You Hash At Your Own Risk

Disclaimer

Disclaimer and Liability Waiver: The South Hams Hash House Harriers (SH4), will not accept any liability or responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, trauma, death or mental distress however caused or sustained by any participant in any events associated with them. In order to participate in any Hash event, participants expressly waive their rights to pursue South Hams Hash House Harriers and those who have organized the events, those associated with the events, officers, management, sponsors, close relatives, friends, blokes they’ve met in pub or anyone else. Participating is deemed to agree with this liability waiver and to indemnify the South Hams Hash House Harriers against claims, costs and damages!

Hashing – running in the dark, often over uneven terrain, sometimes following a trail but occasionally straying off it, with a few natural (and possibly unnatural) hazards thrown in for good measure – carries more risk than a daytime stroll in a suburban park. And that’s a large part of the appeal for many hashers.

This means, however, that you participate at your own risk.

SH4 holds Public Liability Insurance for our activities, but please note that there is NO Insurance for personal injury or loss.

There is guidance and advice available for laying and walking/jogging/running a trail to minimize risks, but ultimately, we’re all adults (or, hopefully, in the care of a responsible one or two. Best efforts are made to give you the information you need to make a judgment call, but only you can decide what is safe for you to attempt. 

You can access the SH4 Risk Assessment here.  Please read it! LINK TO RISK ASSESSMENT

All that understood, things can – and do – sometimes go awry. With that in mind, SH4 has developed contingency measures designed to provide safety and reassurance, along with a solid Plan B if you find yourself in need of extraction!

Please take time to familiarise yourself with these, and feel free to get in touch with any suggestions for additions or improvements!

SH4 Contingencies

  • New hashers – Make yourself known to GM at Circle Up. Ensure you have the emergency numbers saved and run with someone.
  • Buddy system – Always aim to run with another hasher, ideally two others (one to stay with the injured, one to get help), and agree to stick together.
  • Children – Parents are responsible for their children’s safety at all times.
  • Dogs – Dogs should be on leads. Hare must advise if trail is unsuitable for dogs.
  • Mobile phones – Save SH4’s roving phone number, the pub’s phone number, and the contact details of at least one other hasher to your phone. Consider a waterproof phone case and a phone pouch for running. 
  • Text messaging may work better than calls in areas with poor signal.
  • What3Words – Download the app. It works offline and can locate you even without signal. Consider using tracking apps like Google Location Sharing to share your location with known contacts
  • ICE (In Case of Emergency) register – Ensure your ICE contacts are up to date. Carry essential medical info with you on the trail.
  • Personal contact details – Ensure yours are up to date in case hares need to contact you in an emergency.
  • Sign out/in system – Sign out AND in with the ‘On Sec’ who records you via a phone app to ensure everyone returns safely.
  • Sweepers – Trails should always be swept. Hares must inform at Circle Up how this will be done.
  • First Aid Kit – Held by the GM (at the pub). Consider carrying your own essentials kit for emergencies.
  • Accident Book – SH4 maintains an accident book to record injuries. Report any incidents to the GM or committee members.

In Case of Emergency

  • If you lose the trail – Retrace your steps, look for landmarks, or contact the SH4 base using the phone numbers provided.
  • If someone is injured – Cut short your route if needed and seek shelter if in adverse weather.
  • Call SH4 phone or emergency services if necessary.
  • Dial 999 or 112 and ask for Mountain Rescue if in remote areas.
  • Provide location (using grid reference or What3Words), name, gender, age of casualty, nature of injuries, number of people in the group, and your phone number.
  • If hashers are not back to the pub by 9.30pm, efforts will be made to contact them by phone.
  • If no contact is made, a search party will be dispatched.
  • If still no contact, emergency services will be involved and ICE contacts informed.

As a quick glimpse of the ‘headlines’, the key Health & Safety points have been condensed into this handy (…) little box that you could quickly snap for safekeeping on your phone, or that can be made available as a pocket-sized handout to keep about your person for future reference, if you prefer:

SH4 Pocket H&S Guide:

RUN PREPARED:

  • MOBILE PHONE – with key numbers already saved to contacts and

What3Words app installed. Activate mobile ‘tracking’ function, if using.

  • BUDDY UP – try to run in a group of at least three, and stay together.
  • Fully-charged HEADTORCH (separate to mobile phone)
  • APPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR for terrain
  • LAYERS – for warmth and wind protection, especially on moors
  • Consider carrying water, particularly in hot weather
  • Consider carrying small First Aid kit
  • Consider downloading an online map of the area
  • Know your limits: be realistic about your capabilities – you should only participate if fit and well.

SH4 Hash phone: 07922 103701

EMERGENCY SERVICES: dial 999 or 112 and ask for ‘Police’, then ‘Mountain Rescue’