SAFETY FIRST

Wherever, whenever….

Program

• Risk assessment in general• Activities• Trips and tours• Preventing trouble

Risk Assessment

• What is a risk?• Answer: Anything depending on the situation• What to do about risks?• Answer: Take precautions or don´t do what

you planned

Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is an examination of what if anything in your work can cause harm.

It is not about eliminating all risks - that is not possible

It is about taking the necessary precautions and staying responsible in your actions as a leader

It is a skill which is important when planning and it should therefore be taught to the guides

Risk Assessment

• Step 1: Identify the hazards• Step 2: Decide who or what might be harmed

and how• Step 3: Assess the risks and take precautions• Step 4: Evaluate after the activity or trip if you

took the right precautions• Step 5: Reflect and learn

Risk Assessment

Program cycle:

PLAN

DO

CHECK

ACT

Risk assessment• Follow the programme cycle: Plan, do, check, act• Plan: choose activity and plan how to carry it out:

consider practical issues but also risk assessment• When planning consider the balance between

dangerous activities and activities where the guides learn from their smaller mistakes – be prepared

• Do: do the activity if it is considered to be safe with the precautions taken

Risk Assessment

• Check: evaluate the activity: did anything go wrong even with the precautions taken

• Check: reflect upon what you and the guides can learn for next time

• Act: Implement the lessons learned for next time you want to do something similar – learning by doing

Risk Assessment: Activities

Questions that you could consider:• What kind of materials will be used?• Do the guides have the right training to do the

activity?• If not, are there anyone who can assist?• Where will the activity take place?• Is safety measures at hand: 1st aid kit, water…• Are there any rules or guidelines to follow?

Risk assessment check list

Name of activity

1. Materials

How to make it safe?

2. Training

How to make it safe?

3. Surroundings

How to make it safe?

1. Learn fire extin-guishing

Pot with oil, lid,

Make sure that the pot is not to big, so the fire gets out of control

Guides and leader have no training

Ask the local fire fighters to do a training

Activities usually take place in class room

Move the activity to the yard

2. Rock Climbing

Ropes, etc.

Make sure that is new, good ropes

One rover has training

Take time at meetings to prepare and learn more

There are different degrees of difficulty

Find rocks that are suitable for beginners

3. Working with pregnant teenagers

None needed

Conflicts can appear

Learn conflict resoultion techniques

Night time in a less safe area

Find a local assistent

Risk Assessment Exercise

• Choose three activities that you have done or plan to do, where it would have been or is appropriate to do a risk assessment analysis

• Use the work sheet to do the analysis• Do we need to add categories to the work

sheet?

Trips and tours• First aid kit• Contact information of parents, • Contact information to police, ambulance, fire brigade• Contact information of association• Give contact information to guides and parents• Know health problems of girls: allergies, medicine etc.• Know if girls can swim if going to the water• Check state of driver and means of transportation• Make clear rules with the girls: e.g. no alkohol, no leaving camp• Get necessary permits, passports , maps etc.• Get details of the place you are going to• Make sure you have or can get money for emergencies• Enough responsible adults or guides who are able to cope on their own

Emergency Plan

What to do when the accident has happened?• First aid – stop the accident• Get the full picture• Get help• Inform• Suspension of membership• Crisis management: practical, emotional,

availability, follow up

Possible Guidelines

• How to prevent fire• Doing water activities• Going hiking• Going climbing• Handling knives, axe, saw etc.• Pioneering• Alkohol, smoking• Social rules

Social Problems• The guides could be experiencing abuse at home or

when going somewhere with you• Be aware of changes in behavior• Be aware of unusual behavior• Talk to the girl herself• You are obligated to act, but choose your ways of

acting carefully• Act if you find that a fellow leader is acting as an

abuser – the welfare of the guides is at stake as well as the image of guiding

• Remember – better safe than sorry!