Country clubs / golf courses
Best practices
Following operations/activities take place: (Check all that apply)
Golf Course Lodging Restaurant(s) / Grill(s) Other recreational activities (describe)
Tennis Pro Shop Club / Cart Rentals Exercise rooms (weights, equipment?)
Pool / Lake Off-site Catering Valet Parking Sauna/Shower facilities
Horseback Riding 'Spa' facilities Ropes / Challenge courses
Leased out operations (describe): ______________________________________________________________________
General Liability Yes No
1. Slip, trip and fall
Grounds, including walkways, roads and parking areas, in good repair and well lit?
Are metal spikes prohibited in non-carpeted areas?
Are good housekeeping practices in place?
Are floor surfaces in locker rooms 'non-skid' or provided with mats in critical areas?
(Regional issue)
Have arrangements been made for prompt removal of snow and ice?
2. Golf cart operations
Golf carts prohibited in parking lots?
Carts less than five years old (no 3-wheel carts) and equipped with safety devices?
(e.g. backup alarms, emergency brakes, etc).
Daily inspection of carts prior to use?
Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance program in place?
Servicing / inspection documented?
Is servicing done by the course employees or an outside service?
Are speed governors on carts to control excessive speed?
Are warning decals attached to the carts’ dashboards to remind golfers not to take carts off the
designated paths?
Do the golf carts meet safety requirements established by the American National Standards Institute?
regarding the design and operation of carts (ANSI Z130.1-1979)?
Are carts secured at night to prevent unauthorized usage? (Even if someone trespasses, if they use a
cart and injures him/herself, the course may be held liable for failing to secure the equipment.)
Carts stored inside a locked building?
If they must be stored outside, it should be inside a barrier with a gate, or with the carts linked together
with heavy cables and padlocks.
Carts rules clearly posted for the operator to view, including safety rules as required by the
manufacturer?
Operators limited to persons with valid driver’s licenses?
Is a written rental agreement with a hold harmless clause used?
It may help defend against claims. The agreement could be either an individual form or a sign-in sheet.
Resources: Risktopic 4-9.020, Golf course: Bridges and cart paths
Risktopic 4-9.015, Golf cart operation, maintenance and storage
3. Golf course operations
Fencing of proper height and design installed along heavily traveled roads or exposed houses?
Ranges placed away from roadways and homes?
Strict rules of course conduct encouraged?
(For example, the traditional way to alert players to an oncoming ball is to shout, “Fore!”)
An occasional errant golf ball can be expected, and a golfer may pay the claim on his homeowners
insurance. The concern is courses where ball strikes are frequent or have potentially serious
consequences (i.e., a heavily traveled road).
Evaluate as follows:
Describe the specific problem area: “Driving range to city street”, “9th tee to parking lot”
________________________________________________________________________________
How often are strikes occurring?
Will nets or fencing reduce the problem and is management willing/able to install protection?
Check existing fencing or netting for good condition.
Will relocation of practice areas or hole direction reduce the risk?
Use of the course restricted to golfers only?
Fishing in ponds, snow mobile operation, sled riding etc. prohibited?
Bridges
Adequate side rails provided on and approaching bridges to help prevent accidents?
- As a rule of thumb, bridges elevated less than four feet require a six-inch toe board.
- Bridges elevated over four feet require a standard guardrail with mid rail and toe board.
- Use discretion; a bridge over deep water would merit a guardrail.
Bridges in good condition and structurally sound?
Cart paths
In place and maintained in good condition? (Some courses will have all paths paved!)
Road crossings clearly marked, warning both vehicles and golfers?
Speed limits in place?
Crossings placed in highly visible areas that are not obstructed by vegetation or landscaping?
Signs with directions posted along the cart paths?
Hazardous driving areas roped off or barricaded?
4. Lightning
Lightning detection system installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines as a
minimum?
Sirens or alarms must be audible throughout the course?
System periodically calibrated and tested to assure accuracy?
Course has formal policy in place requiring players to stop and seek shelter?
Marshals/Rangers enforce the rules?
