Keeping everyone safe from harm while they enjoy taking part in your event or activity is easy to do – we do it every day when we choose what to wear if it’s pouring with rain or blazing with sunshine, or when we hold a young child’s hand when we cross the road.

Doing a risk assessment is a way of checking what harms are most likely to happen, who could be harmed, and what practical steps can be taken to reduce that harm.

What is essential?

Having access to a phone to call emergency services if there is a fire or an injury

Knowing how to get first aid help

Being familiar with the location where you are holding your event or activity

Talking to others about what you are planning and asking if they have any worries, often they will also have ideas of what can be done to prevent or reduce the harm

Think about:

• What harm could happen?
• Who could be harmed?
• How likely is it to happen? (Slipping or falling happens more often than a fire starting)
• What is being done already (to reduce the harm or control it)?
• What else could be done?
• Who needs to do it and when?

Write down your findings – to make it easy to remember and to let others know.

That’s your risk assessment done – now go and enjoy yourselves.

Tip – don’t forget to read through your findings next time you do the same activity – things may have changed.

Why should I do this?

If something goes wrong, then an injured person could sue for damages as a result of another person’s negligence.

Visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website for more information on risk assessments and planning a safe event – http://www.hse.gov.uk/voluntary/