Classroom Pets Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Enclosure placement and room layout — Position enclosures off escape routes and away from door swings, secure stands against tipping, protect cables with covers, and keep a clear 1.2 m circulation path so classes can queue, move and evacuate without contacting glass, heaters or trailing leads.
• Carcass handling and end-of-life — If an animal dies, wear gloves, place remains in a sealed, labelled container, record the event, inform leadership and families sensitively, follow lawful disposal or veterinary transfer, and offer age-appropriate reflection without public display.
• Feeding procedures and live/frozen feed — Store feed hygienically and labelled, thaw frozen items in sealed containers away from teaching areas, restrict live-feed use to trained adults, separate feeding from handling days, and dispose of waste promptly so odours and pest attraction are minimised.
• Noise, odour and ventilation — Site enclosures away from HVAC intakes and whiteboards, ventilate rooms daily, spot-clean promptly, select low-odour substrates, and reduce exposure during strong odours or high dust by scheduling observation-only sessions until conditions improve.
• Allergies and asthma — Identify pupils and staff with animal or bedding allergies in advance, seat them upwind of enclosures, use HEPA-vac cleaning and low-dust substrate, schedule non-contact observation options, and obtain parental consent with agreed opt-outs for high-risk reactions.