Risk assessments

A hazard is anything that could cause harm. It could be cables across the floor, a slippery or uneven surface, or the weather – these are all unsafe conditions. Unsafe acts could be a hazard as well.

Make sure you look at all your activities, including non-routine tasks. Talk about it with others in the leadership team. Look at what actually happens rather than what should happen. Look for the hazards which are really obvious, not every single little thing.

You can use the Safety Checklist for Leaders a good starting point as there is a long list of some of the common hazards you will find. Add to them as you talk with other leaders involved in the activity.

Watch our video explaining 'Look for the hazards'

Who is involved in the activity - young people, adult volunteers, visitors?  What could happen to cause them harm? 

Young people might not recognise a hazard, especially younger members or those with additional needs. Teenagers are also more likely to take risks, so we need to be aware of how they perceive risk in order to help keep them safe. Similarly, younger sections, like Beavers, will require more supervision.

Some people might simply have got used to a hazard being present and adjusted how they behave around it, but visitors might not know that the hazard is present. Think about that heavy entry door – those who come through it every week know how it closes but new visitors won’t be aware. Think about how this could be kept open; use signs to make people aware or supervise the entrance.

Adults are often very good at identifying hazards which might hurt young people but can sometimes forget to look after themselves. We also find that adults sometimes do things which they’re not used to, which can result in injury (perhaps we’re not as flexible or strong as we think we are!).

Once you’ve identified who might be harmed you need to think about how someone may be harmed. Someone falling from a wall will be injured differently depending on how high the wall is or what surface they land on – this is the how.

Knowing who may be harmed and how they may be harmed means you can now think about what the risk is. Risk is the chance of someone being harmed by the hazard. For example, walking along a wall a foot from the ground has little risk, but walking along a six foot wall with no railings has a high risk of harm.

Watch our video explaining 'Who might be harmed and how?'

Controls are ways of removing or reducing risk. When deciding how risks are going to be controlled, it’s useful to work through the following questions, in this order:

• Can the hazard be removed entirely?
• Is there a less risky option?
• What can be done to reduce the risk of people being in contact with the hazard?
• What instructions and supervision are needed?
• Is protective or safety equipment available to reduce risk?

Always start at the top of this list, if you can remove a hazard entirely. That is always the best, but if this is not possible then explore the other options in order.

Think about any special considerations or controls needed for those with additional needs (physical, mental, cultural etc). Check out the guidance on making reasonable adjustments to help make Scouts as inclusive as we can. 

When considering these questions, you should also consider what’s reasonably practicable. Don’t just simply go for the quickest or cheapest option but think about what would be reasonable for you to put in place as a control in the setting you are operating in.

Never be afraid to change or stop an activity if risk increases.

Watch our video explaining 'How are the risks controlled?'

Just thinking about a risk assessment isn’t enough. It needs to be recorded, this could be documented usually on paper in a structured format but can be saved to a mobile device or notepad and audio recordings would be acceptable if members are not able to record their risk assessment in writing.

The key is that the method you choose allows for it to be shared with the other adults and young people involved (communicated).

Documenting it helps you think through all the steps and is easier to review when you next do a similar activity. It also makes sure that what you’ve decided to do is clear and well communicated.

Think about:

• How do you involve others (adults and young people) in the doing and documenting the risk assessment?
• How will you inform them about the risks identified and the controls in place to keep them safe?

How and when to risk assess

There are lots of options for this which we’ll work through now.

• Executive Committees must make sure that risk assessments are documented for all premises which they own or operate. Leaders need to make sure that they have access to these premises’ risk assessments, whether that’s your weekly meeting place or the activity centre you’re staying at for the weekend, because they’ll include things which will help with the development of your activity risk assessments.
• There are lots of activities in your programme that you do all the time: it could be the arrival, start, end and departure of your meeting or the standard way you run cooking or crafts activities with your section.
• Once you have assessed these, documented the risks and control measures and then communicated them to all involved, you may not need to reassess or review them every time you repeat the activities.
• However, you do need to watch out for changes which might require a review and update.  Also, you will need to remind everyone as often as necessary as otherwise they will soon forget. Ensure new people know what is expected before they take part.

As you’re doing these activities regularly you should be aware of the hazards, risks and controls. This means you may not need to get the actual document out each time. Simply work through the usual controls and think through what you are doing.

If you need to change things, take the additional risks identified into account before you do and make sure you communicate any changes to all involved. If you need to do that on the spot it’s called a dynamic risk assessment.  Afterwards, consider if your documented risk assessment needs updating and update it if required.

There will also be bigger or more adventurous activities or those you do less often. Make sure a risk assessment is done before the activity takes place and that it’s documented. This is likely to include nights away activities, trips and outings. It doesn't meant that you will have to start from scratch. Using previous event risk assessments as a starting point to build on is always a handy tip.

Ways of recording a risk assessment

There are lots of ways of recording your risk assessments: We have an online template but you could also try annotating your activity instructions sheet, making notes on a phone, using an online risk assessment tool, or an audio recording would be acceptable if members are not able to record their risk assessment in writing.

It’s about finding something that works for you and your leadership team. Just be sure that you can show you’ve worked through the five steps and have communicated it with others.

For example, if you manage your programme through Online Scout Manager you can record your risk assessments there and these will be available to other leaders. There are some example risk assessment templates and tools available here. Whichever method you choose, make sure you date your risk assessment, and show who was involved in it and when this will be reviewed.

