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RISK ASSESSMENT
Work Description: Tree planting with Volunteers
Assessment Date: 26th October 2012 - Valid to: 26th October 2013
Activity
Tree and other planting tasks / Typical uncontrolled outcomes
Scratches to hand, arms, and face; stomach upsets; toxocariasis; muscle strains; lower back strains; chemical burns. / Typical groups at risk
Practical workers; working during Pregnacy (from toxocara)
Hazards
1.  Contact with branches and twigs
2.  Contact with soil borne organisms
3.  Digging and moving earth
4.  Manual handling of bags of plants
5.  Slips, trips and falls / Controls
1.  All workers will be warned of risk of scratches, safe working distance will be kept between workers.
2.  Broken skin must be covered with waterproof plaster before work starts.
3.  Cuts received will be washed and treated immediately.
4.  Wash hands before eating, drinking and smoking.
5.  Wear protective gloves if working in or moving soil by hand.
6.  Use tools and feet to move soils, and to firm soils around plants.
7.  Work must be rotated to allow rest from more strenuous tasks.
8.  All workers will be trained in safe lifting and handling techniques.
9.  Provide wheelbarrows and other handling aids to move plants and tools over longer distances.
10.  Tools will be left in clear view and in safe position, site tripping hazards will be notified to all workers.
Special groups at risk: - Public -
PPE needed: - Leather gloves -
First aid cover: / Emergency
Emergency access:
Nearest 24 hr A&E dept:
Mobile phone reception:
Nearest telephone:
Nearest toilets:
4wd or air ambulance needed:
Heavy, sustained or repetitive manual handling involved? no
Completed by:
Approved by:

Please note "The Conservation Volunteers takes peoples safety seriously. The Risk assessment provided offers a basic safe way of working for any typical tree planting task - it does not however cover local circumstances or site specific hazards and will need to be tailored to suit local conditions."

This Generic Risk Assessment should be modified to suit the local circumstances such as ground conditions on site or any changes to the way the activity is carried out. Local controls must also be put in place where the standard control measures detailed on the generic do not reduce the risk sufficiently.

When tree planting, you should take into account the location, the conditions and the likely weather.

If for example there was a pond in the near location, you should consider the fact that someone could fall in and drown or get hypothermia. Once you have identified the risk you need to make sure that you put in place measures to prevent it happening. These control measures should be added to the Risk Assessment (RA).

You should also identify controls to manage the situation if someone does fall in. (how you would get them out, and what you would do to get them dry etc)

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