Bowling machine and risk management
Jamie often has a ball playing cricket with the children at OSHC, in fact, he brought his bowling machine to after school care today! We thought it would be nice to mix it up a little by playing cricket in the gym. Currently our outdoor courts are out of action due to resurfacing (very exciting!), and the oval was (still is..) in a soggy state.
The marveloustist thing about the bowling machine is that once set up, it bowls a consistent-ish ball every time. If you’ve ever played cricket with children of varying ages, you will know that all manner of extras are all too common. Wides and byes are okay while children are learning of course, but the bowling machine gives all batskids the chance to have a productive innings or over, over and over again!
We believe in living active lifestyles and often play in the gym in both before and after school care and enjoy the following games:
Dodgeball
One Touch
Capture the Flag
Night at the Museum
Castles
Basketball
Netball
Dance
In-line Soccer
Indoor cricket
For this afternoon’s event we held a working group to review our risk assessment for using the bowling machine. We hadn’t used it in the gym before and so we made some notes both beforehand and during play. We risk assess everything to make sure that the safety and wellbeing is considered for activities at school and on excursion.
If you ever want to know more about our risk management processes, please ask! Here are our notes from today’s review, let us know if you’ve thought of something that we’ve missed!
Ethan, James, Robbie, Corbin, Patrick, Johnny, Sienna, Jack, Toby, and Zoe
Cricket bowling machine risk management notes:
The risks we have identified from using the bowling machine are injury from the ball being bowled by the machine, inappropriate use of the machine, and from the machine being knocked over or falling. An additional injury risk for the person/s moving the machine requires that person to use correct manual handling techniques and an additional person to help if required. Fortunately the equipment is convenient to carry.
The controls we have discussed are as follows:
Safety discussion with each group of children and staff prior to use and appropriate use of machine by a staff member only.
The bowling machine is coned off and walled with stage blocks to prevent knocking into it or knocking it over.
The electrical cable is covered with a mat and coned to prevent tripping.
No one should cross the pitch or path of the ball, between the machine and batter. This is demonstrated.
A complete demonstration is undertaken so that everyone knows how the machine works and how to participate.
The bowling machine simulates a bowled ball and is accurate-ish and predictable. It has variable speeds and an appropriate speed is required to be determined during set up by an educator in consideration of the space and ability of cricketers.
The activity is a controlled activity, free play is not allowed. Children who are not in play are required to group against the gym wall behind the bowling machine.
The balls used are lightweight balls intended for use by children with the bowling machine and a plastic Kanga Cricket style bat. We’re not going for sixes here, people!
Fielders are required for play and are guided to position themselves safely in the field. A wicket keeper is also needed to field the ball behind the wicket
Additional risks and controls for using the gym involve supervision of children/adequate staffing, slips, cleanliness and a wet floor- sweep, mop/dry, and dry shoes in foyer upon entry, trips, equipment on the floor- tidy up, organisation of equipment, organisation and number of children in the group, activity and equipment is appropriate for the space, children are wearing shoes, first aid kits, emergency whistles, two-way radios, mobile phone, and toileting/transition procedure in pairs or groups.
Jamie recommends a fast paced soundtrack to play cricket to, too..
Howzat!