Safety, Health & Environment Section
FM SHE 030
Procedural Guidance for
School Visits to UCLan
July 2016
Version 4.
Document review due: July 2018
Please Note :This is a controlled document, please ensure you are using the most recent
version.
FM SHE 030 Procedural Guidance for School Visits to UCLAN
1. Introduction
An increasing number of school pupils visit the University’s campuses every year as
part of an organised school trip.
The University has a statutory ‘duty of care’ under the Health and Safety at Work etc.
Act 1974 to protect, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare
of its staff, students and others, such as teachers and pupils on school trips, while
they are on our premises or affected by our activities.
As the visit will likely include young persons, defined by the Health & Safety
Executive (HSE) as “anyone under 18 years of age” or children below the minimum
school leaving age (<16), the University has an enhanced duty of care towards them.
2. Scope
The following document sets out University procedural guidance for the management
of health and safety during visits by schools to UCLan. It is intended to assist you in
complying with relevant University procedures, the law and offers practical advice to
help ensure the health, safety and welfare of all concerned.
3. Liaison with the school
To ensure the visit runs as smoothly and safely as possible careful liaison with the
school will be essential. Schools may require specific information from the University
prior to the visit for example copies of University’s risk assessments for the activities,
tasks, etc related to the visit, evidence of Public Liability Insurance (available on the
Purchasing Office’s website or they may require a pre-visit to assist them in
completing their risk assessment.
As a matter of course the Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Section advises that
you provide the school in advance of the visit with information such as contact
details, drop off/collection points, essential health and safety information such as
how to summon first aid assistance, fire safety arrangements, how to report an
accident or incident, procedure for lost pupils, etc. The SHE Section can provide
information leaflets with relevant safety information upon request (contact ext: 2047).
The University should also seek information from the school on whether there are
any particular issues concerning the visiting pupils or supervisors which may require
specific control measures to be introduced. For instance pupils with disabilities who
would require a drop-off/collection point close to the area of activity or those with a
serious medical condition which could be worsened by a particular activity or by
exposure to a particular substance (e.g. a severe allergy to latex or nuts).
Such issues would require to be specifically addressed within the risk assessment.
4. Risk Assessment
While the school has a duty to conduct their own suitable and sufficient risk
assessment of the visit, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999 also requires the University to risk assess any significant hazards and
associated risks (if applicable) that may be posed by the visit, including:
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
ensuring the risk assessment takes into account children’s/young persons
psychological or physical immaturity, inexperience, and lack of awareness of
existing or potential risks, and;

introducing control measures to eliminate or minimise the risks, so far as is
reasonably practicable
The risk assessment should also take into account any information supplied by the
school relating to any of its pupils or supervisors medical conditions, physical or
learning disabilities that may potentially affect their safety or that of others whilst on
campus.
A generic risk assessment for school visits can be found in appendix 1, please note
that this only covers common issues and does not address the specific activities the
pupils will be doing on campus. These will need to be risk assessed and added to the
generic assessment.
5. Supervision of children
The primary responsibility for supervision of school children on campus lies with the
school and it should be ensured that the school will provide an adequate number of
supervisors for its pupils. The Department of Education recommended supervision
ratios for children and young persons are:

1 adult for every 6 pupils in school years 1 to 3 (under 8 yrs - under 5’s reception
classes should have a higher ratio);

1 adult for every 10-15 pupils in school years 4 to 6 (age 8 -11 yrs);

1 adult for every 15-20 pupils in school year 7 (age 12 -18 yrs) onwards.
The University considers that for pupils under 16 years of age, supervision by school
teachers/representatives should, so far as reasonably practicable, be constant.
For pupils less than 18 years of age a school representative should at a minimum be
available at designated meeting points. The requirement for specific supervision e.g.
for pupils with disabilities must be considered at the risk assessment stage.
