Policies and Procedures

Risk Assessments for Volunteer-led Activities

Contents

Introduction
Community Speedwatch
Litter picking

Introduction

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It is caused by a virus called Coronavirus. Symptoms can be mild, moderate, severe or fatal.

This risk assessment details the risks associated with the spread of COVID-19 for volunteer activities and provides methods of controlling these risks. The guidance for providing a safe environment includes a requirement to carry out an appropriate COVID-19 risk assessment. This risk assessment takes each of the key principles as set out in the guidance and assesses whether or not practical arrangements can be put in place in the context of the volunteering opportunities provided by Doddington and Whisby Parish Council.

Government guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

What are the hazards:

- Spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
-

Who might be harmed?

- Staff
- Councillors
- Volunteers
- Contractors
- Members of the public

Community Speedwatch

Advice from Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire Police is that community speedwatch activities may resume. Two documents have been received by email from Lincolnshire County Council providing guidance:

1st June

29th June

I have sought clarification this morning on the resumption of CSW activity, in view of guidelines now allowing up to six people to meet outside.

This has been discussed at Senior Police level in conjunction with the LRSP and the current proposed restart date for CSW activity is Monday 15th June.

This decision is subject to the 'R' number, as we all seem to be referring to it, remaining where it needs to be following this current and any subsequent easing or tightening of restrictions between then and now.

We ask that you all give very careful consideration to the choice of agreed sites you use. Some will not be suitable with the social distancing guidelines in place, others will not.

Any obstruction of pedestrians must be avoided please.

We would also suggest that you decide and allocate roles for each member of your team, involved in the check. The operator of the Hand Held Radar for example should remain so for that day and so on to avoid handing the equipment around amongst you.

We'll leave any decisions around PPE and hand washing/sanitizer you feel appropriate with you.

Fingers crossed we'll be up and running again on 15th thanks for your patience. I know you're all keen to get back at it and I'm really pleased to hear that.

Stay Safe.

I have received a number of emails regarding the resumption of CSW Volunteer activity. I must apologise to you all, having just re read my last email it's clear I left it up in the air for final confirmation to follow.

Sorry if you've been in the starting blocks ready for confirmation. I can confirm that the Police and the LRSP are happy for CSW activity to resume with immediate effect.

The Government guidance on distancing etc seems to change on an almost weekly basis. No

criticism intended it’s a constantly changing situation based on the information they're receiving.

Our basic advice is to operate in line with current guidance. So from a practical point of view 2m apart or the new 1m with additional measures like face covering.

We obviously cant assess the vulnerability status of your volunteers due to medial conditions etc so this is an issue they will all have to consider on an individual basis.

Equipment wise I think it's whatever you feel happy with as a group. Obviously hand washing/sanitising, gloves and face coverings are all readily available now and should be used where appropriate or if preferred.

Welcome Back

Recommendation:

The risk assessment is accepted.

Volunteers may resume Community speedwatch activities in line with the risk assessment.
Risk assessments for volunteer led activities tbl2

Litter picking

Keep Britain Tidy are encouraging a Great British September Clean for groups of up to 6 people or for individuals. See https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean/coronavirus-guidance for specific guidance relating to control of coronavirus.

Recommendation:

The risk assessment is accepted.

Volunteers may resume litter-picking activities in line with the risk assessment.

Key principles	Government guidance	Controls already in place	Additional controls
General maintenance issues	Ensure equipment is safe to use.	Equipment checked before and after use. Hi-viz clothing checked before and after use. Volunteers to use own gloves.	Consider washing of h-viz clothing after use. Note that hi-viz clothing will lose its effectiveness each wash up to about 25 washes.
Social distancing	Put in place measures to support social distancing – 2m or 1m plus risk mitigations. Examples given include: Limit number of users at any one time Set a time limit	No obstructions to be put in place for pedestrians or other road users.	Maximum of 6 people to be involved in any group activity. Observe social distancing when giving out or collecting equipment and during the activity. Avoid any areas where crowds may gather or ‘pinch-points’ Volunteers to be invited directly to take part to control numbers involved.
Cleaning and hygiene	Clean high traffic touch points frequently. This includes all equipment Encourage users to clean equipment before and after use use of hand sanitiser and frequent hand washing	No handwashing facilities are provided. Members of the public and volunteers are already responsible for their own hand hygiene.	Government guidance suggests that common touch surfaces should be cleaned ‘frequently’. No definition of frequent is given. Equipment to be allocated before activities and not shared between different participants. Group leader to keep a record of equipment distributed. Volunteers to keep hold of litter-picking equipment so that only they use it. Equipment should be sanitised before storing.
			Any equipment that is returned to be sanitised at the end of the event. Waste sacks to be left in a limited number of identified places rather than in scattered locations.
Additional measures	Promote responsible behaviour by volunteers. Anybody shielding, in ‘at-risk’ groups or displaying symptoms of COVID-19 should not take part in volunteering activities	No consumption of food or drink while volunteering for litter picking activities Litter must be disposed of responsibly.	Volunteers not to go to any indoor facility together as a group. Any refreshments provided to be consumed in an outdoor setting and in line with maximum group sizes.
Face coverings	If possible, a face covering should be worn in enclosed public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible and where the public may come into contact with people they do not normally meet.		Face coverings are not a requirement for the use of outdoor facilities as they are not an enclosed setting.