Having researched on the internet about a hundred pages on the subject of “Risk Assessment” that was never heard of when I was a young boy – all the scrapes I found myself in was nobody’s business. Nowadays it’s a different kind of thing that anybody like me playing in the year 1946 outside to today’s child may be at risk at whatever he or she likes to do. Once a teacher thought it would be a good idea that when children played conkers, they wore protective spectacles. Should a child or parent have to spend their money on a special pair of glasses, one asks!
Any child that likes jumping, climbing, sliding, balancing from heights or hanging upside down is at risk of being injured, but surely that is the nature of the beast when you are young and young girls and boys shouldn’t be stopped doing these things, what is termed risky playing as this can have negative results and the child could experience lack of confidence, feel uncomfortable in their body, have poor balance, and a fear of movement. It is best to encourage a play environment where children can engage in movements that fulfil their sensory needs.
Apart from movement in the young, there are the costs involved of “Risk Assessment”. In many establishments such as hospitals, Care Homes, Doctors’ Surgeries, to name a few, there are “Risk Assessment Officers” whose job it is to conduct an assessment that takes up to six hours out of a day that could otherwise be spent doing other more important duties. I understand that one has to check that there is nothing on the floor that would be a risk to a patient. But surely in a hospital ward there shouldn’t be anything on a floor for a patient to trip over.
At one time in my life I spent a very long time in a hospital and all the time I was there, the journey to and from the toilet was clear of obstacles, even the cleaning staff remembered to pick up the buckets of water before they went off duty and I just wondered why it would be different in today’s world.
Perhaps I’m too cynical, but I can’t help thinking about people who have to conduct the “Risk Assessments.” Couldn’t someone streamline the questions and only take half the time doing it?
One of the questions asked was, if there was a bare wire or an electric meter hanging off the wall was it a risk? Funny thing the person answering (a Risk Assessment Expert) said NO!
