General
The guiding principle of the Society is Chivalry and Courtesy to all. To fulfil this principle members are encouraged to take reasonable safety precautions with any activity. If any event participant sees a dangerous situation, they can call ‘HOLD!’ to warn everyone present to freeze until the danger has been evaluated and dealt with. Many events have an on-duty first aid officer, called a Chirurgeon.
Combat
Armoured combat has strict requirements for safety gear, and all weapons are blunted and regularly inspected. In any non-training scenario, all participants must be authorised as safe combatants – aware of our safety rules and how to follow them. We have trained safety officers, called Marshals, who inspect equipment and monitor fights for any sign of danger.
Target Archery
We follow the same safety rules as other archery organisations, with strict rules for when and where people can shoot. We have trained safety officers, called Marshals, who inspect equipment and monitor the field for any sign of danger.
Fire Risk
While we love sitting around a campfire together, or feasting by candlelight, we make sure to do so in a safe way. We always abide by any fire bans or restrictions imposed by the site or the mundane government, and we never leave a fire unattended. Most events require campfires or braziers to have a nearby bucket of water or sand as an emergency fire extinguisher. All fires are extinguished before leaving
Food Safety
Usually our events are catered by volunteers, but we still follow the food safety rules you’d find in a commercial kitchen. Beginner cooks and brewers are encouraged to seek out more experienced mentors to make not only tasty food, but safe food.
See the Feast Steward’s Handbook for fuller information https://seneschal.lochac.sca.org/feast-steward-handbook/
Arts & Sciences Activities
The Society of Creative Anachronism Arts & Sciences comprise the crafts, skills and technologies practised pre 1600 of the Common Era. Some activities, such as making beads, cooking over an open fire, leather work, woodwork or metalwork, require the use of fire, blades, sharp tools, or other implements that present safety risks. We encourage everyone to seek out more experienced mentors so they can learn safe practices in Arts and Science activities.