.

4. Anti-Doping and Substance Use

The Club is committed to promoting clean sport, player welfare, and compliance with anti-doping regulations.

All players and members must:

Refrain from the use of prohibited substances or methods as defined by applicable anti-doping regulations
Take responsibility for any substances they consume, including supplements
Seek appropriate advice where unsure about medications or supplements

The Club:

Supports the principles of anti-doping as set out by World Rugby and Swiss Sport Integrity
Will cooperate with any applicable testing or investigative processes
May take appropriate internal action where anti-doping rules are breached

Any concerns regarding substance use or potential violations should be raised with the Board or the Health & Safety Extended Board Member.

5. Risk Management

The Club adopts a continuous and activity-based approach to managing risk. Where appropriate, risks may be documented and communicated to participants. Annex 1 sets out the Club’s practical approach to activity-based risk and must be used by responsible people prior to and during activities.

Resources:
World Rugby guidance is the Club’s primary reference standard, however additional recognised national union resources (e.g. the RFU’s Headcase) may be used as supplementary educational and training tools, provided they do not conflict with World Rugby requirements.

Online learning modules on key topics addressed in this policy are available through World Rugby’s Passport platform. The Club mandates that all coaches must have valid completion certificates for First Aid in Rugby, Concussion Management for General Public, and Safeguarding Essentials. Members, including players and parents, are also encouraged to complete these core modules.

Contact rugby:
Mouthguards are mandatory for all Minis and Junior team players during training and matches, and Minis and Junior team players without a mouthguard must not participate in contact activities. The use of a mouthguard is strongly encouraged for all First XV team players.

Headguards complying with World Rugby standards are encouraged. Members are advised that headguards do not prevent concussion.

The Club issues periodic reminders to members regarding core health and safety topics, including the use of mouthguards and concussion limitations of headguards.

Supervision and transport:

The Club’s responsibility for the active supervision of youth participants applies during scheduled Club activities and during the specific periods for which responsibility has been expressly accepted by the Club, such as scheduled training sessions, matches, or organised activities.

For scheduled training sessions, coaches and other designated Club personnel are responsible for the supervision of youth participants during the published training period. Parents/guardians remain responsible for ensuring that children arrive at the appropriate time and are collected promptly at the end of the relevant Club activity, unless alternative arrangements have been expressly agreed with the Club.

The Club does not assume responsibility for youth participants who arrive before the designated start of a Club activity, remain after its scheduled conclusion, or participate in informal or unstructured activities outside the period for which the Club has accepted responsibility, unless the Club has expressly agreed to provide supervision during that period.

For away fixtures, tours, and other organised activities, the Club will define the applicable supervision arrangements and responsibilities in advance. Clear responsibility for participants must be established at relevant handover points between parents/guardians, coaches, Club officials, and transport providers.

Where lift-sharing or organised transport is used, arrangements must be communicated in advance and follow appropriate safeguarding and supervision practices.

Prior to activities:
Responsible people shall ensure that:

Playing surfaces are free from obvious hazards
Equipment (including first aid kit) is suitable and in safe condition
Environmental conditions, including weather, are appropriate

During activities:

Conditions and participant behaviour are monitored
Activities are modified or stopped where risk becomes unacceptable

Thresholds and escalation:
To ensure consistent decision-making, the following thresholds apply. Where any threshold is met, the required action/s must be taken immediately.

Immediate removal from activity:

Suspected concussion or head injury
Loss of consciousness
Suspected fracture, neck/spinal injury, or severe pain
Inability to safely continue participation
Any urgent safeguarding concern

Action: Stop participation immediately. Do not return to activity the same day. Escalate and/or report as required.

Temporary pause and assessment:

Dizziness, confusion, or abnormal behaviour
Head impact without clear symptoms
Minor injury with uncertain severity
Emotional distress or behavioural concern
Any concern requiring monitoring

Action: Remove from activity, assess, and escalate if symptoms persist or worsen.

