HAMPSHIRE SCOUTS
Generic Risk Assessment for D of E Water Ventures
Title
Generic Risk Assessment for D of E Water Ventures
May 2017 revision
Risk Assessor
Leader in charge
Mike Baxter
<<to be completed>>
Please review the risk assessment and add any additional control measures required for your venture.
Groups of People at Risk
Venue/Locations
Date of expedition
All participants
SUMMARY OF RISKS
Age Range
14 to 25
1
2
3
Environmental & Weather
Equipment & Transport
Craft & loading with
equipment
No Summary of Risks
1a Environment & Weather
Hypothermia due to cold weather/wet/cold/capsize
Hampshire Scouting – D of E Water Venture generic risk assessment.
4
5
River Hazards
Stove Safety
7
8
Inappropriate behaviour
Emergency Procedures
6
Food/water poisoning
9
Other General Risks
Control Measures
a) Check weather forecast. Expeditions out of season need a variation
and if weather too severe, cancel or amend expedition plans.
b) Pre kit check – suitable & spare clothing/hat/gloves or paddle mitts/foot
protection and adequate waterproofs (top/bottom) for planned
expedition. Training on avoiding getting wet & cold.
c) Group trained in First Aid to recognise signs of hypothermia &
treatment.
d) Emergency equipment carried: group shelter or tent, survival bags and
emergency rations/means of making hot drink.
Check
HAMPSHIRE SCOUTS
1b
Heat exhaustion due to hot weather/lack of fluids (if
weather conditions advise)
1c
Sunlight – double refraction – glare from water & sunlight.
2
Equipment and Transport
a) Equipment failure leading to accident or capsize.
b) Loading and unloading equipment – risk of injury
from falling equipment or back injury.
c) Equipment falling from vehicle leading to accident.
3
Craft & loading with equipment
a) Damage to kayak and/or paddler and/or exhaustion
from bad packing.
b) Failure of craft, or damage sustained on route.
c) Wet equipment leading to damp equipment.
Hampshire Scouting – D of E Water Venture generic risk assessment.
a) Pre kit check – each participant has 2 litres of water (minimum, more if
possible) + sun hat/cream/keep skin covered.
b) Supervisor has 10 litres of water per group available for topping up
during expedition/group to top up on route as possible.
c) In the event of extremely hot weather, groups should consider starting
early in the morning, taking a long lunch break in the shade and
continuing after the midday sun. Consider carrying lightweight tarp for
shelter.
d) Group trained in first aid to recognise & deal with heat exhaustion.
a) Wear sun hat / sun cream and keep skin covered.
b) Wear sun glasses
a) Equipment to be checked by a competent person prior to expedition, in
accordance with current guidance. Daily checks by group & spare
paddles/spray decks carried.
b) Briefing on best practice when loading/unloading equipment (two
people to lift, use kayak trolley if possible, bend knees, keep load near
body etc.)
c) Training/briefing of how to fasten equipment appropriately, driver to
check all securely fastened before moving off.
a) Training on packing of craft, use of knows for Open Canoes maintaining lateral and fore/aft balance, trim & even keel.
b) Craft to be safety checked prior to use and repair kit carried/paddlers
trained in use.
c) Good quality heavy duty waterproof bags or drums used.
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River / Paddling Hazards
a) Capsize/drowning while paddling
b) Fallen trees – entrapment
c) Head injury from capsize
d) Weirs
e) Rapids
f) High river levels
g) Low river levels
h) Locks (rivers and canals)
i) Getting onto/off water – risk of falling in
j) Infection of cuts of grazes
k) Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease)
l) Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
m) Strains / injury / blisters from paddling
n) Other users of river e.g. fishermen
Hampshire Scouting – D of E Water Venture generic risk assessment.
a) Training to relevant standard for water (as per DofE/Scout guidelines);
appropriate rescue training undertaken; buoyancy aid worn at all times.
b) Keep watch for fallen trees, if in doubt get out and look. Do not paddle
under low trees or hold onto trees (hug a rock, hate a tree).
c) Where conditions dictate follow guidelines for wearing helmets e.g.
rapids. Training and briefing of group, dynamic risk assessment of river
based on prevailing conditions.
d) Training / risk assessment of route– always portage around weirs.
e) Risk assessment and training, which may include wearing helmets,
how to travel if fall in (take up sitting position, exit into eddy).
f) High river levels may require journey to be curtailed – dynamic risk
assessment by group/supervisor.
g) Low river levels may present underwater obstacles and walking kayaks
through shallows or portage open kayaks around hazards.
h) Do not use locks unless a lock keeper has requested you to enter the
lock. Portage around locks.
i) Training of getting in/out of craft including using paddle to get as
outrigger / team work.
j) Always clean hands regularly (wipes/gel carried). Cover cuts and
abrasions.
k) First aid training undertaken including recognition of Weil’s disease.
