Forest Schools
Shelter Building Risk Assessment Template
The complete guide to creating professional risk assessments for shelter building activities.
Free to use Instant PDF download Updated February 2026
Essential guidance for shelter building safety
Shelter building is a creative and practical forest school activity that develops teamwork, problem-solving and survival skills. Children learn to work with natural materials to create functional structures.
This guide covers key hazards including structural collapse, falling branches, sharp materials, and safe use of tarps and ropes.
Outdoor Learning
Outdoor Learning
Activity Benefits
Why shelter building matters
Survival Skills
Teaches essential outdoor survival capabilities.
Teamwork
Develops collaboration and communication skills.
Problem Solving
Encourages creative thinking and engineering concepts.
Nature Connection
Builds understanding of natural materials and environment.
Risk Identification
Key hazards & control measures
Structure CollapseHigh Risk
Potential Harm
Injury from collapsing shelter structures falling on children.
Control Measures
- Height limits enforced
- Structures tested before use
- Heavy branches avoided
- Adult checks stability
Falling BranchesMedium Risk
Potential Harm
Head injury from branches falling during collection or building.
Control Measures
- Look up before collecting
- Avoid dead standing trees
- Don't pull branches from above
- Site checked for hazards
Sharp MaterialsMedium Risk
Potential Harm
Cuts, splinters, scratches from sticks and thorny plants.
Control Measures
- Gloves available
- Thorny plants identified
- First aid kit accessible
- Broken ends pointed down
Rope HazardsLow Risk
Potential Harm
Strangulation, trips, rope burns from improper use.
Control Measures
- No loops around necks
- Rope stored safely
- Supervised use only
- Loose ends secured
This guide covers the most common hazards. Our risk assessment wizard includes 22 hazards and 67+ control measures for Shelter Building, sourced from industry guidance — create your assessment in minutes.
Safety Checklist
Shelter building safety checklist
Site Check
- Area checked for hazards
- Dead trees identified
- Ground conditions safe
- Wildlife checks done
Materials
- Gloves available
- Rope checked for damage
- Tarps in good condition
- First aid kit ready
During Build
- Height limits observed
- Structures tested
- Heavy items supervised
- Safe lifting practised
After Session
- Structures safe to leave
- Rope stored safely
- Sharp ends pointed down
- Area tidied
Ready to create your shelter building risk assessment?
Use our step-by-step wizard to generate a professional risk assessment in minutes.