Return to activity:

Symptoms have fully resolved
No suspicion of concussion or serious injury remains
Medical clearance has been obtained where appropriate
Safeguarding clearance has been given where relevant

6. Emergency Preparedness

Relevant emergency contact and key medical information (including medical disclosure forms) must be communicated to the Club, and readily accessible to designated coaches during all activities and fixtures. This information must be kept up to date and handled in line with applicable data protection requirements.

Key emergency and safety information must be clearly communicated and easily accessible to members, parents, and volunteers, via the Club’s website and other equivalent communication channels. This information must be kept up to date and reviewed regularly.

Responsible coaches are encouraged to use recognised emergency response applications, such as EchoSOS, to support rapid access to emergency information. Use of such tools is optional and intended to complement, not replace, established emergency procedures.

For all organized activities, key participants should be aware of:

The location and access points
How to direct emergency services
Be aware of the Swiss emergency number: 144

Further, a responsible person must be present with access to a mobile phone, and location details must be readily available.

The Club’s duty of care extends to organized events and gatherings. Appropriate measures must be taken to:

Identify and manage foreseeable risks (including crowd movement and temporary set-ups)
Maintain safe access and egress
Promote responsible conduct

7. Facilities and Equipment

The Club shall take reasonable steps to ensure that:

Facilities used are appropriate and safe for rugby activities
Equipment is maintained in a safe condition
Defective equipment is withdrawn from use without delay

Coaches, club officials, players and other volunteers share responsibility for reporting defects and concerns.

8. Injury Management and Medical Response

First Aid:

A suitable basic first aid kit must be available for all rugby activities, proportionate to the level of risk, age group, and nature of the session, and aligned with the principles and equipment recommendations set out in World Rugby Rugby Ready guidance. Annex 1 sets out the minimum categories of materials expected to be available in a first aid kit at all training sessions and matches.
The selection of first aid equipment should seek to achieve substantive alignment with the World Rugby guidance. Exact product brands, formats, sizes or quantities are not required where an alternative provides an appropriate first aid function, considering the nature and level of the rugby activity.First aid kits must be checked periodically during the season and replenished as required following use.
At least one responsible person with proportionate, rugby appropriate first aid competency must be present at every rugby activity.

Serious incidents:
In the event of a serious injury:

Activity must cease immediately
The injured person must not be moved unless necessary
Emergency services (144) must be contacted without delay
Access for emergency responders must be facilitated

Concussion protocol:
In accordance with World Rugby standards:

Any player with a suspected concussion must be removed immediately
No return to play on the same day
All suspected concussions occurring in FSR matches must be reported through the required FSR reporting process
Return only following appropriate medical clearance

Any player diagnosed with or suspected of having a concussion must follow a graduated return-to-play process. As a minimum:

The player must be symptom-free at rest before commencing return to activity
Return to play must follow a stepwise progression, with increasing levels of activity
A minimum rest period must be observed in line with applicable guidelines
The player must not progress to the next stage if symptoms recur

For youth players, a more conservative approach is to be applied, and return to full contact rugby is only permitted once:

The graduated return-to-play process has been successfully completed
Appropriate medical clearance has been obtained

The Club requires all players, coaches, and volunteers to adopt a “when in doubt, sit them out” approach.

9. Safeguarding and Youth Protection

The Club is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all participants, with particular emphasis on the protection of children and vulnerable persons. Safeguarding is recognised as a core component of the Club’s duty of care.

All coaches are required to provide the Club with an official criminal record check (Sonderprivatauszug) from the Swiss criminal records database to check for bans regarding work with minors.

The Health and Safety Extended Board Member acts as the safeguarding contact unless otherwise designated by the Board.

Threshold:
Safeguarding concerns must be escalated immediately where there is any risk of harm, disclosure or abuse or neglect, or any behaviour that suggests a safeguarding risk. This includes, but is not limited to, physical harm, inappropriate conduct towards a child or vulnerable person, or concerns about coercion, exploitation, or unsafe environments. Where in doubt, concerns must be reported without delay, as further set out in this policy.

