Health & Safety

Group walks – risk assessment

Use this risk assessment to help you understand the risks and any steps you need to take to stay safe before leading a group walk.

If you have any questions about Ramblers group walks, please get in touch: oakleyramblers@gmail.com

How to carry out a risk assessment

This template is a tool to help you plan and lead Ramblers group walks safely. You must do a risk assessment for each walk.

• Use the template to assess whether your Ramblers group walk is safe to go ahead.
• We’ve included suggestions for the ways to control the risks – you do not need to tick every box. The important thing is to identify the potential hazards and note the actions you will take to reduce the risk.
• It’s important to carry out a risk assessment before the walk takes place. You should start filling it out when planning your walk, and update it with any extra hazards that you notice on your recce.
• Think about the different types of hazards and risks. We’ve included some common examples, but think carefully about your own walk in case anything needs adding.

Examples of other risks might include:

o Flooded paths, after heavy rain

o Incoming tide for coastal routes

o Unexploded ordnance (if walking on a right of way across a military site)

This isn’t an exhaustive list, so think carefully about any specific risks you may encounter on your walk.

• Next, consider the steps you can take to minimise the risk. Remember that this may sometimes mean changing your original plan. For example:
  • I will recce the route again to check whether the paths are flooded, and plan an alternative if necessary
  • I will check the local tide times and adjust the walk start time
  • I will read the local warning signs on my recce and advise walkers about the risks in my welcome briefing
• If you’re not sure what to do to reduce the risk, check our website for advice, or contact us at volunteersupport@ramblers.zendesk.com