Risk Benefit - BathnesRisk assessment is a relatively straightforward technique that, when...
Transcript of Risk Benefit - BathnesRisk assessment is a relatively straightforward technique that, when...
Playful Risk:
Risk Benefit
Making Bath & North East Somerset an
even better place to live, work and visit
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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
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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
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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
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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...
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…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.
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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)
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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”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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