Walking Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Water edges (rivers, canals, ponds) — Maintain a set stand-off distance from banks, cross only at bridges chosen in planning, post an adult within arm's reach at narrow sections, carry a throw line where appropriate, and abandon any waterside segment when levels or wind increase risk.
• Medical needs and first aid — Carry a stocked kit and current medical list, ensure inhalers and auto-injectors remain with the pupil's subgroup, seat those at risk near lead adults, adapt pace or route for symptoms, and record treatments with same-day parent communication.
• 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.
• Noise and sensory overload — Avoid confined noisy underpasses during peaks, brief pupils to regroup quickly after loud events like sirens, provide quieter rest points, and allow opt-outs or headphones for identified sensory needs while maintaining line-of-sight supervision.
• Air quality and pollution — Review the day's air-quality index, shorten or reschedule during poor episodes, choose greener backstreets over main roads, increase spacing around idling vehicles, and prioritise sensitive pupils with alternative indoor tasks when pollution peaks.