Litter picking risk assessment

There are a number of risks to take into account when litter picking.

Potential risks when litter picking
Hazard	Who might be harmed and how	Activity risk rating (no controls)	Control measures already in place	Risk rating with control measures
Manual handing: Carrying bags, moving bins, moving large and heavy objects, reaching, bending and twisting	Volunteer workers Musculoskeletal issues from over exertion	High	Litter picker sticks and bag hoops provided to avoid bending and ease debris transferral Volunteers to be advised to lift and move items by using their leg muscles to bend - not their backs! Regular breaks are recommended and can be taken at any time Volunteers are advised to wear suitable footwear that have good tread such as hiking boots or study trainers Volunteers are advised not to lift or move anything above their own capability. Report any issues such as moving heavy hazardous items to us. Volunteers are aware to only collect litter that can be transferred easily into black bags	Low
Slips, trips and falls: Uneven or slippery ground surfaces, steep banks, shrubs, brambles, tree branches, debris, and dark areas	Volunteer workers Head injuries, fractures, dislocations, sprains, cuts and bruises	High	Volunteers should stay within the pathway boundary and not to venture into banked up areas Volunteers are advised to wear suitable footwear that have good tread such as hiking boots or study trainers - no open toed shoes Volunteers to be aware of the surface they are walking on and the current weather conditions Litter picking should only take place during daylight hours	Low
Adverse weather: Heavy rain - flood, deep puddles or fast flowing water Ice/snow - difficult walking conditions High winds - trees to bend/break Extreme heat - over exposure to UV rays	Head injuries, fractures, dislocations, sprains, cuts and bruises, fatigue, dehydration, sun burn	High	Volunteers should be aware of the local weather reports and assess if it is suitable to carry out the litter picking. Volunteer to be aware of changing weather conditions during their litter pick Do not litter pick in extreme weather Clothing worn should be appropriate to the weather conditions - for example sun hat and sun screen during hot weather, waterproof and warm clothing in cold weather Regular breaks are recommended	Low
Biological hazards: Dirty water, faeces, vomit, used condoms, used syringes	Volunteer workers Infections and diseases	High	Suitable clothing and study footwear to be worn at all times Use litter pickers at all times - do not use hands Volunteers are recommended to use gloves of at least EN388 standard to ensure they are puncture and tear resistant. Any existing cuts/grazes should be covered with surgical tape or waterproof plaster before starting activity Do not touch any unidentified and potentially hazardous waste and report it Be aware of personal hygiene and wash hands before eating, drinking or smoking, going to the toilet and handling children. Do not touch your own face prior to washing your hands	Low
Sharp objects: Broken glass, syringes, nails, cans sharp twigs	Volunteer workers Cuts and abrasions	High	Suitable clothing and sturdy footwear to be worn at all times Volunteers are recommended to wear gloves of at least standard EN388 and EN374 protect themselves against micro-organisms and be adequately puncture and tear resistant Use litter pickers at all times - do not use hands Do not touch any sharp objects and report it	Low
Contaminated waste: Litter contaminated by hazardous substances	Volunteer workers Chemical burns, skin irritation, sickness, diarrohea, infections and diseases	Medium	Do not handle any can, canister, oil drum, poisons, insecticides, clinical waste, hazardous substances, dead animals, broken glass, condoms, syringes, needles or sharp objects - report it Suitable clothing and sturdy footwear to be worn at all times Be aware of personal hygiene and wash hands before eating, drinking or smoking, going to the toilet and handling children. Do not touch your own face prior to washing your hands
Collisions: Vehicles, cyclists, joggers, dogs, other pedestrians	Volunteer workers Head injuries, fractures, dislocations, sprains, cuts and bruises	Medium	Volunteers are advised to be aware of their surroundings and be considerate of other using the route and look before making abrupt changes in direction Follow the highway code at all times Don’t work on the roadside if the speed limit is 40mph or over Don’t litter pick on the highway, roundabout, central reservation or in the road	Low
Lone working: Violence/abuse	Volunteer workers Stress	Low	Lone working is not recommended, minimum of 2 persons at any one time Fully charged mobile phone to be carried at all times by volunteers Ensure you inform someone of your whereabouts when out litter picking and an agreed timescale Litter picking should only be carried our during daylight hours Anyone under the age of 16 needs to be supervise by an appropriate adult	Low
Undisclosed health issues: Diabetes, epilepsy, hay fever and adverse reactions to stings, bites, nettles	Volunteer workers Stress, ill health and allergies	Low	Volunteers who are aware they have underlying health issues should ensure they protect themselves sufficiently during the activity bearing in mind the environment they will be surrounded by It would be prudent to inform a friend that will be with you of any health issues prior to starting the litter pick Carry appropriate equipment and medication if required Do not approach any domestic pets unless agreed by the owner. Try not to disturb any wildlife that you may come across Be aware of your nearest defibrillator - You can see these at www.defibfinder.uk Consider taking a first aid kit	Low
Waterourses	Volunteers and rescuers Drowning, waterborne illnesses		Don’t entre any rivers, ponds, lake or canals River banks can be steep and unstable Do not enter into floodwater or pick litter from floodwater as it may be contaminated

Risk rating

Taking into account the potential risks, you should calculate your risk using the likelihood and severity calculation below.

Risk equals likelihood multiplied by severity
Both likelihood and severity are scored on a scale of 1-3 (see below)
Maximum risk score is therefore 9

Likelihood

Likelihood is the probability of an occurrence considering the control measures that you have in place.

Likelihood scoring
Likelihood score	Description
1 (Low)	Where harm is unlikely to occur under normal circumstances. Low expectation of occurrence
2 (Medium)	Where harm is likely to occur in time or exposure to the hazard exists intermittently or hazardous event occurs occasionally
3 (High)	Where the hazard is likely to occur imminently or in the very short term, or exposure is permanent or occurs frequently or much evidence of previous harm

Severity

Severity is how serious a potential risk could be.

Severity scoring
Severity score	Description
1 (Low)	All other minor injuries – first aid treatment with no permanent harm – minor cuts and bruises
2 (Medium)	Injuries or work related illness where people are unable to undertake their normal work for more than 3 days ; semi permanent harm or injury
3 (High)	Death, major injury or work related illness, permanent harm or disability

What does my risk rating mean?

Low risk (1 - 2)

Work can proceed - significant action is not needed other than monitoring that things do not change and that existing measures are being maintained.

Medium risk (3 - 4)

Work may proceed if additional control measures are put in place within strict timescales. These measures and timescales must be in proportion to the potential consequences.

High risk (6 - 9)

Immediate action is needed to control the risk before any further activity.