Mark.H.V.CorpsAngling Advisor

Off Site Safety Off Site Safety ManagementManagement

A few things to considerA few things to consider

Health & Safety on Educational Visits

DfES currently provides advice in the Good Practice Guide Health & Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits 

published 1998 and available free from Prolog. (HASPEV 2)

Health & Safety

Clarification of legal responsibilities and powers

Health & Safety at WorkWho is the Employer?

Voluntary Aided & Foundation?

‘The LEA cannot fulfill its statutory duty unless it monitors how its schools are complying with the LEA

policy. The LEA should monitor this robustly to ensure

required standards are reached and should take action where they are not.’

DfES 0803/2001 Statutory

Roles of LEA & School: Outdoor Ed Adviser

EVCRisk Assessment

CompetencePolicies & procedures

2002

Organisation of school led adventure activities

CompetenceCategories of adventurous

activitiesRisk Assessment

Supervision

2002

Supervision‘Down Time’

On going Risk Assessment

Emergency ProceduresAdvice on Specific

ActivitiesCoastal Visits

Swimming in the Sea etc

Farm Visits

2002

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=3820

• Duty of CareDuty of Care - everyone is required to take - everyone is required to take reasonable care in any situation in which reasonable care in any situation in which harm to someone else could be foreseen.harm to someone else could be foreseen.

• Higher Duty of CareHigher Duty of Care - t - the standard of care he standard of care expected with increased expected with increased experienceexperience and and specialist specialist expertiseexpertise where, through where, through trainingtraining or experience, one may be expected to or experience, one may be expected to visualise more clearly the results of one’s visualise more clearly the results of one’s actions in one’s area/s of specialism.actions in one’s area/s of specialism.

• NegligenceNegligence - - acts or omissions by acts or omissions by someone with a duty of care in which someone with a duty of care in which this is breached by falling below the this is breached by falling below the standard of care required in the standard of care required in the circumstances to protect others from circumstances to protect others from the unreasonable risk of harm. The the unreasonable risk of harm. The three concepts of three concepts of dutyduty, , breachbreach and and harmharm are more simply expressed as are more simply expressed as having a responsibility, being careless having a responsibility, being careless which results in injury or death.which results in injury or death.

Initial PlanningInitial PlanningGroup CompositionGroup Composition

• AgeAge

• GenderGender

• Previous experiencePrevious experience

• AbilityAbility

• NumbersNumbers

• Match to activityMatch to activity

Special requirements for Special requirements for individualsindividuals

• Institution’s staffing requirementsInstitution’s staffing requirements

• Experience and qualificationsExperience and qualifications

• Ratios to groupRatios to group

• ConstraintsConstraints

Overall planningOverall planning• aims and objectives of the visitaims and objectives of the visit• activityactivity• programmeprogramme• travel arrangementstravel arrangements• venuevenue -- residential baseresidential base -- activity sitesactivity sites• activity / staffingactivity / staffing -- match to groupmatch to group -- qualifications / experience of staffqualifications / experience of staff - - ratiosratios - responsibilities- responsibilities - qualifications - qualifications - experience- experience - equipment and resources- equipment and resources

• Group code of practiceGroup code of practice• Clothing and equipmentClothing and equipment• CommunicationsCommunications -- internalinternal -- externalexternal• Emergency proceduresEmergency procedures• Information carried by staff or left at Information carried by staff or left at

basebase• Environmental conditions Environmental conditions

- - weather weather conditionsconditions

-- seasonal considerationsseasonal considerations• Decision makingDecision making• Concern for the environmentConcern for the environment

Minor Incidents (p 41 – 43)Minor Incidents (p 41 – 43)• For For minorminor incidents occurring off-site, the incidents occurring off-site, the

accompanying school and Regional Fisheries accompanying school and Regional Fisheries Board staff, will be expected to deal with the Board staff, will be expected to deal with the outcome. It might be a simple first aid outcome. It might be a simple first aid application or behavioural problem. It will, application or behavioural problem. It will, be dealt with through the established be dealt with through the established internal arrangements of the Regional Board internal arrangements of the Regional Board or staff accompanying the young people to or staff accompanying the young people to the off-site venue. Group leader the off-site venue. Group leader responsibilities need to be defined, as well responsibilities need to be defined, as well as those of all other staff before the group as those of all other staff before the group go on their activity.go on their activity.

Major incidentMajor incident• Where for example a group is lost, a mini-bus has Where for example a group is lost, a mini-bus has

seriously crashed or a young person(s) has been seriously crashed or a young person(s) has been injured procedures need to cover actions:injured procedures need to cover actions:

1. at the incident scene at the time1. at the incident scene at the time2. for communicating with the police, rescue services, 2. for communicating with the police, rescue services,

and to key personnel at the school and back at the and to key personnel at the school and back at the Regional Fisheries Board to inform parents, media, Regional Fisheries Board to inform parents, media, organising body, other young peopleorganising body, other young people

3. to enable the group to securely return to the school 3. to enable the group to securely return to the school and their homesand their homes

4. that maintain sensitive relations with the media4. that maintain sensitive relations with the media5. to effect post-incident care of group members, staff 5. to effect post-incident care of group members, staff

and others closely involved.and others closely involved.6. record essential incident information6. record essential incident information

Practical Group Practical Group ManagementManagement• Head countsHead counts• Ratios, small cells & buddy systemsRatios, small cells & buddy systems• CommunicationsCommunications• Parking & disembarkingParking & disembarking• Road traffic issuesRoad traffic issues• Group briefingGroup briefing• Specific hazards Specific hazards • Managing ‘downtime’Managing ‘downtime’• Managing lunch breaks etc.Managing lunch breaks etc.• Buffer zonesBuffer zones• Collection pointsCollection points• Involving students in the processInvolving students in the process

Working by WaterWorking by Water• Water hazard avoidanceWater hazard avoidance

– Depth, Speed, Temperature, Water Depth, Speed, Temperature, Water Quality? Quality?

• Dealing with incidents Dealing with incidents • Improvised rescueImprovised rescue

reach – throw – wade – tow reach – throw – wade – tow • Paddling versus swimming?Paddling versus swimming?

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?