Safety with water - for teachers

Working outside, particularly near water, can be hazardous. However, a sensible approach to organisation will help you spot, and even solve, many of the problems before they arise. The following are a few points to consider:

1. Choosing a site

Always inspect the site and carry out a risk assessment before taking your group out. Check for unstable or slippery banks - is there any evidence of recent collapses? Test the depth of the water with a stick - is it shallow and slow enough to allow the children to wade out to welly depth? Check up and downstream (in running water) for any potential hazards. Avoid the area if the water seems very scummy or smelly. Never work on a river in flood conditions.

2. Taking your group out

Do not take more children than you can easily supervise (we suggest six per adult). Make sure the children are adequately clothed and that you have plasters and rubber gloves to cover cut fingers. Teach the children the safety code which follows and tell them to stay near you at all times. Take a first-aid kit and a throw-line, and ensure you know the location of the nearest telephone.

3. At the water

Follow the safety code and stay alert - don't get too absorbed in an activity and forget to check on the rest of the group. Watch out for any child who becomes very cold - provide extra clothing and return home immediately.

Weil's disease is a rare bacterial infection carried in rat urine. It is possible to contract the disease from infected water or river and pond banks. Chances of infection are slight, but sensible precautions should be taken. Avoid full immersion in water and cover any broken skin. Wash all exposed skin thoroughly at the end of the exercise, and before eating. Do not allow water, or objects which have been in contact with it, to enter the mouth. If any illness occurs within two weeks of the field work, consult a doctor and inform him/her of the contact with untreated water.

Blue-green algae occasionally bloom in ponds and rivers during hot weather and appear as a paint-like scum on the water surface. Avoid contact as the algae can irritate the skin. Seek medical advice if there has been ingestion of, or extensive contact with, the scum.

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