Music Lessons Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Percussion impact and flying fragments — Match sticks and mallets to heads, fit cymbal sleeves and felts, and enforce controlled stroke heights. Position shields for the loudest instruments, and prohibit stick tricks or throwing anywhere in the teaching space.
• Storage room congestion and falling cases — Rack heavy cases low, keep aisles clear, and timetable staggered store access with a one-in/one-out rule. Prohibit climbing shelves, label racks by instrument family, and assign a monitor to return cases correctly after each changeover.
• Repetitive strain and poor posture — Build warm-ups and micro-breaks into schemes, set stool/stand/strap heights for neutral wrists and shoulders, and rotate tasks to vary load. Correct technique early, encourage self-reporting of pain, and signpost medical review where needed.
• Sharp tools and small parts (reeds, strings, knives) — Limit reed knives and string clippers to a supervised bench with guards. Provide magnetic bowls for screws, dispose of snapped strings immediately, forbid holding parts in the mouth, and sweep floors after maintenance to remove fragments.
• Manual handling of large or heavy instruments — Move pianos, timpani and amps with trolleys and team lifts on pre-cleared routes. Prohibit solo moves for bulky items, chock wheels before playing, and pre-stage heavy kit so students never reposition it during class transitions.