Walking Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Toilet access — Map reliable toilets before departure, brief supervised entry/exit and a buddy system, carry small change and hygiene supplies, build planned stops into the timetable, permit urgent detours with an adult, and re-count at the door so continence needs are met without losing pupils.
• Footwear, clothing and load carriage — Require closed, secure footwear and weather-appropriate layers, limit carried loads to light day items, distribute heavier resources to adults, and repack before moving off so straps, laces and loose clothing cannot snag or create trip risks.
• Hydration — Require each pupil to start with a filled bottle, schedule defined water stops away from kerbs and traffic, moderate pace on exposed sections, provide shaded pauses, monitor for headache, dizziness or cramps, carry spare water for refills, and note any welfare checks in the trip log.
• Roadside walking and traffic proximity — Keep groups on the pavement side furthest from the carriageway, walk in pairs with adults at front, middle and rear, shrink to single file at narrow sections, stop at blind bends to regroup, and avoid verges where there is no defined footway or safe refuge.
• Emergency reroute and evacuation — Nominate a single decision-maker to pause, reroute or abort, carry printed maps and contacts, agree a nearby safe haven in advance, and rehearse the signal to return to the previous waypoint or shelter so the group can adapt quickly to emerging hazards.