This paper outlines the outcomes from three rounds of action learning sets with a charity that supports vulnerable adults and those with learning disabilities in supported living and residential care. The action learning sets focused on safeguarding cases and how they had been managed by 11 leaders at various levels of the charity (the team). The…

The ability to handle chemicals safely is a key aspect of the learning development of students studying chemistry; however, there have been no previously reported investigations of the quantity of chemicals spilled by students during lab experiments. Therefore, the first part of this article reports the assessment of the volume of chemicals…

Sport is an increasingly important area of society both inside and outside of the school environment although this has not always been the case. Greater interest in sports policy is also emerging at both a European and International level with the prospective of a "Rights" based approach developing. The safety of those playing sport is…

The tendency for the press and public to over-react on safety. The need to balance risk against benefit. The difference between hazard and risk. Preventative or protective steps (control measures) to reduce the risk from particular hazards. Examples in school science, including the use of eye protection and alternative strategies, if eye…

Purpose: The paper seeks to show that narrative close call reporting is one strand of an ongoing collaborative inquiry project with 300 staff aiming to improve teamwork in operating theatres in a large UK hospital. How teams deal with close calls ("accidents waiting to happen") reveals resourcefulness but exposes flaws, including…

The Government White Paper "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation" (1999) provides a clear indication that accidents are a serious public health problem and have been targeted by the Department of Health as a key area for prevention over the next 10 years. School-based injury prevention programmes have been identified as one of the key…

In the United Kingdom, insurance is becoming harder to get and society is becoming increasingly more likely to demand criminal sanctions when accidents occur. Adventure educators can protect themselves by having a demonstrable, transparent system of risk assessment, safety equipment, training, and control, but they must also educate the public to…

Discusses Alan Hales's model of safety management in the context of caving. When two sets of hazards, human and environmental, are present together, risk occurs. Objective risk is uncontrollable and should be avoided in educational settings; subjective risk is controllable. Presents positive and negative strategies for engaging or avoiding…

Describes duties and responsibilities of outdoor instructors under British criminal and civil law. Discusses elements of negligence under civil law including damage, duty of care, standard of care, in loco parentis, students' duty of care, foreseeability, and employer's legal duty. Presents risk management in terms of primary, secondary, and…

The (British) Adventure Activities Licensing Authority ensures that adventure activities are run by competent people who follow good practices. Discusses how the technical competence of technical advisors is determined, and how their role varies in different situations. Legal responsibility remains with the provider, who must ensure that someone…

Suggestions for meeting licensing requirements for adventure education programs in the United Kingdom include identifying risks that could result in death or disabling injury, determining whether these risks are being adequately controlled, documenting appropriate supervision of instructors, developing a safety policy that addresses staff…

This publication discusses the future of university sport development in the United Kingdom in response to a report of the Department for National Heritage calling for revitalization of British sport at all levels. This report integrates findings and recommendations of a special task force, a government working party, and consultation papers of…