The goals of this section of the Tacklebox are to help TU chapter and council volunteers increase their awareness of risks, the importance of incorporating the concept of risk management into their planning efforts, and their general understanding of TU’s insurance policies. Because every situation is different (due to location, audience, activity, season, etc…) you are strongly encouraged to contact volunteer operations staff with any and all questions regarding insurance or liability issues.
Real Property Liability
The ownership of interests in real property raises significant risk for chapters, councils and for the whole organization. As a result, TU’s Board of Trustees has adopted several policies governing the acquisition by any part of TU, including chapters and councils, of interests in real property.
Liquor Liability
Chapter and council leaders should be aware of the risks involved with serving alcohol and should take steps to avoid or minimize those risks. This section of the Tacklebox discusses the best ways to reduce those risks.
Youth Camps And Other Youth Projects
It is vitally important that all TU sponsored youth programs have as their highest priority the safety and well-being of the children who participate in them. This section provides information about TU’s policies and other information geared to help you minimize the risks of physical danger and other harm to youth.
Stream Restoration Liability
Stream restoration projects taken on by chapters or councils involve major risks. This section has information on how you might mitigate those risks or connect with TU staff experts who can assist you with the technical, financial, and liability issues associated with such projects.
Liability Waivers
TU strongly recommends that each chapter and council obtain written liability waivers from participants involved in any TU project. The requirements for a successful liability waiver differ from state to state, and TU urges councils and chapters to have a local lawyer review the waiver forms and amend them as necessary to bring them into compliance with the particular state’s law. This section provides sample liability waivers for chapter or council use.
Boating Liability
Boating events present some risk of injury to the participants, and those events must be structured to minimize those risks. TU has prepared the following checklist for boating events sponsored by TU national, its chapters, and its councils. By complying with the items on this checklist for any boating event in which you are involved, you can help assure that your event will be safe.
Contractual Liability
TU chapters and councils routinely enter into contracts to further their conservation work. Many of those contracts, especially those involving stream-improvement or other construction work, have risks for the chapter or council involved and, in some instances, for the national organization, as well. All chapter and council volunteers should be familiar with this contract guidance in order to avoid potentially serious risks for the chapter or council involved.
Insurance
TU provides insurance coverage for chapters and councils and for their officers, directors, and volunteers. Included in here is a summary of the coverage provided, a form for requesting a certificate of liability coverage, information on purchasing supplemental coverage and more.