The School of Biological Sciences
Off-site Activity Risk Assessment Form
Title of off-site activity
Other details
Location(s) of work
Date(s) of activity
Off-site participants
Description of the activity
Assessors
a working title used to identify this work
where the work will take place
inclusive dates, with expected return date or time
either list all concerned or describe the group
a brief description of
the work
who assessed the risks
Relationship to the work
e.g., MSc student,
project advisor, etc.
Date of this assessment
e.g., “dd/mm/yyyy”
Date for review
when this document should be reviewed
Important Note
This risk assessment requires all participants in this off-site activity to read and
follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code of Conduct. A copy of
this can be obtained from the School Office. Where additional codes of conduct are
referred to in this risk assessment, they become part of the control measures
employed and participants must read and follow them, too.
Make sure you complete every section of this form, even if it is just to check the box
to say it does not apply to the work being undertaken. In such cases, you may delete
the accompanying table of risks and control measures, to save paper. Once you have
completed this form, you must send an electronic copy to the Safety Officer in the
School of Biological Sciences.
Environmental hazards
Are environmental hazards associated with the proposed activities?
YES
This will always be the case, so check the box and use space below to
identify and assess any risks
The environment is always a potential hazard (e.g., location, remoteness, climate,
terrain, glaciers, crevasses, cliffs, caves, mountains, mines, quarries, tides,
quicksand, neighbourhood, pollution, facilities belonging to other organizations,
barbed wire, electric fences, unstable stacks of hay or straw). You must complete this
section, identifying and assessing any risks associated with this hazard.
Examples of risk: exposure, sunburn, heatstroke, illness, hypothermia, getting lost.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
R
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
Biological hazards
Are biological hazards associated with the proposed activities?
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
This will almost always be the case; use space below to identify and assess
any risks
Biological hazards are usually present (e.g., poisonous plants, venomous animals,
aggressive animals, soil or water micro-organisms, insects, forests and forest fires).
You should complete this section, identifying and assessing any risks associated with
this hazard.
Examples of risk: adverse reaction to bites and stings, being bitten by larger
animals, exposure to disease, contracting tetanus.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
Persons at risk
C
L
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R
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
S = Severity of risk, p = probability of risk, RF = risk factor.
Control Measures
●
Equipment hazards
Is equipment to be used (e.g., special clothing, sampling equipment, outboard
motor)?
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: inappropriate equipment, equipment failure, insufficient training in
use or repair of equipment, injury resulting from use of equipment, electrocution.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
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Hazards associated with working alone
Could lone working be involved (e.g., lone interviews, working away from other team
members)? Note that working alone is only permitted in very special circumstances.
Consider the extent of lone working (i.e., how isolated is the lone worker?) and its
relationship to other work going on nearby.
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: difficult to summon and/or obtain help, assault.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
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Ill heath hazards
What hazards does ill health pose?
YES
The possibility of ill health always represents a safety hazard, so check the
box and use space below to identify and assess any risks. Ill heath might
result from special medical considerations or from an accident, illness or
assault. You may already have highlighted means to prevent certain types
of injury; here you might consider how to deal with additional risks caused
by someone getting hurt and needing attention (e.g., risks associated with
evacuating someone to safety and measures such as emergency
procedures that you can put in place to minimise such risks).
Examples of risk: injury, asthma, allergies.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
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Hazards in dealing with the public
Will people be dealing with the public (e.g., interviews, observations)?
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: personal attack, causing offence, being misinterpreted, language
problems.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
R
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
Working on, in or near water
Will people be working on, in or near water (e.g., rivers, marshland, sea)?
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: drowning, malaria, hepatitis A, parasites.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
R
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
● Make sure at least one person is keeping an eye out for unusually large waves
● Never work with back to incoming tide
● In rough weather make sure work can be carried out a safe distance from the
sea – if this is not possible, abort
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
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Manual handling hazards
Will manual handling (MH) activities take place (e.g., lifting, carrying, moving large or
heavy equipment)?
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: strains, cuts, broken bones.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
R
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
Hazards associated with substances
Will work with substances be involved (e.g., broken glass, plants, waste, pesticides,
dusts, contaminated soils, chemicals on site)?
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: ill health, poisoning, infection, illness, burns, cuts.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
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Other hazards
Have you identified any other Hazards? Any other hazards that you identify must be
noted here and assessed. Examples include: vehicles, power lines, service pipelines,
insecure buildings, slurry and silage pits, military activity, civil disorder, problems
encountered when not working.
NO
Move to next hazard
YES
Use space below to identify and assess any risks
Examples of risk: Accidents with vehicles, electrocution, drowning, assault.
Participants must follow the School of Biological Sciences’ latest Safety Code
of Conduct. Risks not adequately controlled by that code must be described
below and the control measures set out.
Hazard
Persons at risk
C
L
C = Consequence, L = Likelihood or probability, R = Risk (L,M,H,VH)
Control Measures
●
Inadequately controlled risks
Have you identified any risks that are not adequately controlled?
NO
Move to the declaration
YES
Use space below to identify the risk and any action that has been taken
Risks that are not adequately controlled
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
identify the risk and suggest action
8 of 10
R
Declaration
Risk Assessor
who has carried out this assessment and their relationship to the work
Signature
Date
Witnessed by
who has witnessed this assessment and their relationship to the work
Signature
Date
Reviews of this document requiring no change
Date of
review
Reviewed by
(signature)
Witnessed by
(signature)
Date of
next review
If you decide, after review, that the document does not need to be
changed, please inform XXXXX, with a new date for the next review.
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
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Risk Matrix:
“Project Name” Risk Assessment,
Version Date
10 of 10