Scope of safeguarding:
Safeguarding within the Club includes protection from:

Physical, emotional, or psychological harm
Bullying, intimidation, or harassment
Abuse of authority or inappropriate conduct by adults
Peer-to-peer misconduct

Bullying includes (but is not limited to) verbal abuse or exclusion, repeated negative behaviour, intimidation, threats, or humiliation, and misuse of digital platforms (e.g. messaging groups, social media, and other online channels). Club-related digital communication must remain professional, appropriate, and limited to approved channels, with clear boundaries between adults and youth participants (including avoiding private or one-to-one messaging where not appropriate or authorised). Any misuse of digital platforms, including inappropriate content, contact, or behaviour, must be reported.

All coaches, players, club officials, and other volunteers involved in Club activities must:

Treat others with respect and dignity always
Avoid any behaviour that could be perceived as bullying, abusive, or inappropriate
Maintain appropriate boundaries, particularly with youth participants
Use communication channels responsibly

Any form of bullying, harassment, or abuse is not acceptable within the Club

Supervision and good practice:
Where youth participants are involved in a scheduled Club activity:

Appropriate supervision must be provided by designated Club personnel during the period for which the Club has accepted responsibility.
Parents/guardians remain responsible for youth participants outside those designated supervision periods, including before the start and after the conclusion of scheduled activities, unless alternative arrangements have been expressly agreed with the Club.
Situations involving one adult and one child alone should be avoided where reasonably possible.
Parents/guardians should not assume that the presence of a child at a Club venue or wider Club event automatically means that the Club has accepted responsibility for their supervision.
At larger or informal Club events, such as open days or tournaments, where children may move freely between activities or areas outside a scheduled, supervised Club activity, parents/guardians remain responsible for their children unless the Club has expressly designated a particular activity or period as supervised by Club personnel.

Reporting concerns:
All coaches, players, club officials, and other volunteers have a responsibility to report safeguarding concerns, including:

Suspected bullying or harassment
Inappropriate behaviour by adults or peers
Any situation where a child or vulnerable person may be at risk

Reports may be reported anonymously, and made through the following channels:

Any Board member
Health & Safety Extended Board Member
A trusted coach or team manager (who must escalate further)
Punkto Zug (www.punkto-zug.ch and 041 767 75 00) and Child and Youth Helpline (www.147.ch and 147)

Reports should be submitted to the Club as soon as reasonably practicable, except for urgent matters requiring immediate escalation which must be made within 48 hours. Reports must be documented in line with the Club’s Incident Report Form available here, and/or escalated (if not reported directly) to the Health and Safety Extended Board Member to ensure consistency and appropriate documentation.

Escalation and handling:
Upon receiving or being made aware of a concern, the Club must:

Treat the matter seriously and confidentially
Record the concern appropriately
Assess whether immediate action is required to ensure safety
Escalate to the Board where necessary

Where appropriate, the Club must:

Involve parents/guardians
Seek external advice
Refer matters to relevant authorities, where there is credible risk of harm

The Club must appropriately protect reporting individuals by:

Supporting individuals who raise concerns in good faith
Not tolerate retaliation or victimization
Handle information sensitively and on a need-to-know basis

10. Incident Reporting

The Club maintains a record of relevant incidents to:

Monitor risk trends
Demonstrate appropriate oversight
Inform any necessary corrective actions

Incidents to be recorded:

Injuries requiring medical treatment
Head injuries
Significant or unusual events (including safeguarding concerns)

Records should include:

Date and location
Description of the incident
Actions taken

Incidents subject to reporting should be sent to the Health and Safety Extended Board member through the Club’s Incident Report Form available here, to ensure consistency and appropriate documentation. Digital reporting and the maintenance of a centralized incident register/logging using tools such as Office 365 is permitted. Incident records shall be retained securely and reviewed periodically by the Board.

All incident and safeguarding records must be recorded accurately, stored securely, and handled in line with applicable data protection requirements. Records must be retained for an appropriate period in accordance with relevant legal and governing body requirements, and access must be restricted to authorised people only.

