Understanding Risk Assessment: Ensuring Safety for Student Trips

• Tourism
• Higher Education (non-degree)

Understanding Risk Assessment: Ensuring Safety for Student Trips

OCN Level 3 - Research and Plan a Travel and Tourism Visitor Experience

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to describe what a risk assessment is, identify the details it should contain, and explain why it is important for student trips.

What do you already know about risk assessment and its importance in student trips?

What is a Risk Assessment?

• The definition of a risk assessment is the process of identifying what hazards and risks currently exist or may occur during a college trip

• It involves identifying hazards, assessing the likelihood and severity of harm, and implementing control measures.

Details in a Risk Assessment

A comprehensive risk assessment should include hazard identification, risk analysis, risk evaluation, and risk control measures. 

It should also document the responsible person, date of assessment, and review dates.

Why Complete a Risk Assessment?

Completing a risk assessment for student trips is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff. 

It helps to proactively identify and mitigate potential dangers, reducing the likelihood of accidents or incidents.

Legal and Ethical Responsibility

• School, colleges and other organisations have a legal and ethical responsibility to conduct risk assessments for student trips. 
• It demonstrates a commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for learning and development.

Examples of Risk Control Measures

Risk control measures can include implementing safety protocols, providing adequate supervision, ensuring emergency procedures are in place, and conducting thorough pre-trip inspections.

Conclusion: Importance of Risk Assessment

In conclusion, completing a risk assessment for student trips is essential for identifying, evaluating, and controlling potential risks. It helps create a safe and secure environment, fulfilling the duty of care towards students and staff.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.