Fieldwork: Risk Assessment

There was a pre-visit to the dunes by staff.

We discussed possible risks in groups and as a class did a risk assessment, looking at the site on google earth to help us.

Risks:

• Sharp Dune grass causing cuts on fingers
• Sand blowing into eyes
• Eating poisonous plants
• Being cut off by high tide
• Snake bite, more serious with a venomous bite than a dry bite
• Verbal abuse and possible physical harm from members of the public

We assigned the risks with a Severity Score and a Likelihood score each out of 5, then used these to determine an overall risk score.

eg  Sand blowing into eyes = Likelihood score: 4   Severity Score: 1   Total risk score:   4
How we would combat this: Student briefing and carrying a first aid kit with eye wash.

Snake bite   Likelihood Score: 2    Severity Score: 4    Total Risk score: 8
How we would combat this: Student brief, wearing appropriate clothing like walking boots, checking where putting quadrat down, having mobile phones to call 999