11. Insurance

The Board periodically reviews the adequacy of insurance coverage relative to Club activities. The Club shall maintain appropriate liability insurance consistent with its activities. All participants should note:

Insurance supports, but does not replace, the Club’s obligation to act with due care
Individuals are expected to act responsibly within their roles
All members, players, volunteers and visitors are individually responsible for ensuring that they have appropriate and adequate insurance coverage for their participation in Club activities, including coverage applicable in Switzerland and abroad, as appropriate.

Such coverage should include, as relevant, personal accident, health, liability and other insurance necessary to cover injuries, losses, damages or accidents of any kind arising from or in connection with participation in Club activities. The Club does not accept responsibility for an individual’s failure to maintain appropriate insurance coverage. Members and participants must not assume that the Club’s insurance provides personal accident, medical, travel or other individual coverage.

12. Review

This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Board and updated where necessary following significant incidents or changes in applicable standards

This policy was approved by the Board in September 2026 and is effective from that date.

ANNEX 1 – Rugby Activity Risk Checklist

A. Pre-Activity Checks (to be assessed before training or matches)

1. Playing Area
☐ Pitch inspected and free from hazards (e.g. holes, debris, unsafe surfaces)
☐ Touchlines, in-goal areas, and surrounds are safe
☐ Goalposts are secure and, where possible, appropriately padded

2. Weather and Environmental Conditions
☐ Weather conditions assessed (rain, heat, snow, frost, lightning, etc.)
☐ Playing conditions deemed safe for the planned activity

3. Equipment
☐ Rugby equipment (balls, tackle bags, cones, etc.) in safe condition
☐ No damaged or unsafe equipment in use

4. Players and Participants
☐ Players are appropriately equipped (boots, for contact rugby – all Minis and Juniors players have a properly fitted mouthguard)
☐ Emergency medical/contact information available for all players/participants
☐ Jewelry removed or secured
☐ Players appear fit to participate

5. Medical Readiness
☐ Basic first aid kit available and accessible, providing appropriate equipment broadly aligned with World Rugby guidance, including: scissors (blunt ended), non-sterile medical gloves, gauze swabs, compression bandages, sterile gauze bandages, adhesive skin closures, elastic adhesive bandages, petroleum jelly, irrigation solution (sterile eyewash), wound dressings, triangular bandages, ice pack, zinc oxide adhesive tape, emergency foil blanket, plastic bag for contaminated dressings/gloves.
☐ First aid kit contents are appropriate to the level of risk, age group and nature of the rugby activity. Equivalent products, formats, sizes or quantities may be used where they provide an appropriate first aid function.
☐ At least one responsible person present with proportionate, rugby appropriate first aid competency
☐ Emergency contact process understood

6. Emergency Preparedness
☐ Emergency access route identified and clear
☐ Location/address known for emergency services
☐ Mobile phone available for emergency use

B. During Activity (ongoing risk monitoring)

1. Supervision and Control
☐ Activities are always appropriately supervised
☐ Coaches actively monitor player behaviour and conditions

2. Player Safety
☐ No dangerous or reckless play observed
☐ Players showing signs of injury or distress are removed from activity

3. Injury Response
☐ Injuries addressed promptly
☐ Suspected concussion → immediate removal (no same-day return)

4. Changing Conditions
☐ Weather and pitch conditions monitored
☐ Activity modified or stopped if conditions deteriorate

5. Equipment and Environment
☐ Equipment remains safe during use
☐ Any new hazards identified and addressed immediately

C. Post-Activity (recommended)

☐ Any injuries or incidents noted
☐ Equipment stored safely
☐ Hazards reported for follow-up

D. Injury and Concussion

☐ Seek medical attention
☐ Inform parent/guardian as soon as practicable
☐ Ensure player is supervised by responsible adult
☐ Monitor for worsening or delayed symptoms (especially head injury cases)
☐ Record and escalate to Health and Safety Extended Board Member
☐ Any suspected or confirmed concussion must follow a graduated return to play protocol including: complete rest until symptom-free; stepwise, supervised return to activity; no progression if symptoms reoccur; and final clearance by a qualified medical professional before full return
☐ Medical clearance required before full return to training or matches following suspected concussion
☐ Clearance must be communicated to the responsible coach