Risk Assessment

While any visit requires a specific Risk Assessment, below is a summary of the kind of risks you might consider in a Cemetery

Remote working

Injury, illness or incident

• A mobile phone must be carried by staff leading the group
• Teacher have list of all pupils on the trip with their emergency contacts
• A first aid kit must be carried by teaching staff leading the group
• Any prescribed medication e.g.inhalers, epipens, with child if usually responsible or designated member of staff
• Ratio of adults to children to be at least 1:8
• DBS held (and checked beforehand) by all adults
• Route taken appropriate for age and ability of group and should be checked before group arrives
• Teaching staff ensure group behaviour and supervision is acceptable and appropriate.

Access, fallen branches, dangerous headstones, railing

Death or major injury

• Verbal warning of risk
• Routes/ locations for activities to be carefully checked by PHC staff before group arrives
• Teaching staff to inform PHC staff any special needs or requirements of students
• Activities to be cancelled in extreme/ potentially dangerous conditions
• NO leaning on headstones, railings or grave monuments

Contact with micro- organisms (e.g. E. Coli, Weil’s disease, Toxicara)

Minor/ serious illness

• Health and safety briefing to include importance of not putting hands near mouths
• Hand cleaning facilities be available at all times (wet wipes)
• Hand cleaning to take place before eating and drinking
• Any open wounds to be protected before activities handling water or soil • Careful working practices to be demonstrated and reinforced
• Warnings about dog mess (also bird & fox mess)

Traffic

Death or major injury

• Verbal warning of risk, traffic may come along main carriageway

Lowbranches/bramble/scrub etc. along footpaths

Minor Injury

• Keep to main paths
• Appropriate clothing to be worn
• Verbal warning of risk
• PHC check beforehand

Contact with dogs

Minor injury

• Health and safety briefing to include importance of not approaching dogs
• Verbal reminders of risk

Extreme weather

Hypothermia

• Ensure pre visit information includes information about importance of warm layers of clothing
• Modify/ shorten or consider cancelling activities in bad weather
• Use of porch in rain
• Be aware of the level of comfort in the group and avoid pro-longed periods of inactivity

General Public

Physical/ verbal abuse/ abduction of children/

• Staff/ volunteers to be recognisable
• Regular headcounts
• Defined boundaries for activities
• Staff to be vigilant - politely ask members of the public to leave work area if necessary
• Front and back markers to be designated with each group
• Attempt to de-escalate any potentially confrontational situation if safe to do so
• Be prepared to remove group to alternative area if necessary
• Follow serious incident procedures and notify police if appropriate

Separation of group member from group

Getting lost

• Regular headcounts
• Guidelines given to children about what to do if separated
• Ensure participants let leader know if they are leaving the group early
• Clear boundaries for activities
• Ensure good behaviour
• In the event of unacceptable behaviour, consider shortening sessions
• Leader at front plus back marker when moving between activities • Follow lost child procedure