YELNOW NEW WOOD - SITE RISK ASSESSMENT
Completed
by:
Location of
site:
Robert Geaves
Brief
description of
study area:
40 acres of 25 year old plantation. The wood comprises of two compartments
either side of a Byway Open to All traffic. Only one side of the woodland is to be
worked in on any one day. The Northern compartment is bordered by ancient
woodland. The southern compartment is dissected by an ancient hedge lined
brook. There are several species of conservation concern within each.
All seasons
Season of
Activities:
Emergency
Services
Mobile signal
strength
Yelnow New Wood
OS Grid ref SP 972591
Date of
assessment:
Landowner/
Contact:
Tuesday, 18 June 2008
Bedfordshire County Council
ED BURNETT
Telephone 999 in emergency
Nearest Hospital - 10 miles - Kempston Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 355122
Fire Services - Tel: 01234 351081
O2 – good
Nearest
N/A
public phone
Orange - good
CHECK LIST
BEFORE THE DAY (TICK RELEVANT BOXES):
Contact landowner
Identify & record hazards
Check equipment
Contact Ranger
Transport arrangements
(inc. access & parking)
Check insurance cover
Contact Fire Service
Water
Check weather forecast
Parental consent
First aid kit
ON THE DAY/ PRE-START (TICK RELEVANT BOXES):
Organise car parking
Identify & record new
hazards
Participants list
Explain work/activities to
be done
Safety talk (site context)
Safety talk (tools/activities
context)
THROUGHOUT THE DAY, CONTINUE TO MONITOR POTENTIAL HAZARDS – E.G. CHANGING WEATHER,
INCREASING FATIGUE, INCORRECT TOOL USE, UNSAFE WORKING DISTANCES AND PRESENCE OF
OTHER PERSONS. PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS BE UNDER SUPERVISION.
ON THE DAY/ POST-COMPLETION (TICK RELEVANT BOXES):
Inform Fire Services of
‘fire’ activity completion
Clean & store equipment
Replenish first aid kit &
complete incident report
form
Additional notes:
Please be aware of species of conservation concern
Branching Out Forest School, 5 Kimbolton Road, Pertenhall, Bedford, MK44 2BD
Tel: 01223911171 - email: robert.geaves@googlemail.com - Beni 07835413400 - Rob 07706880955
Page 2 of 5
HAZARD / ACTIVITY
Cars / horses /
cycles along Yelnow
Lane (Byway Open
to All Traffic)
RISK
HAZARD
vehicle /
horse / cycle
collision and
Injury
PERSONS
AT RISK
All
CONTROL MEASURES
ACTIONS
Verbal warnings at car park.
Keep to one side of the lane when walking to
and from the woodland site.
Leader and back-marker to wear a High
Visibility vest.
Horses on
Bridleway
vehicle /
horse
collision and
Injury
All
vehicle /
horse
collision and
Injury
All
Stranger danger
Harassment,
conflict,
abduction
Pupils
Verbal warnings and vigilance
Stray dogs
Taking fright
& bites
All
Verbal warnings and vigilance
Litter and faeces
(dogs and cattle)
Cuts,
infections - E
coli
All
Verbal warnings - clear faeces in activity
areas.
Cars / horses at site
COMMENTS
Verbal warnings and vigilance
Avoid activities close to or on the bridleway.
Place Forest School markers at junction of
bridleway and track to warn riders of activity.
RESIDUAL
RISK RATING
YES IF
ALL IN
PLACE
Extra vigilance is
required when the
BOAT gate is
unlocked and open to
more traffic.
Low
YES
Hoses may be
spooked by people
who panic. If a horse
approaches stay calm
and slowly place tools
onto ground.