Shelters equipped with lightning protection systems (lightning rods, grounding wires, etc.)?
Unprotected shelters have signs specifically stating “Shelter is not protected with lightning protection
system”?
Resources: Risktopic 4-9.016, Golf course lightning protection
(The USGA sells a poster with lightning safety tips.)
5. Golf club theft
Adequate signs in place stating that the club is not responsible for equipment left unattended?
The bag storeroom has strict access controls (limited to employees only) and a central station security
system?
Storeroom key controls in place?
Policy Statement on accepting golf clubs/bags and General Releases are signed by members and
patrons?
Members sign in/sign out for clubs?
Resources: Risktopic 4-9.017, Golf course security
6. Herbicide/pesticide
Usage: Golf maintenance has appropriate number of licensed and state-certified personnel?
Records/logs maintained for all applications, so that if someone suffers a reaction, the chemical may be
identified?
A golfer may place a tee in his mouth; for this reason, signs should be posted when chemical
Applications take place. These are often placed in the pro shop or at the hole. Is this done?
Storage
Special attention should be paid to the storage, mixing, and disposal of pesticides, fertilizer and the
containers in which they are stored.
- How close are chemical storage and mixing areas to groundwater supplies, lakes, ponds, or
rivers that could receive runoff from a spill or leak?
- Proper training and supervision provided for grounds keeping employees?
- All local, state, and federal compliance programs followed by golf maintenance and ground
operations personnel?
7. Underground/aboveground storage tanks
Aboveground tanks in a containment unit or diked so that leakage is contained?
Vehicle protection, such as concrete-filled metal posts, provided if the tank is exposed to traffic?
Tanks maintained in accordance with local and federal requirements?
Monitoring wells in place for underground storage tanks?
Appropriate signs indicating hazardous materials and necessary precautions?
Workers compensation Yes No
1. Slip, trip and fall
Housekeeping in kitchen area must be exceptional. All spills cleaned up immediately?
Adequate aisle space, especially around stoves?
Formal shoe policy in place requiring non-skid shoes to be worn?
Are floor surfaces that tend to get wet, such as behind the bar or in dishwashing areas, covered with
non-slip mats or provided with a non-slip flooring material?
Floor drains installed in areas where water or waste can collect to prevent slipping?
2. Manual material handling
In evaluating material handling tasks, consider employee work practices and lifting techniques and
workplace layout and design. Bending, twisting, and extended reaches are potential risk factors for
developing back problems.
Mechanical aids, such as carts, conveyors and hoists, used whenever possible?
If employees must lift loads manually, is the weight, repetitiveness, duration, bulkiness of load, and
distance minimized?
Preventive maintenance programs implemented for mechanical aids to ensure that they are functioning
properly?
Resources: Risktopic 9.002 and the NIOSH Work Practices Guide for manual lifting for additional
information
3. ‘Struck by’ hazards
Employees out on the golf course or range protected from flying golf balls?
Head protection provided?
Head protection wearing enforced?
Head protection kept inside the ball retrieval cart on the driving range in case the operator must get out
of the protective cart for any reason?
Resources: OSHA 1910.135 for head protection
4. Occupational illnesses
Respirators
If any type of respirator use is mandated, a complete respirator protection program, will be in place
including medical evaluation of the ability of the worker to wear this PPE, fit testing, care of the masks
and education.
Are respirators necessary?
Do proper fit testing, training, and instruction on taking care of equipment take place?
Resources: Risktopic 1-3.003, Risktopic 1-3.005 and OSHA 1910.134
Hazard communications
Does club should have a written program, which addresses how they will handle the administrative
aspects of the hazard communication program to include labeling, material safety data sheets (MSDS),
list of hazardous chemicals, training, methods to warn of hazards associated with non-routine tasks,
and transfer of information to contractors?
Proper protective equipment and training provided to persons who handle or are exposed to
herbicides/pesticides?
Emergency eyewash available?
Resources: OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 1910.1200 and Risktopic 1-3.001
Auto Yes No
1. Local errands
Use of company vehicles limited to specific individuals?
