Risk Assessment Handbook

The Risk Assessment Handbook has been developed by Conservation Volunteers through the support of NHT specifically for NRM community groups in Australia.

The Handbook is free to download. You simply need to complete the easy online form below that acts as a survey of existing risk assessment procedures prior to downloading.

Your Name:
Group you represent:
Position within group:
Email Address:
OR
Contact details:

Part 1

For the group you are representing, please indicate your rating of the group/body by allocating the most appropriate rating score.

0 - Never	2 - Most of the time
1 - Rarely	3 - Always

Action	0	1	2	3
1. The group has a project/activity approval process that takes into account safety issues before projects are approved for implementation.
2. Activities are conducted in accordance with the group’s written safety policy and procedures.
3. A consistent volunteer registration process is implemented for group activities
4. Volunteers are asked to confidentially disclose pre-existing illnesses or injuries that might be aggravated by participation
5. A consistent volunteer induction that includes risk and safety issues is given to new volunteers
6. Risk assessments are conducted and recorded for field activities
7. There is a qualified first aider, and a first aid kit, on site at each group activity
8. There is an Accident Book or Register of Injuries on site and accessible .
9. All volunteers wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
10. An emergency response plan, understood by the site supervisor and accessible to volunteers, is in place for field activities

Part 2

Currently there is little data available about the types of injuries or near misses experienced by volunteers involved in conservation activities. Data is needed to provide an informed basis for making strategic decisions about future volunteer risk management.

(a) In the last two years, what if any injuries have been sustained by a participant in your group activities?

What happened?	Injury sustained?	Gender	Age
1.
2.
3.

(b) During the last two years, what have been the most common causes of injury or harm to activity participants? In this instance, injury or harm applies to any soreness, minor injury or irritation; medical treatment may not have been necessary. Please indicate your rating of the following causes by allocating the most appropriate rating score.

0 - Not at all

1 - Has happened once

2 - Has happened more than once

Cause of injury	0	1	2+
Slips, trips, or falls at ground level (eg. slippery, rough surface)
Falls from height (eg. fence, ladder, tree)
Blisters
Bites or stings by insects or spiders
Bites by other animals
Over exertion (eg. lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling)
Allergies (eg. asthma, hayfever, sting or plant allergies)
Cuts, spikes, scratches
Exposure to heat (eg. sunburn, dehydration)
Crush or impact by moving object (eg. vehicle, hammer, rock)
Exposure to a hazardous substance (eg. herbicide, fuel)
Object contacting one or both eyes (eg. spike, twig, foreign body/grit)

Please note: All data collected through this survey will be consolidated to provide an overview of strengths, weaknesses or common injuries occurring within the community conservation sector. This data will be useful in shaping future initiatives aimed at improving safety in the sector. No information identifying any group will be released to any other agency or individual without the consent of the group.