Risk Assessment for Orienteering

Risk assessments are concerned with identifying the hazards (i.e. things which might go wrong or cause an accident/injury), evaluating the likelihood of a particular event occurring (i.e. level of risk) and putting measures in place needed to reduce or eliminate the risk.
Name of Club / satellite club name / after school club
	Leicestershire Orienteering Club	
Name of person completing this form	Iain Charge	Position of person completing this form (coach, organiser etc)	Organiser	
Venue for session / event / activity
	Dark Woods, Coalville	Date for session / 
event / activity	Sunday 15th Jan 2016	
Name of person in charge of session / event / activity
	Iain Charge	
Risk assessment signed 
		Risk assessment dated	12th December 2015	
Risk assessment checked by (name, position and date)

	Print name  
& position (coach mentor, controller etc.):    X R Pell, Controller
	
	Sign and date:  		
 
Emergency Information
Emergency access point (for emergency vehicles)
	Post code / grid reference:
Dark Woods, Coalville 
LE63 2TP / SK325166	Place from which signed:
Signs at junction of B3421 and the minor road to the event site.  	
Nearest A&E hospital:

	Name and Post code:
Leicester Royal Infirmary
Infirmary Square, Leicester
LE1 5WW      Tel: 0300 303 1573

Urgent Care Centre
Epinal Way, Loughborough, 
LE11 5JY     Tel: 01509 611600	Map available (where):
Download/ Registration	
Working telephone:
Note: 112 from a mobile provides your GPS position to the ambulance service
	Landline or mobile:
If mobile (reception checked?)
Mobile	Number:
07798937128	
First Aid cover
	Name of first aider:
LEI coaches and Event Organiser 	Located where?
At download	
The Risk Assessment
It is essential that the mitigation column is completed in detail so that the control measures and who is responsible is fully understood in advance of the activity / session / event and that all staff / helpers are fully briefed.

NB: it is not sufficient only to put warnings in preliminary information as there is no way of being sure that all participants will have read them.

Hazard – note under these headings (see suggested examples to consider)	Possible outcome / injury including note on severity and likelihood of occurrence	Mitigation 
•	What control measure?
•	Who is responsible?	

In area to be used (indoor / outdoor):
Outdoor event in woodlands

Mapped area includes ponds, stream and crags and a road crossed by several courses.

Car park adjacent to the registration tent 

	
Drowning – severe/low risk

Vehicle collision and injury / trauma – severe/low risk 

Scratches, knocks, stings – minor/high risk

Injury due to trip and slip hazards (brambles, steep slopes and industrial waste) – mostly minor/medium risk. 

No controls sited on the lake edges or tops of crags. For Junior courses, any control near a lake will be situated on recognised footpaths.  Off track/path controls near water bodies only on courses for experienced orienteers.- Planner

Bridges on the major watercourse are marked on the map. -  Planner

All competitors will be warned in the final details and at the Start of the existence of the ponds/lakes/crags and that care should be taken when near these features and they should not be crossed.  - Organiser

All competitors will be advised to use suitable footwear  i.e. orienteering shoes/ trainers with grips- Organiser

Controls sited to direct all competitors to a specific marshalled road crossing point and sufficient time allowed to cross safely. –Controller/Organiser

Car parking will be supervised by marshals whilst arriving. – Organiser

Course where there are potential hazards will only be appropriate for experienced orienteers who will have frequently encountered and previously managed such hazards. Specific danger spots will be identified with striped tape. Steep crags and slippery slopes will be avoided on courses used by the oldest competitors. -  Planner

Participants

All ages (may include very young and very old), novices and experienced.

	

Straying out of the area – minor/low risk 

Problems with existing medical conditions and medical emergencies (e.g. heart, breathing difficulties, hypothermia) – severe/low risk	
Competitors will be warned on the final details and at registration that they are taking part at their own risk. - Organiser

Terrain, course lengths, navigation difficulty and height climb clearly advised in pre-event information as well as on control descriptions and maps, so that participants can judge which course reflects their ability. Short and medium courses for younger competitors. Inexperienced juniors should be shadowed or accompanied by an adult – Planner and Organiser

Mandatory- for all competitors to carry a whistle to attract help in an emergency. – Organiser

If a competitor reports that someone is injured and cannot get back by themselves, a party will be sent to assist. – Organiser

Event area is fairly self-contained. Courses will close at 2pm giving time to find missing competitors and collect controls before dark. If a competitor has not returned at the close of the course, the a pre-planned search procedure will be implemented – Organiser

Mobile phone signal will be checked in all parts of the area - Controller.  

A first aider will be based at registration. – Organiser	

Other people/activities in area
Other woodland users including, horse riders, dog walkers and cyclists

Stranger Danger	
Injuries or collision with cyclists or other users of the area  – minor-severe/low risk

Abduction – severe/v. low risk

	
Paths are wide where walkers and horse riders are likely to be encountered 

Pre-event details and notices at Registration and Start will contain warnings about encountering dogs, walkers and horse riders  – Organiser

The control sites will not be sited close to mountain bike trails.  
– Controller

Pre-event details and notices at Registration and Start will contain a warning about keeping off the cycle tracks. - Organiser 

Officials managing the Start will be briefed to draw all competitors’ attention to the warning notices. – Organiser

Competitors will be warned that the woodlands are a public place at registration and in final details. Young inexperienced runners to be accompanied. –Organiser	
Weather
Event takes place in January. Paths will be wet and slippery. Possible ice and snow.
	
Slips and falls  – minor-severe/ medium risk

Hypothermia – moderate-severe/medium risk

Event details will include clothing advice. – Organiser

Waterproof hooded jackets will be mandatory for competitors if weather conditions are poor. - Organiser

Competitors will be warned of surfaces in the final details, at registration and at the finish – Organiser

If weather conditions are forecast to be dangerously severe, the event will be cancelled. – Organiser	

Equipment 
Electronic equipment at download.

	

Electric shock/fire – severe/v.low risk 

Mains electricity and other cables will be kept away from competitors – Download team