Risk Assessment for School Visits to the River Pang at Pangfield Farm

Risk Assessment for school visits to the river Pang at Frilsham water meadows, Yattendon Estates All action points in bold are to be addressed by staff leading the visit. SITE NAME: Frilsham Water Meadows GRID REF: SU 538 739 OWNER: Yattendon Estates TEL. NO: 01635 201255 (estate office) The Estate Office 01635 202404 (Nigel Petter) Yattendon Berkshire RG18 OUY ASSESSORS: Cliff Marriott DATE OF ASSESSMENT: 10.1.2012. NEAREST HOSPITAL: Royal Berkshire, Craven Road, Reading (0118 987 5111), West Berkshire Community Hospital, Thatcham (01635 273300) SITE ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES: via gate at entrance to field on south side of motorway, right hand side of road if heading towards Frilsham HAZARD RISK LEVEL ACTION Low – high Risk from public – site is low Ensure teachers are familiar and privately owned but still comfortable with the site accessible Ensure adequate presence of adults on school trips Dangerous trees/branches low Monitor before visits particularly 1. Large tree in field next after stormy weather. Use fence to river with one or two line as preferred meeting / dead branches congregation point. Involve landowner if approp. Low branches which pose hazard 2. Overhanging vegetation to be trimmed back as necessary just before bridge on prior to visits. south side of motorway Risk from site operatives – low Inform agent of date of each visit farmer and others and liaise over use of site by contractors. If there is conflict ensure that both parties are aware of the situation and know to proceed cautiously Roadside hazard medium Site only to be visited by secondary age group and above Ensure teachers know of hazard posed by unloading children and crossing road Supervised crossing to a set formula: coaches to come from the north and park on the left side of the road so children disembark onto verge Liaison with Estate to ensure any contractors are informed, preferably avoided if at all possible Ground conditions - often low Adequate supervision of, and uneven, muddy, wet warning to, children carrying equipment – special mention to be made of entering and exiting river Advise teachers on appropriate footwear for children Weather conditions – low First Aid kit and blanket to be especially relevant given brought along on each visit lack of shelter at the site Provide schools with recommendations for suitable clothing Secondary age students and above River work hazards – inc. medium warn children of trip hazards in risk posed by uneven water, steep banks and uneven ground, falling into water, ground – advise caution disease, speed and depth of cuts covered and use of antiseptic water and risk of drowning wipes following visit adequate adult/child ratio (min. 1:6 recommended to all schools) health & safety information to be sent to all schools health & safety talk to all groups highlighting possible dangers site to be visited before each visit to ensure water is not too deep for a visit, to remove obstacles from the river and assess other hazards first aid kit, mobile phone, rescue device and blanket to be carried on each visit Barbed wire and electric low warn children, particularly along fence alongside lane fence edges and gates Wildlife hazards – snakes, low warn children not to approach fungi etc Cattle in fields low adequate supervision guidance to children on how to behave in these situations 10.1.2012. Notes 11 boreholes sunk (Aug 2002), depths of 5m – 60m. For research purposes – to study groundwater conditions, movement of water etc. Cameras may be inserted. The half metre above ground to ensure that, if the river floods, there will be no chance of contamination of groundwater supplies from river water. Depth of water table here about 2metres, doesn’t change much because river is outflow. .

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