6. Information provision to visiting supervisors/teachers
Upon arrival at the University a check should be made to ensure essential health and
safety information has been passed on to visit supervisors by their school, including
any changes to the activities or schedule, how to summon First Aid assistance, fire
safety arrangements, how to report an accident or incident, procedure for lost pupils,
etc (a checklist for such information can be found in appendix 2)..
SHE Section
July 2016
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Appendix1. Generic Template School Visit Risk Assessment
Safety, Health and Environment Section
TEMPLATE RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk Assessment For
School / Service:
Assessment Undertaken By
Name:
Assessment Reviewed
Name:
Location of Activity:
Date:
Date:
Activity:
Signed by Head of School / Service or nominee :
REF:
Date:
Note this risk assessment only covers generic visit issues risks and controls associated with specific activities must be included where
appropriate and not all of the hazards or controls listed below will be relevant to your event - delete as appropriate
List significant hazards
here:
List groups of
people who
are at risk:
List existing controls, or refer to safety procedures etc.
For risks, which are not
adequately controlled, list the
action needed.
Pupils and teachers
alighting from coaches,
minibuses, etc., and
accessing UCLan campus.
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Safety and coach/minibus drop information to be given to all
groups;
The service road between
Greenbank and Harrington Buildings
should not be used for access due to
only partial footpath and reversing
vehicles
Risk - Road traffic accident
General, slip, trips, falls
& personal injury
Poor lighting, trailing
cables, discarded litter,
obstructions in walkways,
poor housekeeping, open
floor socket boxes.
Coaches / mini buses to drop off at designated points then
move to designated car parks;
Pupils must be adequately supervised by school teachers at all
times, according to school guidelines;
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Designated road crossing points to be used.
General ‘good housekeeping’ procedures
Walkways to be kept clear.
All non-essential cables/equipment to be removed. All other
cables to be taped down/covered. Socket covers kept closed.
General inspections by Building Manager.
Fault / maintenance reporting procedures.
First aid, accident reporting procedures.
Suitable footwear to be worn
Remaining
level of
risk: high,
med or low
Pupils getting lost on
Campus
Pupils
A school member of staff(s) must be present with the group in
accordance with DoE ratios. A minimum of two adults is
mandatory, one of whom must be a full time teacher.
Careful supervision by school teachers with regular head
counts by teacher;
All teachers issued with a lost persons procedure and their
pupils made aware of it in the welcome introduction. Procedure
lists what to do should they get lost and our contact numbers.
Safety info to be given to all groups;
All staff will be issued with contact numbers for Security and
other staff.
Trips / falls on lecture
theatre stairs
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Trapping fingers / hit by
lecture theatre doors
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Fire
Flammable materials
Arson
Electrical fault
University emergency security procedures.
Main theatre lighting to be used during arrival / leaving;
School staff to advise pupils to be careful on steps before
arrival and as they make their way to seats and during leaving.
Doors to be held open as visitors enter/leave theatre by
supervisory staff.
No smoking in buildings, fire alarm system, fire marshals,
careful supervision by school teachers of pupils. Safety info to
be given to all groups.
Staff trained on how to leave a building safely with external
visitors.
University fire procedure, fire marshals, careful supervision of
pupils
Student Ambassadors briefed on Fire Evacuation Procedure
Stair guarding – personal
injury
Falls
Hot surfaces in
refectories
Burns
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
General UCLan safety/emergency information to be provided
to third parties. and explained to school staff & pupils.
Careful supervision by school teachers of pupils.. Route
planned in advance. Warn all group of hazards. First aid,
accident reporting procedures.
Warn all groups of potential hazards; First aid, accident
reporting procedures.
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Child safeguarding
Issues
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Risk of abuse or false
allegations
Staff/ Volunteer Code of Behaviour: Children, Young People
and Vulnerable Adults
Draft University Safeguarding Policy
DBS checks where necessary
Children to be supervised at all times by school teacher/s;
School safeguarding procedures:
Staff/students should not work on a 1-2-1 basis unless
specifically assessed.