Low
Yes
Low
YES
Low
YES
Low
YES
Low
YES
Keep activities away from tracks
Verbal warnings and vigilance
Temperament of dogs
always unknown
Wash hand thoroughly before eating or
drinking
Branching Out Forest School, 5 Kimbolton Road, Pertenhall, Bedford, MK44 2BD
Tel: 01223911171 - email: robert.geaves@googlemail.com - Beni 07835413400 - Rob 07706880955
Page 3 of 5
HAZARD / ACTIVITY
RISK
HAZARD
PERSONS
AT RISK
CONTROL MEASURES
COMMENTS
ACTIONS
Brook
Falling in,
weils disease,
upset
stomachs
(blue-green
algae)
All
Verbal warnings – avoid activities near brook
when warnings of blue-green algae are in
place
Poisonous plants,
berries, fungi
Allergic
reaction
Any allergy
suffers
Be aware of allergies, ensure participants have
any necessary medication
See handbook for list common poisonous
plants & trees & symptoms.
RESIDUAL
RISK RATING
YES IF
ALL IN
PLACE
Low
YES
All risk areas are to be Low
clearly marked on site
map. These areas
should be monitored
throughout the season
YES
Verbal warnings, vigilance
Brambles, prickly
undergrowth,
stinging nettles
Cuts and
grazes
All
Verbal warnings – cover body
Make sure
participants are aware
of the need to ware
long trousers and long
sleeved shirts
Low
YES
Insect bites and
stings (wasps, bees,
hornets, horseflies)
Discomfort,
allergic
reaction
All
Be aware of students allergies, ensure they
have any necessary medication- Verbal
warnings, vigilance. – avoid activities in areas
of risk
All risk areas are to be Low
clearly marked on site
map. These areas
should be monitored
throughout the season
YES
Uneven surface of
tracks, meadow –
Soft ground
Slips, trips,
falls Cuts/grazes,
sprains and
strains,
broken bones
All
Verbal warnings – avoid activities in areas of
risk
Low
YES
Branching Out Forest School, 5 Kimbolton Road, Pertenhall, Bedford, MK44 2BD
Tel: 01223911171 - email: robert.geaves@googlemail.com - Beni 07835413400 - Rob 07706880955
Page 4 of 5
HAZARD / ACTIVITY
RISK
HAZARD
PERSONS
AT RISK
CONTROL MEASURES
COMMENTS
ACTIONS
RESIDUAL
RISK RATING
YES IF
ALL IN
PLACE
Badger setts
Sprains and
strains,
broken bones
All
Verbal warnings – avoid activities in areas of
risk
Low
YES
Blackthorn Hawthorn
Puncture
wounds
All
Verbal warnings, avoid activities in areas of
risk.
Low
YES
Low braches
Cuts, grazes,
puncture
wounds, eye
damage
All
Verbal warnings
Low
YES
Standing dead
wood, hanging
branches and
exposed roots
Falling
branches,
trees – Head
injuries
All
Be aware of location of most “risky” trees and
avoid
Low
YES
Low
YES
Low
YES
Trees to be regularly inspected & felled where
necessary.
Exposed
roots – trip
hazards
New hazards should
be reported to site
agent ASAP
Dead wood on low bushes pruned.
Old stumps & roots exposed and pointed out or
removed.
Coppice stumps
and wood piles in
the conservation
area
Trips and
falls – Cuts,
grazes,
broken bones
All
Verbal warnings, avoid activities in areas of
risk
Fire spread
Burns / Death
All
No fire activities should take place if fire
warnings are in place
Monitor and review
fire alerts through
summer season – if at
all concerned contact
Fire Services for
advice
Branching Out Forest School, 5 Kimbolton Road, Pertenhall, Bedford, MK44 2BD
Tel: 01223911171 - email: robert.geaves@googlemail.com - Beni 07835413400 - Rob 07706880955
Page 5 of 5
Branching Out Forest School, 5 Kimbolton Road, Pertenhall, Bedford, MK44 2BD
Tel: 01223911171 - email: robert.geaves@googlemail.com - Beni 07835413400 - Rob 07706880955