 Communicate and explain to others

Don’t just keep this information to yourself; it’s important to tell others about what you’ve done and what measures are in place to keep activities safe. For nights away events you will need to share your risk assessment with your Commissioner or their designate.

We’ve talked about sharing risk assessments with young people. Involving young people in keeping activities safe is really important. We know young people learn by doing activities that teach them #SkillsForLife. Regardless of who’s involved, everyone should feel that they can stop an activity if they feel it’s unsafe. For example, an adult could raise their concerns with another adult, or young people in an archery session could be taught to shout ‘Stop!’ if they see anyone breaking the rules.

We’ve created some guidance to help you talk to your young people about safety. Briefing young people about the risks will help them to stay safe and to learn. With younger members, it can be as simple as explaining not to run with scissors and why, and how to hold them correctly and safely. Helping all others to understand the risks of an activity, and what makes them a risk, will be more beneficial to all than simply saying ‘don’t!’

If your plans change at the last minute, make sure you discuss them with all others involved so they understand what’s changed to make the activity safe.

Ideas for ways of sharing your risks and controls

• Team planning meeting – discuss at leader meeting, helping you to put the assessment and controls together by those taking part. Increases understanding and ownership.
• Team Briefing – for all adults at the start of a camp. Includes those who may not be regular members of the team and parents helping for the first time. Cover off the controls and reasons behind them.
• Camp Rules – time planned to explain rules (and reasons behind them) at the start of a camp to young people with leaders present.
• Examples such as advising Scouts to be careful near the wood pile and reminding them to wear strong boots and gloves to avoid injury, explaining to them about the nails and splinters. Any control measure should be simple to communicate.

Watch our video explaining 'Record and communicate'

Documenting your risk assessments isn’t the end of the process; you need to make sure they’re regularly reviewed.

Dynamic risk assessment

During an activity, things may change – you need to be able to respond and change the activity if needed. This is called a dynamic risk assessment.

Stepping back and looking at what the activity is trying to achieve could lead to doing it a different way. This might be a change in route, venue, additional training, an increased adult/young person ratio or better equipped participants. 

Remember to record the changes you have made.  You may be able to do this at the time, adding them as notes to a copy of your risk assessment sheet, or need to add them later to demonstrate that changes were needed and may contribute to your later review of this activity for next time.

For example;

• Responding to changes in weather - you’ve risk assessed for a walk and it starts to rain. You need to decide if you continue the walk or you take shelter. This is a vital step in the process, as failure to notice or respond to changes will create or increase risk.  You should be prepared at stop at certain points and ask yourself things like: Should I continue with this activity? Or, when do I need to do headcounts to make sure everyone is still ok? Then consider how you share any outcomes and amendments to your plans.
  
  
• Changes in the numbers attending - you might be running a game for Cubs or Beavers and have increased numbers or a change in abilities of the participants. Perhaps you change the rules slightly or decide to switch to a different game.
  
  
• Environmental changes – you arrive at your meeting to find the access tower still up from the painting which has been going on. You need to think fast as the young people are soon arriving, so either relocate outdoors if the activities and weather suit or adapt your programme to work around the tower in a safe way.
  
  
• Change in timings – your planned activity finishes early and so you have 15 minutes to fill in your programme. Don’t worry you can grab an active game from your games bank and run this using your generic active games risk assessment and dynamically adapt the risk assessment to the specifics of the game.

Never be afraid to change or stop an activity if risk increases.

Have a Plan B

Don‘t forget that, as part of your programme planning, you should have alternative activities in reserve just in case you can’t do what was planned or you need to stop half way through. Make sure this is shared with those involved, so everyone knows how to respond.

Review

All risk assessments must be reviewed if there’s been a change of circumstances or equipment, or if there’s been an accident or near miss.  A near miss is something which could have resulted in injury or damage but didn’t. This is something we should learn from to ensure it doesn't result in a harmful incident in the future.

Inform your line manager and Executive Committee so that local changes can be considered if the review suggests amended controls. The near miss form is used to collect information about you for the purpose of logging a near miss with UK HQ, particularly when it involves equipment.

Risk assessments should also be reviewed every 12 months as a minimum to see if anything has changed, and updated as needed, again making sure any changes are clearly explained to those involved.

Watch our video explaining 'Review and revise plans where needed'

The Scouts provide safety training for all adults which includes support in undertaking risk assessment. This is also reinforced in other more specialist and role specific training modules.

Line managers are responsible for ensuring that adults have the appropriate training for their role, whilst leaders are responsible for ensuring that young people have appropriate training to help with their understanding of risk. Adults are also responsible for ensuring that they identify their own learning needs and if they require more support or assistance to flag this with others who can help.

All activities require a leader in charge. This is someone who makes sure that key tasks are completed. The leadership team are responsible for identifying and agreeing on the leader in charge for each activity.

Whilst members are following the rules and procedures set out by the Scouts they are insured and will be supported should something not go to plan.

All adults have a role to play in keeping Scouts a safe place for our members and achieve this by working together and cooperating. Make sure that everyone understands the role they play and also that young people understand how they can help keep Scouts safe for themselves and others.

Building a culture of safety within the Scouts will help to keep everyone safe, making sure safety is thought of in all situations and not just those perceived to be high risk.