The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the FIA (Fitness Industry Association) have entered into a new partnership aimed at improving the quality and safety of the sport and physical activity industry.
RoSPA has been at the heart of accident prevention in the UK and around the world for more than 95 years and will work with the FIA on policy, industry initiatives, training programmes and campaigns.
FIA members will also benefit from access to RoSPA services, including a telephone helpline giving free initial advice on water and leisure health and safety issues and preferential rates on RoSPA consultancy, membership and playground inspections.
They will also be able to report any incidents or near-misses for inclusion in the Water Incident Database (WAID), which is hosted by RoSPA on behalf of the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF).
David Rushton, RoSPA’s head of education and leisure, said: “RoSPA is committed to the guiding principle that sport and physical activity should be as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible. A quest for absolute safety in this sphere would surely erode many of the benefits to be gained from maintaining an active lifestyle. We are delighted, therefore, to be partnering with the FIA – an organisation that shares our commitment to promoting quality in the industry and ‘prevention in proportion’.
“Working together, we will be able to provide thousands of health and fitness operators and suppliers, in both the public and private sectors, with the information and advice they need to take a balanced approach to health and safety. We hope this will raise standards of health and safety management across the industry, thus reducing unnecessary injuries, while also promoting the many benefits of physical activity.”
David Stalker, CEO FIA, said: “One of the FIA’s core aims has always been to improve quality and standards across the physical activity sector and to help our members prevent accidents in their facilities. Our Code of Practice and Health Commitment Statement (HCS), for example, have gone a long way to encouraging a vigorous but balanced approach to health and safety in leisure management.
“This partnership builds upon our commitment to health and safety and offers FIA members access to key resources such as the RoSPA helpline, helping those working at the coalface of the sector to keep updated and access support when they need it.”
Find out more