Avoid swallowing water. Cover cuts. Seek medical aid if flu-like
symptoms.
l) Aware of signs of blue-green algae (scum/bloom on water surface,
warning signs from Environment agency). Avoid swallowing water.
Cover cuts. Seek medical aid if flu-like symptoms or gastroenteritis.
m) Warming up exercises. Correct paddling technique. Swapping over if
one person in Open Canoe. Neoprene gloves could be worn.
n) Leave adequate room when passing other users; try and avoid
disturbing wildlife; leave plenty of room when passing fishermen for
lines.
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Stove Safety
a) Risk of burns to participants
b) Methylated Spirit Stoves – risk of explosion when
lighting the stove when hot or the container catching
alight (if using Meths Stoves)
c) Gas – risk of flaring or explosion.
d) Other fuels – risk of explosion/fire etc.
6
Food and Water poisoning
a) Fresh food / meat going “off” and/or not being
cooked/stored properly leading to food poisoning.
b) Water not being clean leading to water poisoning.
6
Inappropriate behaviour
a) Behaviour of participants leads to risk of safety to
other participants while unsupervised.
Emergency Situations
a) Participants come across an emergency situation
e.g. injury, unable to continue, lost etc.
7
Hampshire Scouting – D of E Water Venture generic risk assessment.
a) All participants to receive training in the safe use of stove and be
supervised before being allowed to use remotely. Stoves must never
be used in tents. Participants should also use the handle to avoid
burns and know treatment.
b) Stoves should be placed on a cleared area away from tents, paths and
combustible material.
c) Never put an empty pan on a lit stove.
d) Methylated Spirit must be stored in Red Trangia Bottles (or metal sigg
bottles, although the former is safer). Never in plastic containers.
Groups to either carry a spare burner and if the stove goes out, the
cold burner should be filled and lit or take the burner out of the stove to
the fuel bottle to refill. Hot burners must never be refilled.
e) Gas bottles must be self-sealing (screw fit)and never turned upside
down. One person should turn stove on and the other light it to ensure
there is no build-up of gas when lighting.
f) Other fuels are not recommended for D of E e.g. solid fuel, petrol, gel –
if these are used an additional training & risk assessment must be
carried out.
a) Menus / food to be checked prior to expedition - expedition food e.g.
pre-pack/dehydrated should be used instead of fresh meat/products
which can go off.
b) Water should be from a clean drinking water source. In remote areas
where water is collected from streams, local advice should be sought
and water treated with water treatment tablets before consumption.
a) Behaviour to be monitored during training/practice.
b) Clear ground rules to be set in group code of conduct.
c) If necessary, participant should be warned / sent home if needed.
a) Participants to be trained in Emergency Procedures and First Aid.
b) Participants should know the medical conditions of other members of
their team and the treatment.
c) Pre-kit check – all participants to carry as a minimum: sleeping bag,
emergency procedures card, emergency rations, survival bag,
medication and whistle.
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Other General Risks
a) Communication break down between group and
supervisor.
b) Ticks – risk of Lyme’s disease
c) Injury from Wild Animal
d) Injury from unsafe structures/mines/rock face
e) Smoking/stoves – fires in tents
f) Alcohol/drugs etc.
d) Group should carry a first aid kit and emergency shelter / tent sufficient
for the group.
e) A mobile phone should be carried by the group for emergency calls to
the supervisor/assessor/emergency services.
f) A GPS should be carried (if available) in Wild Country so the group can
get a grid reference to give to the emergency services in the event of
emergencies.
a) Agree contract on meeting points and contact plans in the event of
running behind schedule. Do not get ahead of routecard unless agreed
with supervisor/assessor.
b) Group carries mobile phone to contact supervisor. (NB Short range
radios can also be used where signal is poor)
c) Pre-expedition check – navigation, emergency procedures, emergency
equipment & first aid.
d) Supervisors to check routes for hazards and brief groups accordingly,
meeting them at any hazardous points.
e) GPS or phone with GPS app to be carried to identify position in the
event of emergency.
f) Adequate supervision – one supervisor per group should be the normal
ratio for expeditions.
a) Participants to be briefed on appearance of ticks, removal with
tweezers of Tick Remover and signs / Symptoms of Lymes disease.
a) Participants to be advised to stay away from Wild animals
a) Participants to be advised to stay away from unsafe
structures/pontoons/landing platforms/rock faces.
a) Participants are not to smoke or cook in tents.
a) Participants reminded in code of conduct that alcohol & drugs are not
allowed, leaders to monitor.
Thank-you to Sue Rogers from Devon Scouts and Tom Cully / Peter Bourne from Romsey Scouts for allowing us to base this on their risk assessments.
Hampshire Scouting – D of E Water Venture generic risk assessment.