Bishampton&Throckmorton PC Volunteer RA

Bishampton & Throckmorton Parish Council

Activity Risk Assessment Form

Name of Activity: Footpath & Conservation Clearance Work	Date of this assessment: 29^th July 2003
Name of assessor: Eric Carter	Date of next assessment: August 2004

Hazard	Who is at risk?	Possible accident	Risk Level*	Risk control measures in place	Additional risk control measures proposed	When	Who	New risk
Use of Power Tools	Volunteers Public	Injury due to powered cutting edges	Tolerable	Only approved competent users permitted				No

Use of non-powered cutting tools	Volunteers Public	Injury from cutting edges	Moderate	None at present	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Use only by persons over 18 years old.	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Use of defective tools	Volunteers Public	Injury from loose heads and blades etc.	Moderate	Inspection on return of tools	Annual Inspection by PC. Use only by persons over 18 years old.	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Livestock	Volunteers	Injury due to aggressive animals	Tolerable	Use only of rights of way. No access to other land without landowner permission

Electric Fences	Volunteers	Injury indirectly caused by electric shock	Tolerable	Use only of rights of way. No access to other land without landowner permission	Volunteers advised to seek isolation of fence if working close to it.	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Uneven Ground	Volunteers	Falls or twisted ankles	Tolerable	Use only of rights of way. No access to other land without landowner permission	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Only by persons over 18 years old.	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Lifting & Handling	Volunteers	Injury due to poor technique in lifting and handling	Tolerable	None	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Only by persons over 18 years old.	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Eye level branches & thorns	Volunteers	Eye injury	Moderate	Goggles are available	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Only by persons over 18 years old	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Thorns & Briars	Volunteers	Cuts & scratches	Tolerable	None	Volunteers advised to use gloves	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Wildlife	Volunteers	Snake bites, wasp nests.	Tolerable	None	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Only by persons over 18 years old	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Disease	Volunteers	Tetanus, Leptospirosis, Lyme Disease, Toxicara canis	Moderate	None	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Only by persons over 18 years old	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

Weather	Volunteers	Sunburn, dehydration	Tolerable	None	Instruction of volunteers with signed undertaking of acceptance of advice. Only by persons over 18 years old	Oct 2003	PJ/RA/EDC	No

*see below for risk level estimator

Risk Level Estimator

Probability of accidents	Severity of outcome
Probability of accidents	Slightly harmful	Harmful	Extremely harmful
Highly unlikely	TRIVIAL RISK	TOLERABLE RISK	MODERATE RISK
Unlikely	TOLERABLE RISK	MODERATE RISK	SUBSTANTIAL RISK
Likely	MODERATE RISK	SUBSTANTIAL RISK	INTOLERABLE RISK

A simple risk-based control plan

RISK LEVEL	ACTION AND TIMESCALE
TRIVIAL	No action is required and no documentary records need to be kept
TOLERABLE	No additional controls are required. Consideration may be given to a more cost-effective solution or improvement that imposes no additional cost burden.
MODERATE	Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the costs of prevention should be carefully measured and limited. Risk reduction measures should be implemented within a defined time period. Where the moderate risk is associated with extremely harmful consequences, further assessment may be necessary to establish more precisely the likelihood of harm as a basis for determining the need for improved control measures.
SUBSTANTIAL	Work should not be started until the risk has been reduced. Considerable resources may have to be allocated to reduce the risk. Where the risk involves work in progress urgent action should be taken.
INTOLERABLE	Work should not be started or continued until the risk has been reduced. If it is not possible to reduce the risk even with unlimited resources, work has to remain prohibited.

Note: Tolerable here means that risk has been reduced to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable.