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Health & Safety

Every society activity needs a risk assessment before it goes ahead. They may seem complicated at first, but they are straightforward once you get the hang of it.

  • Write your risk assessment

    It is essential that you write an accurate risk assessment for everything your society runs, and submit it to SMSU before your activity takes place. The template Master Risk Assessment will help you.

    Committee members may need to sign in to open the template.

    Master Risk Assessment

  • Planning a trip?

    If your society is going on a trip, please also complete a Travel and Trips Risk Assessment.

    Committee members may need to sign in to open the template.

    Travel and Trips Risk Assessment

  • Attach it to your form

    As part of the Event and Activity form, you must attach a completed risk assessment. For a trip, attach the travel one too.

    Open the Event and Activity form

What goes in a risk assessment

Risk assessments have four key parts:

  • Hazard

    What poses the risk?

  • Who could be harmed, and how?

    Think about everyone at your activity, not only your members.

  • Control measures

    What will you do to control the risk?

  • Risk rating

    Severity multiplied by likelihood.

  • SeverityHow bad could it be?
  • LikelihoodHow likely is it to happen?
  • Risk ratingHigher means more control measures

What it looks like

Here is a short example for a society quiz night. It is an illustration only: your own risk assessment needs to cover your own event.

  • HazardSpilt drinks on the floor
    Who could be harmed, and how?Anyone walking through the room could slip
    Control measuresClear up spills straight away, keep walkways clear and ask a committee member to check the floor during the night
  • HazardCables for the speakers and the quiz screen
    Who could be harmed, and how?Attendees and committee could trip
    Control measuresKeep cables short and out of walkways, and tape down any that have to cross a gap
  • HazardChairs and tables blocking the exits
    Who could be harmed, and how?Everyone in the room if they need to leave quickly
    Control measuresKeep exits and walkways clear at all times and stay within the venue's capacity

Then give each hazard a risk rating: severity multiplied by likelihood.

Keep going

Need help with a risk assessment?

If you need further guidance, book a meeting with our Student Opportunities Coordinator, or drop us an email at smsu.societies@stmarys.ac.uk.

Book a meeting

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