Playful Risk:

Risk Benefit

Making Bath & North East Somerset an

even better place to live, work and visit

2

3

Contents

Guiding Principles 5

The Background 7

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s view on Risk in Play 8

Who else uses Risk Benefit Assessments? 10

What is it and how do I do it? 13

What are Risk Benefit Assessments? 14

Why use Risk Benefit Assessments? 15

So what’s the hardest bit? 16

How to make the judgement 17

Example RBA 18

Final Notes 21

Useful Information 23

Benefits from Play 23

RBA Form Template — 3 page 24

RBA Form Template — single page 27

Ways to make risk and benefit judgements 28

Ways to decide if action is needed 29

Sources of Further Information 30

4

5

Risk Benefit Assessment (RBA)

Guiding Principles

These notes assume you already have basic knowledge of Risk Assessment.

Please use the information in this document as a guide and adapt it as necessary to fit your specific needs.

Risk Benefit

An element of risk is an essential part of children’s development through play

This process focuses on the benefits to children and the risks to children

The reasons (benefits) give the context from which to judge the risk

Benefits must be great enough to warrant the associated level of risk and be maximised without creating unnecessary risk

Risks should be minimised without losing major benefits

Risk Benefit Assessments should capture the risks, the benefits and the reasons for the judgements of safety

Risk Benefit Assessments are a useful planning tool, or decision making tool as well as a supporting document to demonstrate a considered ap-proach

6

7

Risk Benefit Assessment

The Background

Health & Safety Executive (HSE) fully supports the provision of play

for all children in a variety of environments. HSE understands and

accepts that this means children will often be exposed to play

environments which, whilst well-managed, carry a degree of risk and

sometimes potential danger.

- CHILDREN’S PLAY AND LEISURE – PROMOTING A BALANCED

APPROACH, Health & Safety Executive (HSE) 2012

8

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s view on

Risk in Play

Play is crucial to child development. It is in play that we test our beliefs of how the world is made

up and how we fit and function within it. As part of this testing process we need to take some

risk in order to discover the limitations of ourselves and of the world around us. Without this how

would we develop?

So by tackling small but real risks in play children develop and learn to deal with risk in the rest

of their lives.

For this reason Bath and North East Somerset Council believes there is a balance to be struck

between ensuring children’s safety from serious injury yet enabling stimulating and effective

play opportunities which will include an element of risk.

This is outlined in the Bath & North East Somerset Council Play Policy (1999):

Quality Play Provision And Questions Of 'Safety'

The concepts of 'hazard', 'acceptable risk' and 'unacceptable risk' are critical to making informed judgements about what constitutes a best possible play environment. Bath & North East Somerset would be failing in its responsibility if it did not create opportunities that allow children to explore and expe-rience themselves and their world through the medium of play. This is done by offering children opportunities to take acceptable risks (that is, to freely undertake actions and involve themselves in situa-tions that push against the boundaries of their own capacities) in environments that are challenging and stimulating. This process fos-ters the development of skills and is broadly educative in that it al-lows children to learn what cannot be taught, what they have to find out for themselves. Without such opportunities children's development is inhibited, un-dermining their capacity to deal with the wider -unsupervised -world. If a play provision fails to offer children varied and interesting experi-ences, it is reasonable to be concerned that children may seek challenge and stimulation elsewhere, in areas that may contain un-acceptable levels of risk. Equally, if children are denied opportuni-ties to assess some risks for themselves in a variety of settings and situations, then it is reasonable to be concerned that they will lack the experience and skills to distinguish between levels of risk in the wider world.

What constitutes an acceptable level of risk in any particular play environment will be determined in relation to the understandings and objectives set out in this policy...

9

…13. 'Unacceptable Risk'

Adults are responsible for ensuring that 'risks' are taken within the context of an environment that offers challenge and stimulation but where it is reasonable to assume children will not come to harm; this includes, but extends beyond, ensuring that the physical as-pects of the site are free from unacceptable risk.

Removing all possibility of challenge and failing to distinguish be-tween 'acceptable risk' and 'unacceptable risk' limits children's ca-pacity to develop positively, undermining the service objectives of play providers.

14. Risk Assessment

It is a requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992) that employers undertake regular Risk Assessments. Risk Assessment is based on a holistic approach to assessing risk; that is, it looks at all the elements -and the connections and relationships between them -that comprise the work (i.e. the play provision) environment.

Those responsible for the regulation, inspection and implementa-tion of health and safety are required to make judgements appro-priate to the particular circumstances of the individual provision and its aims and objectives. What might be appropriate for one provider will not necessarily be appropriate for another. Factors to be considered will include, for example, the ages and capabilities of the children who use the provision, the level and types of acci-dents that have occurred, and -if applicable -the level of supervi-sion and support that is available.

Risk assessment is a relatively straightforward technique that, when understood, can be a highly functional tool supporting the development of quality play environments. Bath & North East Som-erset is committed to ensuring that play providers receive appropri-ate play-based training and support to enable them to conduct risk assessments.

From this basis where the need for acceptable risk is acknowledged and is weighed against the

benefits, Bath and North East Somerset Council has now adopted the Risk Benefit Assessment

approach to children’s play. As an extension of the Risk Assessment process this approach is a

robust and effective way to make such judgements.

10

Who else uses Risk Benefit Assessments?

Risk Benefit Assessments are now being adopted by a number of Local Authorities and other

organisations nationally as an effective way to risk assess social settings such as children’s

play.

In 2002 the Play Safety Forum* produced a guide called Managing Risk in Play Provision: An Implementation Guide. Alongside this they released a supporting statement which summa-rised the approach: Managing Risk in Play Provision: A Position Statement. These outline the need for risk in children’s play and how this must be weighed against the benefits. In summary it states that:

Note that the need is to avoid ―unacceptable risks of death or serious injury‖ not to avoid all

danger or risk of injury.

It is now widely recognised that Risk Benefit Assessments are an effective and robust method to

help ensure play opportunities for children are both safe and suitable.

'Children need and want to take risks when they play. Play provi-sion aims to respond to these needs and wishes by offering chil-dren stimulating, challenging environments for exploring and devel-oping their abilities. In doing this, play provision aims to manage the level of risk so that children are not exposed to unacceptable risks of death or serious injury.' *The Play Safety Forum is a grouping of national agencies involved in Play Safety

“… the concept of Risk/Benefit Assessments, whereby both risks

and benefits are assessed and decisions made as a result of

weighing up both factors, is a ground-breaking approach, and one

completely consistent with Health and Safety Executive advice.”

- Natural Childhood, The National Trust (2012)

11

This message has also been outlined in Lord Young’s review of Health & Safety for the Gov-

ernment - Common Sense, Common Safety - which directly recommends Risk Benefit

Assessments.

As well as this it has been reinforced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) itself in a

statement put out in late 2012.

Among other messages the HSE states that:

It is from this position that many organisations, including Local Authorities, are moving toward

the use of Risk Benefit Assessments. As such they will even more effectively meet the needs of

children to play while still meeting their legal and moral obligation to ensure there are no unac-

ceptable risks.

The rest of this document explains in more detail what Risk Benefit Assessments are and how

they can be used.

“Play is great for children’s well-being and development. When planning and providing play opportunities, the goal is not to eliminate risks, but to weigh up the risks and benefits. No child will learn about risk if they are wrapped in cotton wool”

12

13

Risk Benefit Assessment

What is it and how do I do it?

In a 13-year period, [Professor] Ball found that perhaps three or four

children had died as a result of equipment-related injuries, including

falls: around one child fatality every three or four years.

Again, the figures have been at this level for decades. This means

that, each year, the odds of a child dying from such a playground

accident are less than 30 million to one. 41

- No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society, Tim Gill

39 D. Ball, Playgrounds: Risks, benefits and choices (Sudbury, Health and Safety Executive, 2002),

section 2.1.3; 40 D. Ball, ‘Risk and the Demise of Children’s Play’ in B. Thom, R. Sales and J. Pearce,

eds, Growing up with Risk (Bristol, Policy Press, 2007), p. 63; 41 Ball (2002), see note 39. There is

some uncertainty because in one or two cases it was genuinely difficult to find out exactly what hap-

pened.

14

What are Risk Benefit Assessments?

Risk Benefit Assessments are like Risk Assessments but with a clear emphasis on the benefits

as well as the risks. To do this a judgement is made on the level of risk, and a judgement is

made on the level of benefit. These are then compared to see if the activity is worth doing.

For example, it is a reasonably high risk for a child to climb a tree, but it also has

great benefits: physical exercise and coordination, emotional development, over-

coming fear, achievement, learning about nature, as well as learning how to judge

risks (and benefits!) themselves.

If the situation is right then although this is of reasonably high risk it might be an

acceptable risk due to all these benefits.

In a professional setting, this decision would have to be thought through and the

judgement logged… and the Risk Benefit Assessment is the place to do this.

15

Why use Risk Benefit Assessments?

Traditional Risk Assessments focus on removing or minimising risk and are still used to meet

the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 for staff and the workplace. As mentioned in the Play

Policy: ―It is a requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (Management of

Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992) that employers undertake regular Risk Assess-

ments.“ However, to entirely minimise risk is not always appropriate in social settings such as

children’s play, as risk is a necessary part of it.

For this reason we recommend the use of Risk Benefit Assessments in children’s play.

To take an example from the Bristol City Council’s draft Risk Benefit Policy, written by Bernard

Spiegal, PLAYLINK:

Risk Benefit Assessments can better capture the reasons for allowing some risks which may not

be allowed in other work settings. However, they are not an excuse to allow unnecessary risks.

Two advantages of Risk Benefit Assessments over traditional Risk Assessments are:

1. They help to record why a certain risk is deemed acceptable, rather than just how large

the risk is. If the worst was to happen and someone got badly hurt then this clear record

would be very useful in showing an appropriate professional approach had been taken to

make the judgement.

2. By giving clear focus to the benefits it gives opportunity to spot when an increase in a risk

might create much more benefit.

―By way of example: it makes no sense for a factory worker to have to get to a store

room via a wobbly bridge. There is no benefit to be derived from being at risk of

falling, or being nervous because the bridge does not offer firm footing.

In a play setting, the case is almost exactly the opposite: the wobble, the lack of

stability, the sense of uncertainty generated, the risk involved in traversing the

bridge one end to the other, is precisely the point of having the bridge.‖

As a simple example, imagine a play space with nothing but grass in it which no

one uses. It’s very low risk but also very low benefit because no one uses it!

However, add something to climb and swing on - with all the risks which come

alongside this - and you might then find this space becomes well used by local

children and families, who then do more exercise, feel better and healthier, and

more people meet and get to know each other so the community becomes

stronger. So by increasing the risk a little, the benefit was hugely increased.

16

So what’s the hardest bit?

The two difficult questions to answer are:

1. How do we judge risk?

2. How do we judge benefit?

If you are not used to making these judgements then it would be worth doing a few examples

with someone who is: To help ―get a feel for it‖.

Even once you are comfortable with making these judgements it is still useful to share them

with different people to make sure you have a balanced view. (As you know, some people can

be very care free and others over-cautious so by sharing Risk Benefit Assessments with others

you can make sure a balanced judgement is made).

There are some notes on the next page about how to make these judgements.

RBA Actions

Once a Risk Benefit Assessment is performed further actions may be necessary to reduce the

risk or increase the benefit. These should be logged alongside the items in the RBA with clear

detail on when it will be done and by whom.

A note also needs to be made on the RBA once this is done (again this will be a clear record

that all reasonable precautions were taken).

17

How to make the judgement

To judge risk, consider:

what might happen – i.e. cuts & grazes, broken leg, emotional trauma, death

what likelihood there is of this happening – i.e. everytime, once every few months, once in

a lifetime.

Then consider how these two things balance to give an overall risk (low, medium, high).

To judge benefit, consider:

what benefits are there – i.e. physical, mental, emotional, health, community, economic,

skills development, etc.

how great are these benefits – i.e. is it something that’ll be easily gained elsewhere, might

this be the only time / place this benefit is gained, is it likely to be a lifelong benefit.

Then consider how these two things balance to give an overall benefit (low, medium, high).

For example, there might be an open gateway from a park to a busy road. The likeli-

hood of a child running out into the road might be low but what might happen as a

result could be very serious (serious injury or even death).

So the resulting Risk judgement might be medium: Because it is not very likely to

happen but if it did it is likely to be serious.

To take the same example as above: The open gateway from a park to a road.

The benefits might be:

that it makes the park feel more welcoming and so encourage greater use,

that people with prams, push chairs and wheel chairs can assess it as easily

as other people

there’s no risk of the gate closing on anyone’s fingers

there’s no on-going maintenance costs of a gate or risk of it being stolen for

scrap metal value!

How great are these benefits? This could only be judged by looking at the individ-

ual circumstances at this park. But in general they are all quite low, unless for ex-

ample, this was the only entrance wheelchair users could access, in which case

this benefit would be much greater.

18

EX

AM

PL

E

Ris

k B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t —

Pa

ge

1;

Su

pp

ort

ing

In

form

ati

on

Da

te o

f A

ss

es

sm

en

t 0

1 0

2 2

01

3

Revie

w /

Rea

sse

ssm

en

t

Date

01

02

/20

14

Sit

e a

nd

Ac

tivit

y

Wo

od

lan

d p

lay

acti

viti

es–

Ge

ner

al s

ite,

Tre

e cl

imb

ing,

den

bu

ildin

g, r

op

e sw

ings

Typ

e o

f s

ite

(if

ap

plic

ab

le)

wo

od

lan

d

Su

pp

ort

ing

no

tes

:

[N.B

. It’s

som

etim

es e

asie

r to

fill

in th

is s

ectio

n a

fter

the r

est of

the f

orm

]

- E

sp

ecia

lly n

ote

th

e d

iffi

cu

lt d

ecis

ion

s,

i.e.

whe

n t

he b

enefits

only

just ju

stify

the r

isk, or

when it m

ight

not

be c

lear

to o

thers

wh

y a

decis

ion

was m

ade

- F

or

Exa

mp

le;

the

ris

k o

f clim

bin

g a

pa

rtic

ula

r tr

ee

mig

ht

be

a h

igh

me

diu

m d

ue

to

the

siz

e o

f th

e g

aps b

etw

ee

n b

ranche

s.

Bu

t th

e s

tro

ng

be

ne

fits

to a

pa

rtic

ula

r g

roup

of ch

ildre

n m

igh

t

ma

ke

it a

wo

rth

wh

ile a

ctivity. H

ow

eve

r, w

ith

a d

iffe

rent

gro

up

of ch

ildre

n t

he

be

ne

fits

ma

y n

ot

be a

s g

reat,

or

the

ris

ks m

ay b

e h

igh

er

(du

e to

ab

ility

or

tem

pe

ram

en

t of

the c

hild

ren

). In

th

is

ca

se

th

e a

ctivity m

ay n

ot

be w

ort

hw

hile

wh

en

bala

nce

d a

gain

st

the

ris

ks.

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

——

—-

Man

y o

f th

ese

child

ren

hav

e n

ot

had

th

e o

pp

ort

un

ity

to s

pen

d m

uch

tim

e in

nat

ura

l are

as s

o t

he

ben

efit

s ar

e lik

ely

to b

e la

rger

th

an f

or

som

e o

ther

ch

il-

dre

n.

It a

lso

mea

ns

they

may

nee

d a

litt

le m

ore

su

pp

ort

an

d g

uid

ance

on

wh

at r

isks

th

ere

are

.

Ne

are

st

ph

on

e /

pe

rso

n w

ith

mo

bile

(is

there

ph

on

e r

ece

ptio

n?!)

: P

ete

r P

iper

01

23

456

78

9

Ne

are

st

Ho

sp

ita

l A

&E

: B

ath

RU

H, W

esto

n, B

ath

, BA

.. …

Na

me

of

As

se

ss

or

Pe

ter

Pip

er

Date

0

1 0

2 2

01

3

Lin

e M

an

ag

er

Sig

na

ture

P

olly

Poc

ket

D

ate

0

2 0

2 2

01

3

19

EX

AM

PL

E

Ris

k B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t —

Pa

ge

2;

Be

ne

fit

As

se

ss

me

nt

Wh

at

are

th

e b

en

efi

ts?

Ben

efi

t

Rati

ng

Wh

at

furt

her

ac

tio

ns a

re n

ec

ess

ary

? A

nd

wh

y?

Ho

w w

ill

yo

u p

ut

this

in

to a

cti

on

?

A

ctio

n b

y w

ho

m:

Act

ion

by

wh

en

: P

rio

rity

D

on

e (

Dat

e

com

ple

ted

)

Gen

eral

sit

e, S

mal

l str

eam

, P

ois

on

ou

s p

lan

ts

Lots

of

han

ds

on

lear

nin

g ab

ou

t n

atu

re.

Dev

elo

pin

g a

con

ne

ctio

n w

ith

, an

d f

eel

ing

a w

ort

hw

hile

par

t o

f,

the

wo

rld

.

Gai

nin

g h

ealt

h &

wel

lbei

ng

ben

efit

s fr

om

bei

ng

ou

t in

nat

ure

,

as m

any

stu

die

s h

ave

no

w s

ho

wn

th

is t

o h

app

en.

Hig

h

Co

nta

ct a

loca

l nat

ure

org

anis

atio

n t

o f

ind

ou

t ab

ou

t w

hat

pla

nts

on

sit

e m

ay b

e ve

ry

po

iso

no

us

and

wh

at in

tere

stin

g p

lan

ts a

nd

an

imal

s et

c m

igh

t b

e th

ere.

Or

if t

hey

kn

ow

of

any

myt

hs

or

sto

ries

ab

ou

t th

e ar

ea w

hic

h m

igh

t b

e fu

n t

o t

ell t

he

child

ren

.

Pet

er P

iper

1

5 0

2 2

013

Lo

w

12

02

20

13

Tree

clim

bin

g

Lear

nin

g gr

oss

mo

tor

skill

s &

co

ord

inat

ion

, ho

w t

o ju

dge

ris

k

and

tak

e p

erso

nal

res

po

nsi

bili

ty. E

mo

tio

nal

ben

efit

of

faci

ng

and

ove

rco

min

g ch

alle

nge

s/fe

ars.

Hig

h

No

ne

Den

bu

ildin

g

Dev

elo

pm

ent

of

pro

ble

m s

olv

ing

skill

s, t

eam

wo

rk, p

hys

ical

stre

ngt

h a

nd

co

ord

inat

ion

. Sen

se o

f ac

hie

vem

ent

and

set

tin

g

and

rea

chin

g go

als.

Hig

h

No

ne

Ro

pe

swin

gs

Stre

ngt

h, c

oo

rdin

atio

n a

nd

ove

rco

min

g fe

ar d

evel

op

ed.

Med

G

et a

go

od

ro

pe

to t

ake

so

can

mak

e a

sim

ple

ro

pe

swin

g fo

r th

e ti

me

the

gro

up

is

ther

e, if

th

ere

is a

n a

pp

rop

riat

e p

lace

to

do

so

.

Pet

er P

iper

1

5 0

2 2

013

Lo

w

12

02

20

13

20

EX

AM

PL

E

Ris

k B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t —

Pa

ge

3;

Ris

k A

ss

es

sm

en

t

Wh

at

are

th

e h

azard

s?

Wh

at

pre

cau

tio

ns a

re

alr

ead

y in

pla

ce?

Wh

at

are

th

e r

isks?

- (A

re t

he r

isks fore

seeable

by c

hild

ren?)

Ris

k

Rati

ng

Wh

at

furt

her

acti

on

s a

re n

ec-

essa

ry?

An

d

wh

y?

-

to lo

wer

risk

- in

put fr

om

a s

pecia

l-

ist

Ho

w w

ill yo

u p

ut

this

in

to a

cti

on

?

A

ctio

n b

y w

ho

m:

Act

ion

by

wh

en

: P

rio

rity

D

on

e (

Dat

e

com

ple

ted

)

Gen

eral

sit

e Tr

ip &

slip

haz

ard

s. U

nev

en a

nd

d

amp

gro

un

d.

Smal

l str

eam

– r

isk

of

dro

wn

ing.

P

ois

on

ou

s p

lan

ts

Bri

ef e

very

on

e o

f th

e h

azar

ds,

su

per

visi

on

. En

sure

no

sm

all c

hild

ren

are

by

the

stre

am o

n t

hei

r o

wn

or

wit

ho

ut

an a

du

lt n

earb

y.

Firs

t A

id t

rain

ed s

taff

an

d f

irst

aid

kit

will

be

take

n w

ith

th

e gr

ou

p a

t al

l tim

es.

Like

ly m

ino

r in

jury

– c

uts

/

bru

ises

fro

m s

lips

/ tr

ips

etc.

Se

rio

us

inju

ry u

nlik

ely

wit

h

mea

sure

s in

pla

ce a

s m

en-

tio

ned

.

Low

Si

te in

spec

tio

n o

n a

rri-

val t

o c

he

ck f

or

new

h

azar

ds

.

Sup

ervi

sor

On

th

e d

ay

Med

1

5 0

2 2

013

Tree

lim

b b

reak

ing

/ Fa

ll fr

om

tre

e A

nyo

ne

clim

bin

g m

ay b

e in

jure

d o

r an

yon

e u

nd

ern

eath

tre

e m

igh

t ge

t h

it b

y fa

llin

g p

eop

le o

r b

ran

ches

.

