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NSC Home Page > EUAS Contents > Guideline sources
LOLGISTICS
Health and safety
Guideline sources
There are very many sets of safety guidelines, generally tailored to each user or area of responsibility. The following illustrates the present position but is not necessarily comprehensive:-
Schools: National Level:
Department for Education and Skills - Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational visits (1998-02) (HASPEV).
Teacher Unions notably for National Union of Teachers and the National Association of School Masters and Women Teachers (see also 'other organisations below').Schools: Local Education Authorities:
Vary considerably in levels of detailed guidance - all should have officers with designated responsibility for health and safety of pupils.
Individual Schools/Groups of schools:
In the public sector, DfES advise individual/schools to have their own policies;in the private sector this may relate to specific schools or schools operating as a group/organisation.
Universities:
Individual universities tend to produce their own guidelines; in the light of the former CHUGD guidelines not being updated.
Health & Safety Executive:
For an introduction, see 'A simple guide to the Quarries Regulations 1999' or 'Directors' responsibility for Health & Safety 2001' (HSE books).
Industry:
The Institute of Quarrying has published' Health & Safety in Quarries' - by Eric Darlow (2002) - a detailed commentary on the application of a very wide range of law to quarries. Very little specifically relates to visitors and where mentioned, the latter is mainly in respect of contractors.
The QPA provides safety advice to QPA members and regularly promotes 'Play Safe - Stay Safe' campaigns comprising visits to schools a play safe video etc, particularly prior to school holidays (often in local collaboration with others such as the police). This is largely directed to primary schools; material for older children is being planned. QPA also produce various warning signs (in English and Welsh) for use in and around quarries. The QCA website also contains advice.
Individual companies usually provide safety advice and guidelines in the form of an employees handbook. Guidance is interpreted at site level for visitors and made available; a signature acknowledging acceptance of such rules is usually required before sites can be entered.
Other Organisations:
The Geologists' Association produce fieldwork guidelines (some aspects are now under review) particularly for use by affiliated groups (c50). These are also available as a simplified fieldwork code for younger groups via 'Rockwatch'. The Earth Science Teachers Association is currently reviewing their fieldwork guidelines (see 'Teaching Earth Science' for updates).
The National Association of Mining Historical Organisations (NAMHO) with the National Caving Association (likely to be renamed in 2004) and in co-operation with the Health & Safety Executive, produced very detailed guidance:'"The Leisure Use of Mines' [2000] (see NAMHO website for contact at Peak District Mining Historical Society) (this supersedes NAMHO's earlier leaflets code of practice).
NSPCC provide guidelines on working with children in specific circumstances and RoSPA produce general safety guidance and advice.
BCTV - see Risk Assessment, A Health & Safety Overview and Generic Assessments, BTCV Enterprises.
A number of local societies produce their own e.g. Ravens- bourne Geological Society (Austin Lockwood) offers Risk Assessment for Geological Field Excursions (which may be freely copied). Some companies receiving significant numbers of educational visitors, most organisations managing visitor related sites in former quarries e.g. National Stone Centre and many local authorities/wildlife trusts, produce their own internal or external guidelines and risk assessments. The Project Overview of Quarries in Devon (Appendix E), also contains a useful Health & Safety Risk Assessment (see MIRO website for details: www.miro.co.uk).
Many schools and colleges subscribe to CLEAPSS - school science service, to keep up-to-date on science methods and safety. Unfortunately CLEAPSS does not produce current guidance on out of school science visits (position as at Spring 2004).
Very many other publications contain advice on codes covering both safety and general conduct, e.g. trails, published by the National Park Authorities, local geology groups, or in regional or county geology guides. These should be regarded as general in nature and more specific guidance should usually be sought for group visits.
The following sections draw upon those guidelines and codes of practice as relevant. It is clear that it is extremely difficult to produce a definitive Code of Practice/ Guidelines/ Risk Assessment framework which meets all circumstances, legal situations and legal requirements.
However it should be remembered that assessment of risk is ultimately the responsibility of the person/organisation directly in charge of the visiting group (for example in taking into account the capabilities of all the individuals in the group) albeit, in the context of specific information supplied by the site operator/owner/manager.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the body with statutory responsibility for regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain. Their mission is to protect people's health and safety by ensuring risks in the changing workplace are properly controlled. Amongst other work places, they are responsible for overseeing activities in mines, quarries and factories (offices are the direct responsibility of local government).
Employees have a duty of care in respect of employees, contractors, all visitors (whether intended or uninvited) and the public beyond the site, but affected by operations.