Risk Assessments

We all do risk assessments or safety checks every day, such as when we cross the road. We choose an appropriate place to cross, look both ways and make a decision about whether it’s safe to cross.

We know that young people learn by doing. Activities encourage the development of young people and they can feel a huge sense of achievement in completing them. We want to provide excitement, but not danger. Adventure, but not hazard.

Meeting and Event Risk Assessments

Assessing risk starts in the early stages of activity planning and goes on throughout the activity, until all participants go home at the end of the activity. Embedding risk assessment within the planning process allows us to deliver safe, enjoyable and exciting programmes for young people.

When a Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or Explorers meeting involves activities whose risks are not already fully assessed within the group or section risk assessment documents, the section leaders prepare a risk assessment specific to those activities.  These assessments are all stored on the OSM system where they are available on request.

There are special rules for assessing the risks of activities involving nights away, which need to be approved at District level.

Premises Risk Assessments

1st Weston Green scouts does not have its own scout hut or permanent premises, but holds most of its indoor meetings in the Church Hall at All Saints Weston Green. If we had our own hut, the scout group’s trustees would be responsible for maintaining it in a safe condition and assessing any risks associated with it. As we use rented premises, this responsibility is shared between our trustees and the Church. We have carried out a risk assessment, which is reviewed annually, or as needed if circumstances change.

Church Hall Premises Risk Assessment