Shire Oak Elfins
Outdoor Activities Risk Assessment, Katy Redgrave, reviewed by Zola Riley, January 2016
Hazard identified / Potential consequences / Likelihood(1-5) / Impact
(1-5) / Risk Factor
(Likelihood x Impact) / Steps to be taken to reduce risk
Group members not participating and being disruptive. / Disruption to activities
Distress or harm to children/ adults. / 2
1 / 3
3 / 6
3 / ● Beginning circle sets out expectations of behaviour and responsibilities to one another, especially co-operation and working together.
● If children being disruptive, use good practice from behaviour policy: distract, warn, acknowledge and remove. If behaviour becomes dangerous or persistently disruptive ask them to stay out of activity, under adult supervision, but in sight/ earshot of group.
● Adhere to behaviour policy http://woodcraft.org.uk/managing-behaviour and safeguarding policy.
Child goes missing from the group / Distress or harm to child / 2 / 5 / 10 / ● Ensure sufficient ratios of adults to children. (Woodchips 1:3; Elfins 1:5; Pioneers 1:8)
● Set clear boundaries so children know how far they can go while undertaking the activity, and adults are vigilant to check that children stay within this distance
● Discuss how to stay safe so everyone can have fun:
○ stay with the group and within designated boundaries
○ have a front marker and back marker with everyone else in between. Or front marker gives clear instructions for front group to wait ahead. Stop to let the back catch up so you don't split into small unsupervised groups
○ go at the pace of the slowest
○ headcount at each stop
○ allocate each child to a specific adult to supervise
● Children and adults to sign in and out of the activity on register, so that leaders know when they have left.
● Leaders to have medical information and emergency contacts
● Ensure child knows who adult responsible for them is - one leader
● Consider wearing high vis
● All adults have charged mobile phone with each other’s phone numbers
Strangers being disruptive, (including children wishing to join in) / Disruption to activities
Distress or harm to children/ adults. Volunteers feel responsible for child without having emergency contacts / ● Circle at the beginning establishes who is in the group. Mention this to all in the circle, and describe the boundaries of the activity and discuss groundrules.
● Adults to be vigilant of strangers who may approach the group or individuals. Explain to strangers that it is an organised group activity, but they can book a free taster session if they want.
Slips, trips and falls in particular from access covers, litter including glass, tree roots, uneven paths or slippery mud in the rain, fallen leaves and branches, puddles, flooding. / Injury / 2 / 4 / 8 / ● Site including paths and steps checked for hazards before activity.
● If hazards found, remove hazard, find alternative site or make all participants aware of risk. Judge appropriate action based on site, participants and activity.
● Children to be reminded to walk sensibly, especially on bumpy wet ground.
● Adhere to health and safety policy.
Falls when climbing on trees, rocks, or over streams / Injury
Death / 2
1 / 4
5 / 8
5 / ● Leaders agree boundaries in discussion with children
● Give clear instructions about agreed boundaries, eg
○ specify which rocks, trees, section of stream are within agreed boundaries
○ stay within sight and earshot of adults
○ do not climb above your own height without close adult supervision
○ be more cautious if younger children following the lead of older ones
○ set agreed time when it is ok to climb eg after lunch, with close adult supervision, taking turns
● Adults intervene to stop activity if risk escalates
● Reassess risk and boundaries as situations arise and depending on individual abilities, weather conditions, darkness, tiredness, group mood
Collisions during games and running around / Minor bumps
More serious injury / 4
1 / 1
4 / 4
4 / ● Supervision
● Abandon games if too giddy
● Record using incident form with copies for parent/ carer and for the group
Inclement weather / Disruption to activity.
Children/ adults cold and wet; or sunburn/ heatstroke. / 4 / 3 / 12 / ● Check everyone is wearing appropriate clothing for the weather. If not, advise parents/ children of risks - it might not be appropriate for them to continue but discuss with parents/ carers.
● Check weather forecast before session if inclement weather seems likely.
● Cancel or change activity if weather seems likely to make the activity impossible or cause unacceptable risk to participants.
● Abandon activity if weather suddenly gets worse.
● Be alert for cold, wet children and change activity if they are getting uncomfortable / unhappy.
● Take spare socks, gloves, hats, suncream as appropriate.
Collision with vehicles / Injury/ death / 1 / 5 / 5 / ● Reassess risk depending on route and traffic
● Take extra care at roads
● Clear instructions eg to be in single file, to cross together walking when safe
Increased danger of slips, trips and getting lost due to darkness on night walk / Distress or harm to children / 2 / 4 / 8 / ● Take extra care with the above steps to reduce risk
Medical emergencies / Injury/ illness / 2 / 5 / 10 / ● Named first aider to have mobile phone, and phone emergency services when necessary.
● Info on consent forms about allergies, medical conditions and support needs shared with group.
● Leaders have emergency contact info with two contacts for each child.
