Risk Assessment: Making a Board Game out of Wood (In the Forest, at night!)

According to the HSE (2001), a hazard can be defined as something that has the potential to cause harm or adverse effects. A risk on the other hand, is referred to as the possibility of experiencing harm, loss or danger (Yates and Stone, 1992).

The aim of a risk assessment is to suitably identify the risks involved with an activity and develop methods of managing them (Barton, 2007). In other words, they are put in place to ensure that hazardous tasks are carried out safely and in line with legislation. In relation to the measurement of the level of risk, Mortlock (1984) stated that ‘anything that exists, exists in some quantity and can therefore be measured’. The risk assessment takes into account the level of risk associated with each section of the session, and is measured through the following equation: 

Probability x Consequence 

Since the students taking part in this session are relatively young, and they have limited knowledge of using certain equipment, the general risks involved tend to be higher. However, once extra control measures were put in place, most of the actions became moderate-low level risks. Although it is essential to carry out an assessment before an activity commences, it is just as, if not more important to constantly monitor the level of risks and maintain a continuous balance of the risks as the session progresses. This is known as a dynamic risk assessment (Hodgson & Berry, 2011). Evaluating the weather is a prime example of where a dynamic risk assessment is vital. Although we are partially able to plan ahead in terms of weather due to forecasts, we can never be completely sure that it will be constant throughout the session. The session outlined below was postponed due to poor weather on the day it was due to take place, and was re-arranged for a clearer night. 
 

          Figure 1. Risk Assessment scoring categories

Task step	Hazards Identified	Score – No controls	Control measures	Score - Post Controls	Further action or changes required during/ after event?	Post event score
Searching for Hazel Tree and cutting down branches	Slips, trips, falls	8	Use the paths or instruct children to look where they are walking and avoid certain areas.	3	No further action required, children were sensible about where they were walking.	1
	Thorns, thistles piercing skin	4	Appropriate clothing should be worn, children should be aware to look out for hazardous plants	3	No further action required.	1
	Branches falling when they are cut causing injury to head/ other	12	Group to be standing away from where the branch is. One person to hold branch whilst it is being cut so it does not fall onto people.	6	No further action required. However, one child did accidently hit his friend on the head with a stick. He then realised that it was not appropriate to be waving sticks around near other people.	2
	Using secateurs, slipping or misusing and causing injury	12	Children instructed how to carry and use tools correctly and safely. Gloves to be worn when using tools.	4	No further action required. The children worked well together and helped each other out when using equipment	2
Removing bark from hazel	Slipping when using peelers or secateurs and cutting yourself	8	Peel or cut away from body, making sure fingers are out of the way.	2	Children sat in a group with adequate space around each person so they each had room to work carefully.	1
Placing tin containing debarked hazel on the fire	Burns	12	Heat protection gloves to be worn and be cautious when close to the fire.	6	This was done by an adult on the evening.	4
Searching for larger tree branches to make counters in the dark and chopping them down	Slips, trips and falls	12	Use the designated footpaths in the dark so as not to get lost. Appropriate footwear to be worn and sensible behaviour when searching for branches.	4	No further action required.	2
	Slipping when using shears/ misusing them	16	Gloves to be worn when cutting branches, head-torch should be worn to make cutting easier and more accurate.	6	We searched for a tree that was near the footpath so it was easy to access and chop down.	3
	Falling branches – head or other injury	16	All available light to be shining on or near the branch that is being cut.	6	Children held the branch whilst it’s being cut so that it didn’t fall onto them.	3
Using saws to cut branches into smaller pieces in the dark	Slipping/ misusing and causing major injury	20	All children to adopt the ‘safety position’ when using saws. Working together in pairs to help each other guide the saw through the branches and avoid injury. Pairs to be spread out so as not to obstruct others in the group.	9	We worked as a group of four when using the saw as it was difficult in the dark, and it was necessary to have adult supervision during all use of it. I helped the group by holding the branch still whilst one pair cut the branch using the saw together. The other pair shone their torches on the saw so that everyone could see well enough. We then swapped over so both pairs got to use the equipment.	3
Debarking ‘counters’ using knives and peelers in the dark	Cuts, grazes, minor injury	8	Using any available light so it’s easier to see. Knives and peelers to be used away from the body, making sure fingers are not obstructing.	2	No further action required.	1

Throughout the evening, a dynamic risk assessment was necessary. This involved having all my senses constantly alert in order to gain as much information about the surrounding environment as possible. For example, any changes in weather, children’s physical, mental and emotional condition and terrain were constantly being monitored. Dynamic risk assessments are important as changes are sometimes required during events to ensure the smooth running of them. There were aspects of the evening that had to be altered, such as only using one saw at a time due to poor visibility. This meant that there was adequate adult supervision and therefore there was less possibility of an injury occurring. It also contributed to the learning intention of encouraging the children to work together as a team. Each child had a specific job when we were cutting the branches e.g. one person was on light duty shining the torch at the saw, one child was collecting the pieces we were cutting, and the other two children were using the saw together. Overall, the evening ran smoothly and the learning outcomes appear to have been achieved.

References

Barton, B. (2007). Safety, risk and adventure in outdoor activities. London: Paul Chapman. p59

Hodgson, C. and Berry, M. (2011). Adventure education: an introduction. London: Routledge. p46-62.

HSE Books (2001). Reducing risks, protecting people: HSE’s decision-making process. Norwich: Crown copyright. p6.

Mortlock, C. (1984). The Adventure Alternative. Milnthorpe: Cicerone Press Ltd.

Yates and Stone (1992) Cited in: Vertzberger, Y. (1998). Risk Taking and Decision Making. California: Stanford University Press.