KEEPING MEMBERS SAFE AND AVOIDING THE SPREAD OF COVID 19
Please note the content below is information in preparation for facilities to open as and when the government allows.
Coronavirus – Covid 19
What should golf clubs be considering when they open, how can you reduce the risk of transmission and how can you keep your members safe?
How is Coronavirus spread?
This is an important area to understand. If you do not understand how the virus is spread, you will not create a robust system to reduce the risk of spreading. The virus is spread via saliva, nasal secretions or moisture droplets from your mouth, either coughing/sneezing and talking at close proximity. Therefore, any area you can touch with your hands and/or any area you cannot keep 2 meters away from another person are HIGH RISK areas of transmission.
How can we kill the virus?
There are 2 common systems that we all use to keep ourselves and our property clean.
- Heat – the virus will be killed if it is presented to temperatures over 60 degrees. This is important for fabrics (without detergent) and crockery/cutlery.
- Chemical – There are thousands of different products on the market and the majority or disinfectants will kill the virus. A hard surface disinfectant like, Dettol or a supermarket own brand similar product will suffice. You can also use a diluted Milton solution 50ml to 1ltr of cold water, this solution must be disposed of every 24hrs. Whatever solution you decide to use, check the contact time for disinfecting as some will need to left on the surface for 15 minutes. Soap – a simple hand soap is proven to be effective against the virus, it doesn’t need to be anti-bacterial, we are dealing with a virus not bacteria!
- Alcohol hand gel – only consider using this if you cannot wash your hands with soap. Hand sanitiser is not better than washing your hands but is better than nothing at all!
Risk Assess your golf clubs
A simple risk assessment should be undertaken by every golf club to identify, high traffic areas (outside pro shops, around putting greens, narrow passages where 2m distance cannot be met), and areas of potential transmission (door handles, door code entry systems, light switches, driving range machines and baskets)
Areas to consider
Driving range:
- Baskets – should be disinfected between use
- Ball dispensing machine – if there is a button to dispense the balls, how will this be disinfected between use? Consider dispensing the balls manually and selling range balls with baskets already filled?
- Bays – can the 2m social distancing be adhered to with your current mat layout or do you need to take out every other bay from use?
- Range balls – It’s not clear how long the virus could live on a golf ball. You should consider washing the balls between use, using a soap to ensure they are free from the virus.
- Rubber tees – Either remove them from use or put signs up to ensure they are not removed/changed during use.
- Door – if your range has a door to enter, this should ideally be wedged open during opening hours.
Pro Shop:
- Stock – Golfers are renowned for picking up clubs to “waggle” and then browsing through clothing and various other stock items. This is a massive transmission risk and needs to be prevented.
- Counters – Ensuring 2m is adhered to is extremely important, consider marking out a serving area, with a line that the member cannot cross, a pvc screen on the counter would also help reduce this risk of transmission.
- Shop layout – some pro shops are quite small so 2 meters could be hard to ensure at all times. Consider a one-way system around the shop, like supermarkets are doing, or even better, consider moving the counter to the entrance door and provide a service of getting the desired item for the member, like a late night petrol station service hatch. No members in the shop reduces all the above risks and keeps your pro shop staff safe!
- Cash – Cash should be avoided during this pandemic. If you need to continue using cash, consider an alcohol hand sanitiser so that hands can be cleaned after money has changed hands.
- PPE – if 2m cannot be adhered to due to shop size or assisting a customer then a basic 3 ply paper face mask should be used for no longer than 4 hours per mask. Disposable gloves could also be used but they are single use items and should be changed between customers.
- Changing rooms - This area is going to be tricky and needs to be well managed! Doors – Ideally all doors should be wedged open to ensure the door handles are not touched by every person, however, there are other considerations. Fire risk assessments may need to be amended if you are considering wedging open a fire door, security and privacy will also need to be considered. Toilets – Giving members access to hand washing facilities is extremely important as it is the best way of killing the virus. Cubicles will be a high risk area and consideration will need to be taken around cleaning flush handles and lock handles between use. Consider a packet of disinfectant wipes in each cubical so the individual can sanitise the area before use. Benches/seats – these should be out of use for the time being as you will not be able to sanitise them between use.
- Lockers – if they are only used by the same person all of the time then the risk of transmission is low. If the lockers are for all members to use, when required, then these should be taken out of use.
Green staff
- Machinery – machinery handles should be wiped down between use to prevent transmission amongst staff Equipment – Any handheld equipment again should be disinfected between use, and staff should not be sharing tools whilst undertaking a tasks e.g. a rake or a spade. Toilets – the same precautions should be considered as changing rooms. Staff breaks – social distancing needs to be adhered to at all times, consider staggered breaks if 2m cannot be met due to size of area.
Golf course
- Rakes – to be removed Flags – to be fixed in place so they cannot be removed and consider signage reminding members/golfers not to touch the flags.
- Golf cups – should be ideally upturned so hands are not touching the inside of the hole.
- Golf tees – members should be reminded not to pick up golf tees that they have found whilst playing.
- Golf balls – again, found golf balls should be left alone. Golf balls could be covered in the virus if the previous player has been using saliva to clean it!
- Ball washers – should be put out of use
- Putting greens and chipping greens – Consider how these areas could be used safely with up turned cups and no flags. Remember social distancing, so you may need less holes on your putting green and a one-way system.
Educating members
Send some basic information out to your members highlighting how the virus is transmitted and how we can prevent it spreading. Knowledge is king when it comes to conquering the spread of this virus. Very simply put “clean hands and 2 meters apart, will keep everyone safe”
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