Parental consent will be required especially if filming /
photography is taking place.
Electricity
Electrical shock, burns
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Advice from SHE Adviser/Section.
All UCLan electrical equipment PAT tested and regularly
inspected for faults, faulty equipment to be removed from use
immediately.
All equipment brought into the University should have a current
PAT certificate.
First aid, accident reporting procedures.
Careful supervision by school teachers of pupils.
Toilet visits
Pupils
Pupils becoming lost
Manual Handling:
Loading/unloading
vehicles, moving/using
equipment
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
All non-essential equipment to be removed.
Supervision may be required dependant on children’s age
Maintain good posture when lifting or lowering equipment;
Avoid twisting or bending to reduce the chance of back injury;
Wear protective gloves to reduce the risk of damage to hands;
Injury due to poor lifting
techniques.
Do not single-handedly attempt to lift anything that is “too
heavy”;
Food Safety - provision
by UCLan catering
Be aware of awkward shaped loads and unevenly balanced
loads.
University HACCP, risk assessment & food safety
management procedures.
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Food hygiene incidents,
food contamination,
allergies;
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Manual handling training
Violence/Aggression
Unwanted visitors
Verbal and/or physical
assault, loss / damage of
equipment
General Public Safety
Injury due to overcrowding,
lack of information
provision, stewarding,
security, etc.
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Unwanted visitors to be notified to: Security (24-hour security
lodge) 01772 892068. Email: [email protected]
Out-of-hours building access procedure.
University staff / student discipline procedures.
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Staff/Student Counselling
Health & Safety Procedural Guidance for the Management of
Staff or Student Organised Events on the Preston Campus
Suitability of venue to be evaluated prior to selection, taking
into account numbers to be accommodated and the adequacy
of fire safety arrangements.
Room capacities to be adhered to.
Staff to be briefed in their role in an emergency.
Housekeeping announcement at beginning of event;
Stewarding of members of the public;
Out-of-hours access notified to Security – permission from
Head of School/Service required;
Personal medication
needs
Pre-existing medical
conditions worsened by a
particular activity
Car parks / Acess roads
Accident with vehicle
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
Pupils,
teachers,
UCLan staff
First aid, accident reporting procedures.
School to notify UCLan if any pupils or school staff attending
have pre-existing medical / disabilities conditions that may
require reasonable adjustments, or other considerations to be
put in place, or will require a Generic/Personal Emergency
Egress Plan to be put in place.
UCLan Car Parking Procedures.
5 mph speed restrictions in car parks.
Well-lit and well surfaced car parks.
Particular care should be taken when crossing or walking along
service roads (Between Harrington & Greenbank, Library &
Adelphi, Foster & Wharf, Wharf & Darwin, etc., due to
reversing contractor/supplier vehicles)
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Specific risk assessment as required
for persons with pre-existing medical
conditions which may be worsened
by the activity or egress to the
building in the event of fire alarm
activation.
Specific risks related to
the visit / activities
You must then identify existing control measures already in
place to ensure the hazards do not harm anyone and then
You should try and identify
additional
significant
hazards related to the
school visit. These may be
related to your choice of
venue, or the activities
being undertaken as part of
the visit.
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You must then identify whether
additional control measures are
required to ensure the hazards do
not harm anyone.
Finally
decided
what level
of
risk
these
hazards
now pose.
Appendix 2. Information Provision Checklist
Information Provided
UCLan contact/s
Yes
UCLan Emergency number 333
Collection / drop-off points
Schedule / itinerary for visit
Requirement for supervision
Any significant risks associated with the visit
First aid arrangements
Fire safety and evacuation arrangements
Location of toilet and welfare facilities
Accident, incident, near-miss reporting
Lost pupils procedure
UCLan Visit Risk assessment (if requested)
Copy of UCLan Public Liability insurance (if requested)
Copy of UCLan SHE policy statement (if requested)
Additional issues:
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