safety policy

BUSHCRAFT

VENUE           On site QE2 Activity Centre, offsite within Manor Farm Country Park

STAFFING      Instructor         in house training

                        Assistant         competent adult under direction of instructor

RATIO             One:eight

EQUIPMENT

            Safety equipment: first aid kit, mobile phone          

            Activity equipment must be kept in a good state of repair              

            Cooking equipment will be hygienic and in a good state of repair

            Improvised equipment must be suitable for the task

PRE SESSION

            Check site for hazards,

            Check equipment

            Report/record destination, nature of activity, time of return

            Knowledge of group needs and abilities

SESSION

Give safety talk, directed at visiting staff and students, taking into account group comprehension and ability, highlighting:    

            Need for common sense and safety

            Behaviour

            Boundaries

Need to make clear instructor/visiting staff roles

Specific activities:

Building shelters and other structures;                                                                                                                      

            need to take care with location, appropriate materials, using only fallen materials

tools: use of tools should be directly supervised by a competent person

care should be taken not to cause damage to the woodland

Water & food;

            Care needs to be taken when introducing visitors to natural foods.

            Consideration needs to be given to hygiene, allergies, level of understanding

Fire:     small and manageable fires only,      

            water should be available to put out fires

            accelerants will not be used

            only approved methods to be used for firelighting, under supervision

            fire to be extinguished before leaving site, take fire bucket and folding spade

Use of Trangiers:        only under supervision

Site clearing is an important element of bushcraft, not an afterthought

            all traces of the activity must be removed

END OF SESSION               

            Equipment stored properly when not in use

            Damaged equipment to be removed from use for repair

   THE INSTRUCTOR HAS FINAL SAY IN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT A SESSION TAKES PLACE AND IN WHAT MANNER IT IS CARRIED OUT