May 2008
Assessment summary details / Reference: / JSS4
Division / Journalism / Departments / Newsgathering, TV and Radio Programmes, Online, Nations & Regions news programmes, Global News Division.
Series / Production / Unit / Journalism Safety Series for gathering newsand news programme work on location / Programme / Area / All newsgathering work on location for BBC News programmes including multimedia productions e.g. TV, Radio and Online.
Responsible Manager
Address / tel. / BBC Journalism Board
BBC Safety Journalism Team / Contact office
Address / tel. / BBC Safety. Internal: 0464
External: +44(0) 870 370 411 0464
Date assessment created / Series created May 2008 / Sign-off status / Corporate GenericRisk Assessments
Risk assessment title
Simple name for reference purposes / Building / Construction / Demolition Sites
Outline of risk assessment
Summary of what is proposed
Overall risk level (when all controls are in place) / Teams may have to enter building sites or go into areas under construction or refurbishment in order to obtain information, film or record an interview. News teams and programme makers are not commissioning or carrying out the building or demolition work, they are acting as observers.
Low / Medium / High
Assessment start date / May 2009 / Review / End date / May 2010
Country location / UK and International / Hostile / travel advisory? / If location at which the activity takes place is in a HE or travel advisory area, further risk assessment and consultation with BBC Safety must take place.
Location details / Variable
Key crew / team
Roles,responsibilities, competencies / Individuals working at News locations are responsible for acting safely at all times in regard to their own safety, that of their colleagues and the general public. Including Producers, Directors, Broadcast Journalists, Camera Journalists, Researchers, Correspondents, Presenters, Technical support staff and other staff.
Attachments
Upload supporting documents /
Assessor
Person drafting risk assessment / Newsgathering and SafetyJSG Team / Assessor safety competence / Chartered Safety Practitioners (CIOSH) and experienced News location managers.
Authoriser / Job role
Person responsible for sign-off / Stephen Gregory
Head of BBC Production Safety / Date signed-off / May 2008
Distribution
Who gets a copy of the assessment / Assessment is communicated through Journalism Safety Guide [JSG] and is available on BBC Gateway site.
Comments log
Who by / Date / time received / Comments / Assessor response / Date/ time responded
Louise Bisdee / June 09 / Risk rating added and light revision in line with 2nd Ed of JSG / Incorporated into risk assessment / June 2009
Louise Bisdee / June 2009 / Developed information on clothing cleaning and disposal / As above / As above
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/ Risk Assessment Form – Part B / Version 7May 2008
What are you doing? / Who is involved? / How could people get ill / injured? / How are you going to prevent thishappening?
Activity title:
Visiting building, construction or demolition site / Journalists, programme makers, staff and freelancers.
General public and workers on site. / General /
- Get permission and briefing session from the site manager / owner occupier or the manager in charge of the work.
- Briefing to notify team of hazards on site and personal protective equipment (PPE) required.
- The manager must notify the construction teams of BBC presence and the team should be accompanied by a competent person.
- BBC responsibility to take and use PPE.
- Some sites have designated safe areas – effectively areas where construction hazards are not present, these should be fenced off, signed and explained by person in charge of the site – unless in a safe area the following precautions must be followed.
Description:
Visiting sites where building, construction or demolition activities are taking place to record interviews, general views (GVs) or other news activities. / Injury from site hazards e.g. sharp objects, uneven ground and falling materials, trips etc / Wear suitable PPE :
- Safety shoes or boots
- Hard hats
- High visibility jacket or waistcoat
- It may also include gloves, goggles and hearing protection.
- Avoid standing under scaffolds or work taking place overhead.
Limitations / restrictions:
A pre activity recce is not always practical; so teams must make additional ‘on the spot’ decisions when on location and tell the RO or deployer of increased risks and any new controls.
This risk assessment does not cover commissioning or taking part in any construction activity.
Moving Plant and machinery /
- Pedestrian paths used where possible.
- Team must be alert to construction vehicles and equipment.
- Care must be taken not to stand or set up equipment around blind corners or areas with poor visibility.
- If using construction plant to record from, the activity must be sanctioned by owner / manager of site (not the driver)permission should be obtained from site manager and points from section on Filming from Vehicles followed.
- Check insurance implications.
Disease from pests e.g. Weil’s Disease from infected rat urine, Psittacosis from birds /
- Wash hands before eating and drinking etc.
- Report flu like symptoms to BBC Occupational Health or GP and notify Safety Adviser.
Asbestos and glass fibre materials, general nuisance dusts /
- Avoid standing by / downwind of any dust generating work.
- Avoid disturbing (kicking, picking up or turning over) any materials that may release fibres or dust.
- Wash hands on leaving site and change clothes if dusty.
- Information about asbestos should be given by the person in charge of the site (UK premises are required by law to have a record of asbestos – Asbestos File).
- See also JSS Series Asbestos risk assessment.
Action Plan:
Communicate results of risk assessment through Journalism Safety Guide.
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