Clim

bin

g o

nly

in d

ry a

nd

low

win

d c

on

dit

ion

s, w

ith

su

per

-vi

sio

n a

nd

wit

hin

clim

ber

s’ a

bili

ty.

Clim

ber

s m

ade

awar

e o

f th

e ri

sks

and

to

ch

eck

stre

ngt

h

of

bra

nch

es b

efo

re u

sin

g th

em. A

lso

, to

co

nsi

der

oth

er

peo

ple

incl

ud

ing

tho

se o

n t

he

gro

un

d.

Spec

tato

rs t

o s

tay

ou

t o

f fa

ll ar

ea a

s m

uch

as

po

ssib

le.

The

tree

s in

qu

est

ion

hav

e lo

ts o

f b

ran

ches

wh

ich

wo

uld

b

reak

a f

all,

so t

he

max

imu

m f

all h

eigh

t is

lim

ited

to

ap

-p

rox.

2m

etre

s an

d t

he

area

bel

ow

th

e tr

ees

are

free

of

shar

p p

rotr

usi

on

s an

d r

ock

s.

Seri

ou

s in

jury

incl

ud

ing

dea

th

po

ssib

le.

This

gro

up

of

child

ren

are

go

od

at

mak

ing

risk

jud

gem

ents

an

d

bei

ng

care

ful s

o t

he

like

liho

od

o

f a

seri

ou

s ac

cid

ent

is lo

w.

Med

Si

te in

spec

tio

n o

n a

rri-

val t

o c

he

ck f

or

new

h

azar

ds

.

Sup

ervi

sor

On

th

e d

ay

Hig

h

15

02

20

13

Den

bu

ildin

g H

it b

y lo

ng

or

larg

e st

icks

/ s

ton

es a

s p

eop

le m

ove

th

em o

r if

th

ey f

all.

Cu

ts a

nd

bru

ises

, po

ssib

ly c

on

cus-

sio

n.

Tho

se in

volv

ed o

r cl

ose

pro

xim

ity.

Ch

ecke

d F

ore

stry

Co

mm

issi

on

gu

ide

on

den

s (R

op

e sw

ings

, den

s, t

reeh

ou

ses

and

fir

es –

Pad

dy

Har

rop

) to

h

elp

info

rm t

his

ass

essm

ent.

Mat

eria

ls a

ll n

atu

ral a

nd

fo

un

d o

n s

ite,

no

to

ols

use

d a

nd

d

ens

will

be

on

ly b

uilt

on

gro

un

d le

vel.

Like

ly t

o h

ave

min

or

cuts

an

d

bru

ises

bu

t n

ot

likel

y to

hav

e se

rio

us

inju

ry b

ecau

se a

ll w

ork

is

low

leve

l.

Low

Si

te in

spec

tio

n o

n a

rri-

val t

o c

he

ck f

or

new

h

azar

ds

.

Sup

ervi

sor

On

th

e d

ay

Med

1

5 0

2 2

013

Ro

pe

swin

gs

Ch

ecke

d F

ore

stry

Co

mm

issi

on

gu

ide

on

ro

pe

swin

gs

(Ro

pe

swin

gs, d

ens,

tre

eho

use

s an

d f

ires

– P

add

y H

arro

p)

to h

elp

info

rm t

his

ass

essm

ent.

N

o e

xist

ing

rop

e sw

ings

on

sit

e, s

o o

nly

on

es m

ade

by

staf

f w

ill b

e u

sed

. Sta

ff t

o c

hec

k th

e ro

pe

bef

ore

use

, se

lect

a s

uit

able

loca

tio

n a

nd

min

imis

e th

e h

azar

ds

as f

ar

as r

easo

nab

ly p

ract

icab

le.

Wit

h t

he

mea

sure

s m

enti

on

ed

the

likel

iho

od

is lo

w b

ut

if a

n

acci

den

t h

app

ened

it c

ou

ld b

e

seri

ou

s.

Med

Si

te in

spec

tio

n o

n a

rri-

val t

o c

he

ck f

or

new

h

azar

ds

.

Sup

ervi

sor

On

th

e d

ay

Hig

h

15

02

20

13

21

Final Notes

And finally, this process can be a good planning tool:

Running through what the benefits are helps you to judge whether it is worth doing and

whether the corresponding risks are acceptable.

It is also evidence that a sensible professional judgement has been made.

And it helps to avoid a slip into a ―culture of anxiety‖ where everyone becomes over-concerned

with low level risks and loses sight of the benefits.

The Risk Benefit Assessment forms have just a few steps; But don’t forget it’s the quality of the

information you put each box which gives it any value (and helps to ―cover your back‖ if anyone has an

accident and tries to pin blame on you or your organisation!).

Remember there is often no definitive answer when making judgements on risk and benefit.

It is a judgement.

Get to know the activity or place which is being assessed and get to know the Risk Benefit

Assessment process.

From a good knowledge of these it is much easier to make a good judgement.

It is all about keeping the risk to a reasonable minimum while at the

same time ensuring the greatest benefits are achieved.

Or to put it another way, doing the best for the children.

22

23

Benefits from Play

For the person playing:

Physical Benefits

Improved:

Co-ordination

Fine motor skills

Gross motor skills

Strength

Stamina - cardiovascular and aerobic fit-

ness

Establishing a habit of exercise

Mental Benefits

Improved:

Problem solving skills

Decision making skills

Risk awareness and judgement (physical

and emotional risks)

Sense of self / autonomous thinking

Independence

Sense of place in the world / belonging

Understanding of, and connection to, the

world

Social skills – communication, negotiation,

relationship building

Responsibility / looking after each other

Awareness of other people

Interest for understanding more

Emotional Benefits

Improved:

Confidence

Resilience

Recognition of emotions and ability to re-

spond appropriately

Ability to work through emotions

Feeling of controlling one’s own life

General benefits:

Strengthens the community

Saves money / resources / work

Encourages more people to play

Provides good role models

Can you think of any others?

