FC Wrote:Something that was mentioned at the inquest was risk assessments, problem is the Island is so far behind in this type of training, Health & Safety up untill the past couple of years was a joke and the new regulations introduced for H&S in the UK have not been brought in here yet. Part of my job is creating risk assessments and method statements on almost a daily basis, some of it could be seen as BS but saying that every item of safety is important and any risk no matter how small has to be identified and acted on by all involved.

The TT is a long public roads event and no matter how good you are at the job you will always get something wrong which may result in a death, that mistake made should never be allowed to happen again.

What is the answer, do they erect catchment fences at ever area, move the fans back 30mtrs or so, it cant be done for many reason, but some can be done. Then you have another problem, you move the fans back or restrick to many areas for spectating then the fans dont come, the TT then dies as a racing event.

Example of a risk assessment for the QB as I would see it.

1. Bikes entering the first bend, fans in line of site behind a low non impact fence. Bike could be ejected in or over into fans placed in this area. Petrol could be ejected from a crashed bike onto fans leading to a possibvle fire risk, Rider could be ejected over into fans resulting in injuries (happened at the Creg ).
2 Actions to be taken. Move fans from area (to where, not to the barriers to the right as this is a run off area). Erect catch fences, this is no use in the event of fuel being ejected over.
Only possible answer would be to erect a raised grandstand to the rear of the QB carpar protected by a catchfence.
Would this be done No due to costs, would only work at a track that has regular use.

If an accident was to happen in the future at the QB and fans were injured what I have posted could be used in a court even though I was not asked to provide the risk assessment. Reason being that the risks have been identified. Thats the nature of the Beast, so how do they resolve the problem they cant. If a marshall at the 26th had of told his senior in writing that he thought spectators were at risk in that area and they were not acted on then someone has to take the blame.
Mr Moyle has spelt it out very clearly get it sorted or lose what you have.

H&S/Risk Assessments by and large and IMHO = common sense. Apply it to every braking point, every acceleration point for newbies and for notso newbies then the big guys. Extrapolate that to include every white line that may or may not be crossed in both wet, very wet, damp, dry but wet under the trees or dry, failing light or sunshine in either morning and early or late evening in every circumstance..
Further examine every type of equipment /component failure that could occur in each of the above instances. Don't mention the two-strokes yet.

Actions to be taken will run into libraries, not volumes.

There surely has to be an element of common sense embraced in everything TT, Road Racing and Mountain Circuit. Unique event with unique and possibly bizarre situations. That's not to say that everything reasonably possible and acceptable should be done. F1 has seen some incidents that are less than laudable, have learned and moved on. The equipment mods poss with respect to Bikes are not the same, I know. Big run-offs etc too not poss. Motorcycle Road Racing cannot possibly be equated with, f'r'instance, a Works Canteen or a Call-Centre. The parameters are just not the same. The Risk-assessing process is..... but whatever happened to "acceptable risk" and is that an acceptable way to approach this?

Anyone have access to, say, NW 200's or Dundrod's risk assessment. There must be some parallels and precedent in law for this situation?

There is a human element here that will endure and impact on many souls for a long time. Let's never let that be far from our thoughts. The Challenge is the Mountain Circuit and that's what this is all about. Is it an acceptable challenge and do those who accept the challenge have the right to continue to do so?

My 2p, FWIW