Walking Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Pollen and seasonal allergies — Check regional pollen forecasts before departure, brief families on pre-medication plans, favour hard-surface routes when counts are high, schedule shaded rest points, and support mask/eyewear for symptomatic pupils with quick access to water and tissues.
• Cycle lanes and micromobility — Walk facing the flow where lanes share space, keep a constant line without sudden steps, cross at right angles after a full check in both directions, and brief pupils to yield predictably to bikes and e-scooters while adults manage any verbal warnings calmly.
• Separation and lost pupils — Use buddies and numbered subgroups, headcount at start, waypoints and arrival, teach a simple "stop and stay put" rule, set conspicuous muster points on the map, and halt progress immediately if numbers do not reconcile, resuming only after regrouping.
• Weather exposure (heat, cold, wind, lightning) — Check the forecast and heat index on the day, adjust clothing and load water, shorten or reroute in high winds, use shelters during showers, and suspend the walk if thunder is heard, resuming only when conditions and supervision are clearly within safe limits.
• Rail lines and level crossings — Exclude tracks and rail land; if a public crossing is essential, stop the group, brief the sequence, cross in compact waves under adult control, and never loiter or split the group near the railway, rerouting immediately if alarms or trains approach.