Further Information

24

Ris

k B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t —

Pa

ge

1:

Su

pp

ort

ing

In

form

ati

on

Da

te o

f A

ss

es

sm

en

t

Revie

w /

Rea

sse

ssm

en

t D

ate

Sit

e a

nd

Ac

tivit

y

Typ

e o

f s

ite

(if

ap

plic

ab

le)

Su

pp

ort

ing

no

tes

:

Esp

ecia

lly a

bo

ut

the d

iffi

cu

lt d

ecis

ion

s,

i.e.

whe

n t

he b

enefits

only

just ju

stify

the r

isk, or

when it m

ight

not

be c

lear

to o

thers

wh

y a

decis

ion

was m

ade

F

or

ex

am

ple

; th

e r

isk o

f clim

bin

g a

pa

rtic

ula

r tr

ee

mig

ht b

e a

hig

h m

ediu

m,

due

to t

he

siz

e o

f th

e g

aps b

etw

ee

n b

ranch

es. B

ut

the

str

on

g b

en

efits

to

a p

art

icula

r g

rou

p o

f ch

ildre

n m

igh

t m

ake

it a

wo

rth

wh

ile a

ctivity -

So

th

is p

oin

t s

ho

uld

be

wri

tte

n h

ere

. (I

n c

on

trast,

with

a d

iffe

ren

t g

rou

p o

f child

ren

th

e b

en

efits

ma

y n

ot

be a

s g

reat,

or

the

ris

ks m

ay b

e h

igh

er

(du

e to

abili

ty o

r te

mp

era

me

nt

of

the

ch

ildre

n).

In

this

case

th

e a

ctivity m

ay n

ot

be

wo

rth

wh

ile w

he

n b

ala

nce

d a

ga

inst

the

ris

ks.

So

yo

u w

ou

ld n

ot d

o th

e a

ctivity a

t a

ll)

[N.B

. It’s

som

etim

es e

asie

r to

fill

in

th

is s

ection

aft

er

the r

est of

the f

orm

]

Ne

are

st

ph

on

e /

pe

rso

n w

ith

mo

bile

(is

there

ph

on

e r

ece

ptio

n?!)

: N

ea

res

t H

os

pit

al

A&

E:

Na

me

of

As

se

ss

or

D

ate

Lin

e M

an

ag

er

Sig

na

ture

Date

25

Ris

k B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t —

Pa

ge

2:

Ben

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t

Wh

at

are

th

e b

en

efi

ts?

Ben

efi

t R

ati

ng

Wh

at

furt

her

ac

tio

ns a

re n

ec

ess

ary

? A

nd

wh

y?

Ho

w w

ill

yo

u p

ut

this

in

to a

cti

on

?

A

cti

on

by w

ho

m:

Ac

tio

n b

y

wh

en

: P

rio

rity

D

on

e (

Date

co

mp

lete

d)

e.g

.

overc

om

ing f

ear,

sense o

f satisfa

ctio

n,

confid

ence b

uild

ing

– m

aybe h

igh b

enefit fo

r th

ese t

hre

e,

especia

lly if th

e

child

ren d

on’t g

et th

is fro

m a

ctivitie

s a

t school or

hom

e.

Som

e s

mall

benefit in

moto

r skill

s a

nd c

oord

inatio

n

e.g

.

Mediu

m

e.g

.

make s

lightly m

ore

challe

ngin

g to im

pro

ve d

evelo

pm

ent

of m

oto

r skill

s

e.g

. P

ete

r P

iper

e.g

.

01/0

1/1

4

e.g

.

Low

e.g

.

15/1

2/1

3

26

Ris

k B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t —

Pa

ge

3:

Ris

k A

ss

es

sm

en

t

Wh

at

are

th

e h

azard

s?

Wh

at

pre

cau

tio

ns a

re

alr

ead

y in

pla

ce?

Wh

at

are

th

e r

isks?

A

re t

he r

isks f

ore

seeable

by

child

ren?

Ris

k

Rati

ng

Wh

at

furt

her

acti

on

s a

re

neces

sary

?

An

d w

hy?

Ho

w w

ill yo

u p

ut

this

in

to a

cti

on

?

A

cti

on

by w

ho

m:

Ac

tio

n b

y

wh

en

: P

rio

rity

D

on

e

(Date

co

m-

ple

ted

)

e.g

.

users

falli

ng o

ff h

igh p

latf

orm

/

wall

onto

concre

te

e.g

.

users

briefe

d o

f hazard

and c

an s

ee it

easily

e.g

.

cuts

and b

ruis

ing, possib

le

bro

ken lim

b. V

ery

slim

chance o

f serio

us h

ead o

r

neck in

jury

.

e.g

.

Mediu

m

e.g

.

show

people

the

hazard

befo

re b

egin

-

nin

g t

he a

ctivity

insta

ll a h

andra

il /

barr

ier

e.g

. P

ete

r P

iper

e.g

.

01/0

1/1

4

or

on t

he

day

e.g

.

Low

e.g

.

