Risk Assessment - A stress free approach

A sensitive subject which made me think a lot. Obviously the following are just thoughts over the matter, trying to figure out what's important and what's impossible.

As a scout leader I have to prepare the odd Risk Assessment whilst I know I am not a Risk Assessment expert. Being new to the role, I know I am not even experienced enough. At least that comes in due time and practice, and int he mean time, after all, I am part of a team with accumulated experience of more than a century!

So this is what I have figured out.

When you are asked to do a risk assessment you are only required to apply your common sense with care for those who participate to a specific activity. 

Your common sense - not THE common sense!

Do not try to act like a Health and Safety executive or a stunt man coordinator about to shoot a scene!

Not an expert! (it's the glasses right?)

Let's put things straight. 

What they asked us to do is to put some thought on the risks that might be involved for that particular activity and NOT the perils of life where everything can become an instrument of death!

Yes a door can trap a child's finger with devastating results and water spilled from a cup can prove to be a death trap! If the activity is a lot about, say, testing doors at the local door factory or running around with cups of water for sport then please by all means do come up with a risk minimizing perl of wisdom for that!

Back to Your Common Sense, which I am sure it's not so common...

All we need to do is spend some time thinking about the activity. Spend for example a good 30 minutes or an hour if need be, preferably with your eyes open during a short visit to see first hand the "where", "what" and "who" is involved. Just interact and see what pops up! Then write it down and think what can be done to minimize risk, just don't go desperate to solve complex problems or have all the fixes for when it goes wrong. To minimize risk most of the times all it takes is to point it out!

Recognize the classics!

• Return with the same number of Cubs as we started with, preferably the same faces too... Do head counts, know your numbers.
• We cross roads, be visible.
• We climb walls, wear a harness and get some instructors.
• We light fires, prefer the outdoors...
• ... and always supervise during the activity

Don't forget, to communicate your assessment! Brief leaders and young members on what's planned.

Do not stress too much about it! Remember it's better than not doing one at all!

Even when you fail to notice something in your assessment, you have demonstrated honest pure care;

Reviewing is important here! Remember the Review? 

And why is it that the review is more important than the initial Risk Assessment?

Let's unlock the mystery. 

What actually went wrong on a bad day? Maybe not a lot of people could have seen it coming, if they did would they go? If you don't write it about it no one will know of it either! 

And where is the best place to write about it? 

On the risk assessment form, under the initial risk assessment!

Risk Color Matrix

Be the methodical person with an established process, the one who does things with care and follows the procedure that was asked to follow. Don't hide the fact that you are not an expert, it's a good thing!

But it does go beyond the "Cover Your Butt" principle, which never-the-less is a wise principle. 

It gives you the way to become experienced, a tool that allows you to spend time thinking not only about the good times ahead but prepare for the unknown to prevent the bad times!

So treat the Risk Assessment based on your own personal ability and care, it needs to be done and not stress about it, or even worse, decide that things will be OK and it's not needed!

Communicate it, even to those who roll their eyes.

Review it, it only makes it better!

And have Fun doing it! (I only put this in for poetic finale)