Explanation of Risk Assessments for the Department for Learning at the Imperial War Museum Duxford

Please read this information carefully before proceeding to the risk assessment documents.

Duxford has a new policy on the supervision of school groups. It is essential to read what your child protection responsibilities are.

We are obliged to consider the health and safety implications of all activities we are undertaking at the Museum, both in terms of routine activities and special educational events.

In order to calculate the risk to health, we consider the nature of the activities, the potential hazards and the likelihood of occurrence. We then consider the control measures we need to put in place to minimise these.

Then in order to calculate how high a risk an activity is, we score the hazard severity by the likelihood of occurrence on a scale of 1 to 5 and multiply the two figures together.

Hazard severity

1. No risk of injury
2. Slight (minor injury requiring first aid)
3. Moderate (injury resulting in 3 days off school/work)
4. High (causing death or serious injury to an individual)
5. Very high (causing multiple deaths and widespread destruction)

Multiplied by

Likelihood of occurrence

1. Not likely (only under freak conditions)
2. Possible (if other factors are present)
3. Quite possible (if other factors precipitate it)
4. Likely (with other effects or sheer carelessness)
5. Very likely (an accident waiting to happen)

A multiplied score of 1 means there is no, (or little) hazard, and no (or a very unlikely) likelihood of it happening any more than a child falling over its own two feet! Formal written risk assessments for a multiplied figure of 5 or less would not normally even be carried out in most organisations (other than a mental risk assessment), though for schools we provide a written brief to demonstrate that we have considered the potential hazards, even though we may have come to the conclusion that there are no significant risks.

A figure of 25 (5x5) would mean that the hazard was great (life threatening) and the chances of it happening very likely.

The control measures demonstrate that the hazards and organisation of the activity have been carefully considered and by having these in place, the likelihood of occurrence will be less. You can download the risk assessment for the regular activity you have chosen, one for general visitors to the site and for special educational events.

The Risk Assessments were written in January 2007, and revised in January 2008 when no changes were necessary.

Risk Assessment Documents to download as pdfs can be found here:

General Site Visit

Daily Talks and Workshops

Special Needs

Science and Technology Special Events

History, Art and Dance Special Events

Family Activities