Driving histories examined and criteria established for acceptable MVRs?
Do you permit young, seasonal workers to operate vehicles?
If there is an exposure of persons using their own vehicles for local errands, does the club meet Zurich
guidelines?
Resources: Risktopic 5-1.004, Motor vehicle record criteria
Risktopic 5-1.007, Golf course service vehicle safety
Property Yes No
1. Lightning
Surge protection provided to protect critical electronics such as computers, cash registers, etc.?
Are there contingency plans such as backups should this equipment be damaged?
Irrigation pumps and associated electronics are often hit by lightning. Are they provided with
protection?
Are major buildings provided with lightning protection?
Resources: Risktopic4-9.016, Golf course lightning protection
2. Maintenance hazards
Does maintenance shop use any portable heating devices (propane salamanders, kerosene heaters,
etc.)?
Are wood stoves used and what is the adequacy of the installation?
Consideration given to installing a standard heating appliance?
Safety solvent used in parts washer?
Gasoline stored in approved containers and approved containers used for storage of oily rags?
Proper storage of flammable liquids?
No smoking permitted in service or storage areas; Are signs posted and rule enforced?
Good housekeeping?
If welding or cutting takes place, are controls adequate?
Electrical cords and devices in good condition?
Golf course maintenance buildings/equipment storage buildings may be of substandard condition. For any building, storage of heavy items in the wood trusses is an unsafe practice since the trusses are usually designed to only carry the weight of the roof and expected loads such as snow. (Sometimes the value of the equipment stored inside may exceed the value of the building itself.)
Comment on building condition; advise if the building is in poor condition or the club does not carry property
insurance on the structure. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Regional issues)
Where the course is closed for the winter, does anyone check on the buildings on a regular basis?
Will snow and ice loads collapse the building?
Are roads plowed to provide access for fire department vehicles?
Are heavy snowfalls removed from roofs to help prevent collapse?
3. Cart storage areas
Is smoking permitted in cart storage area?
Are 'No Smoking' signs posted?
Fire detection such as smoke detectors with central station alarm provided?
Good housekeeping?
Battery charging produces explosive hydrogen gas. In enclosed buildings, forced air ventilation is
required when charging occurs. This is especially critical when the storage is in the basement of the
clubhouse, since this increases considerably the building value and liability exposure.
- Intake air louvers installed on the opposite wall from the exhaust fan to allow cross movement
of air?
- Is the exhaust fan large enough to provide for complete exchange of air in the charging room
four times each hour?
- Motors and electrical wiring exposed to vapor accumulation explosion-proof in accordance with
NFPA National Electrical Code?
Open-sided cart shelters, or metal clad wood pole buildings with louvers usually have enough openings
to allow sufficient air movement.
- For gasoline-powered carts, is all fueling done outside?
- Any portable flammable containers are approved safety cans?
- If storage is provided for members’ carts, does the member take the gasoline (in portable
containers) home after golfing?
4. Commercial cooking
Commercial cooking exposure meets NFPA requirements?
Automatic extinguishing system provided and serviced?
Ductwork cleaned professionally as required? Are filters clean?
Pay special attention to cooking facilities besides the main clubhouse such as halfway houses and
swimming pool snack bars; if they have devices such as grills and deep fat fryers where grease
producing cooking is done, are they equipped with automatic extinguishing system?
5. Equipment building break ins
Adequate lighting provided around the building?
Any access controls such as locked gates and fencing?
Any security alarms?
Club’s name on equipment, and recording of serial numbers, may make recovery of stolen items easier.
6. Pro shop thefts
Is the pro shop stock owned by the golf pro or the club?
If owned by the golf pro, does golf pro provide proof of insurance?
Does shop have a central station security system?
Mention any other security devices in use. ___________________________________________________
If CCTV used, are tapes kept minimum of 2 weeks prior to re-recording?
Bag drop areas attended or signs posted that they are not?
Clubs given only to the bag owner, or as authorized by the golf pro?
(Thieves may pretend to be picking up clubs for another person.)
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