Care for your Club

Care for your Club, supported by Royal Bank RugbyForce and sportscotland

We are aware that for many clubs, the lockdown period has made day-to-day facilities care very difficult. It is important, however, that these tasks are not entirely neglected in the coming weeks and months. The following checklist has been produced to assist clubs in managing their estates through the lockdown period.

It has been created by Graham Finnie of sportscotland and Kenny Scott, Facilities Manager here at Scottish Rugby. Hopefully, it will give you a few pointers for basic care that can be carried out by an individual and will keep your club on the right track for when we are able to start looking to return to rugby.

In all cases, it is advisable that any preventative measures carried out by staff/volunteers are recorded. It is important to remember that only trained personnel are permitted to operate any machinery or maintain plant equipment or electrical/gas services during any activity or planned preventative maintenance.

Royal Bank RugbyForce

As we turn attention to community clubs and plan for what is needed for 2020/21, Royal Bank RugbyForce are supporting Scottish Rugby to help you ready your club.

2020 award winners have now been named and are listed on our website here

Club Webinar

In part 1 of our Care for your Club series, we bring you advice from Graham Finnie, Lead Manager - Facilities at sportscotland on what clubs can and should be doing to look after their facilities during lockdown.

In part 2 of our Care for your Club series, we bring you advice from Kenny Scott, Facilities Manager at Scottish Rugby on what he and his team are doing during the lockdown period. There is also more information from Graham Finnie, Lead Manager - Facilities at sportscotland on what clubs can and should be doing to look after their own facilities.

All guidance in this video was given in line with Government advice at the time of recording: Thurs 7th May.

Club Checklist

• Club Checklist
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Clubhouses

Make sure you check your buildings insurance

Any prolonged absence from the facility may impact your policy

Run taps, showers and other water services

Keep water flow through pipes to minimize buildup of waterborne disease. Older buildings and water systems are more susceptible. Current advice from the Legionella Control Association is that you run the taps in your facility for at least 5 – 10 mins per week and flush all toilets. This includes running the pitch irrigation and showers for the same amount of time.

Check boilers and gas appliances

Your boiler plant may not be designed to be switched off, and the age of boiler will impact on the ease of switching on again.

Check your drainage

Drain and gulley covers should be exposed to ensure that all leaves and debris are cleared to allow the water to flow freely when required.

Check your security measures

Entrance and emergency gates, shutters and exits should be checked for functionality and serviced accordingly, i.e. oiled or cleared of any debris

Hospitality

Kitchens

Equipment will need to be decommissioned, for example fryers drained and deep cleaned.

Gas appliances will need to be shut off and made safe, and fridges and freezers emptied, cleaned and shut off.

Cupboards

Need to be emptied of perishable and non-perishable food to deter vermin.

Bar services

These will need to be decommissioned and regularly maintained over the shut down or organisations could face weeks with a very much reduced level of income on return and wait weeks for a technical service crew. Please refer to the BBPA dispense system shutdown procedures

Fire Safety

Fire alarm checks and tests

It is advised to continue to conduct weekly fire checks in line with your current site compliance regime. This includes any fire alarm tests, checking the serviceability of fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and ensuring any gas boiler compliance checks continue.

Grass Pitches

Cutting

Basic grass cutting to prevent the pitch from getting out of control on an “as and when” required basis. If possible, clippings should be removed.

Aeration

If equipment is available and time permits, aeration is helpful at this time (verti-drain/slit tining).

Goal posts

Goal posts should be regularly checked – all nuts and bolts should be lubricated as well, made tight and secure in ground sockets.

Planting

Increase the grass coverage to help maintain pitches during the playing season.

Strengthen the grass plant making them more robust for the playing season.

De-compact the pitches to Improve root growth and assist in drainage of the surface.

Synthetic Surfaces

Brush

Remove debris from the surface and activate the infill and keep the pile upright.

De-compact

Active infill and ensure the surface is fit to play on.

Disinfect

Prior to use after lockdown the surface will need to have all material removed and animal feces cleaned from the surface. Disinfect with an appropriate product, for example Sanitech, this must be approved by the carpet manufacture.

Pest Control

Due to the inactivity on your site, vermin may take the opportunity to forage in areas where they wouldn’t normally explore, due to a reduction in human presence.

Rodents can cause untold damage to pipes and electrical services, to that end, any evidence of this should be reported to your local pest control contractor.

All of the above should be conducted in a safe manner and where any risk is present, a risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and communicated to all staff involved in the activity.