15/1

2/1

3

27

Sin

gle

Pa

ge R

isk B

en

efi

t A

ss

es

sm

en

t

Date

of

Assessm

en

t

Revie

w / R

eas-

sessm

en

t D

ate

Sit

e a

nd

Acti

vit

y

T

yp

e o

f sit

e (

if

ap

pli

cab

le)

Ben

efi

ts

K

ey b

enefits

whic

h g

ive the b

ackgro

und t

o the r

isk ju

dgem

ents

belo

w

C

onsid

er

likelih

oo

d o

f gettin

g the b

enefit

and t

he v

alu

e o

f th

e b

enefit

Wh

at

are

th

e h

azard

s?

Wh

at

pre

cau

tio

ns

are

alr

ead

y i

n

pla

ce?

W

ha

t is

th

e r

isk?

Rati

ng

Wh

at

furt

he

r acti

on

s a

re n

ec-

essary

? A

nd

wh

y?

H

ow

will

yo

u p

ut

this

in

to a

cti

on

?

A

ctio

n b

y w

ho

m:

Act

ion

by

wh

en

: P

rio

rity

D

on

e (

Dat

e

com

ple

ted

)

e.g

.

users

falli

ng o

ff h

igh p

lat-

form

/ w

all

onto

concre

te

e.g

.

users

briefe

d o

f hazard

and c

an

see it

easily

e.g

.

cuts

and b

ruis

ing, possib

le b

roken

limb. V

ery

slim

chance o

f serio

us

head o

r neck in

jury

.

e.g

.

Mediu

m

e.g

.

show

people

the h

azard

befo

re

begin

nin

g t

he a

ctivity

insta

ll a h

andra

il /

barr

ier

e.g

. P

ete

r P

iper

e.g

.

01/0

1/1

4

or

on t

he

day

e.g

.

Low

e.g

. 1

5/1

2/1

3

Su

pp

ort

ing

no

tes:

E

specia

lly r

easons f

or

the d

ifficult d

ecis

ions

Neare

st

ph

on

e / p

ers

on

wit

h m

ob

ile (

is t

he

re p

ho

ne

recep

tio

n?

!):

Neare

st

Ho

sp

ital

A&

E:

Nam

e o

f A

ssesso

r

D

ate

Lin

e M

an

ag

er

Sig

na

ture

Date

28

Way

s to

Ju

dge

Lik

elih

oo

d a

nd

Sev

eri

ty in

mak

ing

Ris

k Ju

dge

me

nts

Like

liho

od

/ F

req

ue

ncy

Se

veri

ty

Un

like

ly -

imp

rob

able

, po

ssib

le, a

lmo

st n

eve

r M

ild -

Tri

vial

inju

ry, m

ino

r in

jury

Fair

ly li

kely

– o

ccas

ion

al, f

req

uen

t Se

rio

us

- M

ajo

r in

jury

to

on

e o

r m

ore

peo

ple

Ve

ry li

kely

- r

egu

lar,

co

mm

on

, mo

st t

ime

this

act

ivit

y is

do

ne

or

equ

ipm

ent

use

d

Seve

re -

Dea

th o

f o

ne

or

mo

re p

eop

le

Way

s to

Ju

dge

Lik

elih

oo

d a

nd

Val

ue

in m

akin

g B

en

efit

Jud

gem

en

ts

Like

liho

od

/ F

req

ue

ncy

V

alu

e

Un

like

ly -

imp

rob

able

, slim

ch

ance

of

gett

ing

the

ben

efi

t Li

ttle

- T

rivi

al b

enef

it e

asily

fo

un

d e

lsew

her

e

Fair

ly li

kely

– o

ccas

ion

al, f

req

uen

t, li

kely

to

fin

d t

he

ben

efit

G

oo

d –

cle

ar b

enef

it b

ut

cou

ld p

oss

ibly

be

fou

nd

els

ew

her

e as

wel

l

Ve

ry li

kely

- r

egu

lar,

co

mm

on

, lik

ely

to f

ind

th

e b

enef

it e

very

tim

e

Stro

ng

– d

isti

nct

ben

efit

no

t lik

ely

to b

e fo

un

d in

man

y o

ther

pla

ces

29

Way

s to

de

cid

e if

act

ion

is n

ee

de

d

If t

he

R

isk

is…

…

and

th

e

B

en

efi

t is

…

…th

en t

he

A

ctio

n n

eed

ed is

…

Exam

ple

s

Low

Low

N

o a

ctio

n n

eed

ed -

Is it

po

ssib

le t

o im

pro

ve t

he

ben

efi

t le

vel?

(O

r is

it b

est

to d

o

som

eth

ing

else

inst

ead

?)

Pla

yin

g o

n a

sm

all l

awn

fen

ced

in.

Low

M

ed

No

act

ion

nee

ded

. St

ory

telli

ng

and

wri

tin

g in

a s

afe

sett

ing

Low

Hig

h

No

act

ion

nee

ded

. R

ole

pla

yin

g co

mm

on

life

sit

uat

ion

s, i.

e. d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

agre

em

ents

et

c

Med

Low

R

emo

ve /

red

uce

haz

ard

if p

oss

ible

or

do

no

t d

o a

ctiv

ity.

Co

nsi

der

if it

is w

ort

h

the

risk

. Se

ttin

g fi

rew

ork

s o

ff v

ery

nea

r to

ch

ildre

n –

th

ey m

igh

t en

joy

the

fire

wo

rks

bu

t th

is g

ive

s lit

tle

lon

g te

rm b

ene

fit.