● Check individual medication eg epi pen, inhaler is available if appropriate.
● First Aid kits available, with enough for small groups, if splitting up.
● Trained first aider present, if risk increased due to distance from medical services, activity using dangerous tools.
● Four small first aid kits will be carried on walk
● Parents/Carers will be responsable for being aware of own kids alergies and conditions, having brought inhalers etc
● Record incidents on forms and give to parents/ carers, record in accident book.
● Adhere to safeguarding policy.
Danger from dogs or livestock / Children anxious
Harm to children / 4
1 / 1
4 / 4
4 / ● Make children aware of how to behave to minimise risk of animals harming them.
○ do not approach unknown dogs, stand still and quiet, arms folded
○ take extra care, walk quietly and stay together near cows
● Adults to be vigilant of dogs and livestock
Danger from biting and stinging insects to students with allergic reactions / Allergic reactions / 1 / 5 / 5 / ● If such insects are present, check whether and children/adult volunteers suffer from allergies and ensure that proper precautions are taken to deal with them before they occur.
● If a child / adult is stung and exhibiting symptoms, call an ambulance
Danger of burns and smoke inhalation from fire. / ● Children will receive full guidance in how to approach the fire beforehand including:
○ do not walk over or too near the fire
○ remain seated on the seating circle unless called forward to the fire
○ wait until toasted food has cooled
○ put down toasting stick once finished
○ in case of burns, dip hand in bucket of water or drink cold water
○ in case of clothes on fire, roll on ground and wrap flames
○ be aware of flammable manmade clothes
● Children will be spaced apart when toasting crumpets or adding sticks to the fire to prevent accidentally hitting each other with sticks
● Group Leaders will supervise the fire area at all times, children will be instructed
● The fire will be lit and maintained by group leaders.
● Ensure that all participants have suitable clothing for the weather conditions
● Keep buckets of water and sand close to fire.
Danger from use/misuse of equipment such as scissors / Scratch or other injury. / 3 / 4 / 12 / ● Give full instruction in how to use the equipment sensibly beforehand.
● Children will be spaced apart when carrying out activities to prevent accidentally hitting each other with items.
● Ensure correct ratio of adults to children when carrying out activity.
Volunteer sickness/ unavailable / Lack of adequate supervision of activity. / 2 / 3 / 6 / ● Ensure additional DBS checked volunteer members of Woodcraft Folk can cover sickness and are fully aware of plans, routes and have spare maps if appropriate.
● Cancel or abandon activity if inadequate supervision available.
Hot drink Spillage / A child get scalded / 2 / 3 / 6 / ● The water in thermos flasks will not be boiling hot, and they will have sturdy cups.
● Keep hot drinks to a specific area away from active activities such as den building to avoid collisions / spillage.
Key
Likelihood 1 Very unlikely, 2 Unlikely, 3 Possible, 4 Likely, 5 Very likely
Impact 1 Little or no impact, 2 Some impact, 3 Significant impact, 4 Serious impact, 5 Very serious impact
Risk Factor 1-5 Little or no risk, 6-10 Low risk, 11-15 Some risk, 16-20 Significant Risk, 21-25 Serious Risk
Summary of suggested ways to stay safe
● Clear instructions to children:
○ stay with the group or stay within sight and earshot of adults
○ have a front marker and back marker with everyone else in between. Stop to let the back catch up so you don't get split into several small groups
○ go at the pace of the slowest
○ kids to tell people next to them if going too fast, not comfy, too cold, etc
○ set physical boundaries
○ set boundaries about climbing:
■ specify which rocks, trees, section of stream are within agreed boundaries
■ do not climb above your own height without close adult supervision
■ be more cautious if younger children following the lead of older ones
■ set agreed time when it is ok to climb eg after lunch, with close adult supervision, taking turns
● regular headcount
● allocate each child to a specific adult to supervise
● don't leave anyone or any adult/ child pair on their own (avoid unsupervised 121 contact)
● volunteers have emergency contacts for kids
● first aid kits and named person responsible
● consider taking an ‘emergency’ snack to share in case the going gets tough
● a leader to bring spare gloves/ socks/ hat?
Suggested activities during a short winter night walk
● spend some of the time all (adults and kids) holding a rope to practise co-operating and playing follow my leader so everyone gets a go. At Meanwood Woodchips last week, each leader chose a new way to walk eg crouching low, stomping, hopping, zigzagging, giant steps, howling, and once they got good even running! (I have ropes you can use in small groups or the whole group)
● stopping to switch torches off and listen to sounds, then say what you perceive with all 5 senses
● stop and try the finger clicking - clapping - stamping storm outdoors
● stay warm with clapping during any song and action songs; Here comes the one and only; Heads, shoulders, knees and toes; If you are happy and you know it; Here we go round the mulberry bush, Hokey cokey (but try running on the spot instead of bumping into each other in the middle), etc