WCC Volunteer Activity Hazzard Assessment – Trail Building
Known hazards created by volunteer activities on WCC Reserve Land
Activity Related Hazards
Hazard/Task
Description
Control
Control
Type
Weather – Hot days
Sun burn
Work in shady area, work in coolest part of
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the day, use sunscreen, wear hat and
sunglasses
Weather – Hot days
Dehydration
Work in shady area, work in coolest part of
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the day, rest breaks in shade, regular water
breaks,
Weather – Cold days
Hypothermia
Wear warm waterproof clothing, keep an
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eye on all volunteers on site and stop work if
anyone starts to show signs of hypothermia.
Weather – Cold days
Wind, Rain
If weather conditions are extreme call of
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work, wear warm waterproof clothing, stop
for breaks in sheltered area
Volunteers - Regular
Become complacent about activities
Regulars should be briefed of hazards and
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task requirements as well as new comers
Volunteers – Casual/one off
Not aware of site/task hazards & how to carry out
Briefed on site and task hazards, shown
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tasks
how to safely carry out tasks, work with
experienced member of group
Medical conditions
Known medical conditions occurring
Volunteers to carry appropriate medication
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and take responsibility for their wellbeing.
Only undertake tasks they know are safe to
carry out with their medical condition.
Children on site
Don’t understand site/task hazards, not able to
Children should be briefed like all other
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carry out tasks or work un supervised
volunteers, not allowed to work alone.
Children are not to undertake work they are
not physically capable of.
Equipment – Hand tools
Damaged, blunt
All tools 7 equipment should be well
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maintained, in safe working condition & if a
cutting tool or tool with an edge be sharp
Hazard/Task
Description
Control
Control
Type
Equipment Use – Hand tools
Don’t know how to use safely, used for wrong task, All volunteers are shown the correct way to
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PPE not used
use tools and explained what they can be
used for. Shown safe working distances and
only allowed to use with correct PPE
Equipment – Machinery
Damaged or in un safe condition
All machinery should be checked & in safe
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well maintained condition before use as
mentioned in the competency form for the
particular machine.
Equipment Use – Machinery
Not signed off as competent to use the machinery,
All volunteers using machinery must be
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injuries from no PPE
signed off by a Park Ranger as competent.
All PPE as listed in competency form used
Carrying/lifting heavy
Injuries from poor lifting techniques or trying to
Anything over 15Kg is a 2 person lift, share
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object/materials
carry to much weight
the task around the group.
Vigilant Use
Poisoning of user, reserve visitors and other plants
Must be signed off as competent by a Park
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Ranger. Refer to competency form for safe
use. Signs must be in place.
Eye injury
Damage to eye from debris flying from digging with
Safety glasses must be worn when using
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grubbers or when planting plants like rushes
picks and grubbers in rocky ground and as
per competency forms with machinery.
Optional but recommended for all digging
and manual vegetation clearance.
Fatigue
Loss of concentration/ good decision making ability, Take regular breaks, group members keep
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injury
an eye on each other, alternate jobs
Separation from group/Lost
Group members can’t find work site/meeting points
Work in pairs especially during marking out.
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or get lost while marking out or following a marked
Have a clear meeting point and brief all
out track
group members about its location and have
clear simple directions to site
Track users coming onto site
While building or maintaining trails other trail users
Close the trail while working on it or if
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may come onto site and put the volunteers and
practical have a warning sign/stopping area
themselves in danger
so the users can slow/stop and pass the
work site.