It w

ou

ld b

e b

est

to

red

uce

th

e ri

sk b

y m

ovi

ng

a sa

fer

dis

tan

ce a

way

or

cho

osi

ng

a d

if-

fere

nt

acti

vity

.

Med

Med

R

emo

ve /

red

uce

haz

ard

if p

oss

ible

. Dis

cuss

wit

h c

olle

agu

es.

Se

ek s

pec

ific

pro

fess

ion

al in

pu

t (i

e. if

it w

ere

a ro

pe

swin

g in

a t

ree

then

is a

tre

e sp

ecia

list’

s in

pu

t n

eed

ed)?

If

ris

k ac

cep

ted

; mak

e ve

ry c

lear

no

te o

f w

hy

this

dec

isio

n w

as m

ade.

Cro

ssin

g a

smal

l str

eam

usi

ng

a fa

llen

tre

e as

a b

rid

ge. (

Co

nsi

der

: d

epth

an

d f

low

of

rive

r, s

urf

ace

of

rive

r b

ed f

or

if s

om

eon

e fa

lls in

, ab

ility

of

peo

ple

cro

ssin

g, w

idth

& s

lipp

erin

ess

of

the

tre

e, w

het

her

th

ere

are

han

d h

old

s et

c)

Med

Hig

h

Rem

ove

/ r

edu

ce h

azar

d if

po

ssib

le. D

iscu

ss w

ith

co

lleag

ue

s.

Seek

sp

ecif

ic p

rofe

ssio

nal

inp

ut

(ie.

if it

wer

e a

rop

e sw

ing

in a

tre

e th

en is

a t

ree

spec

ialis

t’s

inp

ut

nee

ded

)?

If r

isk

acce

pte

d; m

ake

very

cle

ar n

ote

of

wh

y th

is d

ecis

ion

was

mad

e.

Ru

gby

– re

gula

r b

roke

n li

mb

s, a

nd

occ

asio

nal

life

th

reat

enin

g in

ju-

ries

. Bu

t gr

eat

ben

efit

fro

m p

hys

ical

an

d m

enta

l wel

lbei

ng

and

de-

velo

pm

ent.

Tea

m w

ork

ski

lls, d

isci

plin

e, m

oti

vati

on

etc

Hig

h

Lo

w

Rem

ove

/ r

edu

ce h

azar

d o

r d

o n

ot

do

act

ivit

y.

Pla

yin

g “c

hic

ken

” o

n a

mo

torw

ay.

Ver

y h

igh

ris

k, w

ith

ben

efit

s w

hic

h c

an b

e fo

un

d in

saf

er p

lace

s –

jud

gem

ent

of

spe

ed, p

hys

ical

lim

itat

ion

s, e

tc

Leav

ing

a 1

0m

dee

p, v

erti

cal s

ided

ho

le in

a p

lace

ch

ildre

n p

lay

– h

igh

ris

k, n

eglig

ible

ben

efit

Hig

h

M

ed

Rem

ove

/ r

edu

ce h

azar

d o

r d

o n

ot

do

act

ivit

y.

Ro

pe

swin

g th

at s

win

gs o

ver

a h

igh

clif

f ed

ge. R

easo

nab

le b

enef

its

in o

verc

om

ing

fear

, ju

dge

men

t, p

hys

ical

co

ord

inat

ion

etc

. Bu

t ve

ry

hig

h r

isk

– b

ette

r to

fin

d t

he

ben

efit

s el

sew

her

e.

Hig

h

H

igh

R

emo

ve /

red

uce

haz

ard

or

do

no

t d

o a

ctiv

ity.

(A

s th

e b

ene

fit

is h

igh

it m

igh

t b

e w

ort

h lo

oki

ng

for

way

s to

red

uce

th

e ri

sk, h

ow

-ev

er, i

f th

is is

n’t

po

ssib

le t

hen

do

no

t d

o t

he

acti

vity

)

Exp

edit

ion

to

th

e ve

ry t

op

of

Mo

un

t Ev

eres

t. L

ots

of

lear

nin

g b

ut

lots

of

risk

.

30

Sources of Further Information

Bath and North East Somerset Council:

Play Policy http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/bath_and_north_east_somerset_full_play_policy.pdf

Play Team http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/play

Play England:

Managing Risk in Play: A Position Statement – Play Safety Forum http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/120462/managing-risk-play-safety-forum.pdf

Managing Risk in Play: An Implementation Guide– Play England http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/172644/managing-risk-in-play-provision-implementation-guide.pdf

Managing Risk in Play: A briefing for risk managers – Play England http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/120456/managing-risk-for-risk-managers.pdf

Member’s Briefing. Common Sense, Common Safety. The Lord Young Health and Safety Review http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/228995/101021%20members%20briefing%20hsr.pdf

Health and Safety Executive pages:

High Level statement: ―CHILDREN’S PLAY AND LEISURE – PROMOTING A BALANCED APPROACH‖ http://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/childrens-play-july-2012.pdf

Playgrounds – Risks, Benefits, and choices – study by Middlesex University (2002) http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2002/crr02426.pdf

Risk Debate – Final Summary (2005)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/debate.htm

General Risk Management information (not Risk Benefit)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm

London Play Briefing:

Risk / Benefit Assessment in Play: it’s not rocket science! A light-hearted look at a serious issue (2006 updated 2009) http://www.londonplay.org.uk/file/426.pdf

Playlink:

Risk‐benefit Assessment Form. Working document – Draft 15 December 2009 http://www.playlink.org/pubs/Risk-benefit-examples8.02.10.pdf