Practical safety guidance for Scouts, leaders, parents and outdoor groups, covering activity safety, emergency planning, equipment, fire, supervision and water safety.
A water filter can make collecting water outdoors much easier, particularly on longer walks, camping trips and adventures where carrying all the water you need isn’t practical. Rather than carrying several litres from the start, you can collect water from a suitable source and filter it as you need it. However, using a filter isn’t…
Fire can be one of the most enjoyable parts of being outdoors. Sitting around a campfire, cooking outside or learning how to light a fire are all useful experiences, but fire needs to be treated with respect from the very beginning. Children don’t need to be frightened of fire, or told to keep away, but…
When you’re outdoors, knowing what the weather might do next is an important skill. Weather forecasts are extremely useful, but scouts and outdoor explorers can also learn to notice changes in the world around them. The clouds may start to change. The wind might suddenly become stronger. The air may feel different, or the temperature…
Not every countryside hazard is obvious. Before an activity, leaders should take time to look beyond the main path and consider what could be hidden by vegetation, darkness, weather or changes in the landscape. Look at the ground, water, surrounding area, weather, access points and anything the group could come into contact with. Then decide…
A good safety briefing should tell everyone what they need to know to take part safely. Before starting, explain the main hazards, where people can and cannot go, the important rules, what to do if something goes wrong and who they should speak to if they need help. Keep the briefing short, clear and appropriate…
Fire lighting is a classic outdoor skill, but it should never be treated as simply a race to get a flame. A well-planned fire lighting activity can teach Scouts about preparation, responsibility, teamwork, fire safety and how to make sensible decisions outdoors. For younger or less experienced groups, the activity can focus on recognising equipment,…
A hazard is something that could cause harm, while a risk is the chance that someone could actually be harmed by that hazard. For example, a campfire is a hazard because it can cause burns. The risk depends on things such as how close people are standing, whether the fire is supervised and whether there…
A simple activity risk assessment is a way of identifying what could go wrong during an activity and deciding what you can do to reduce the chance of it happening. You do not need a complicated form or pages of paperwork. Start by looking at the activity, identifying the main hazards, considering who could be…
Activity Overview Difficulty: BeginnerTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Navigation, route planning, situational awareness, map reading, decision-making, group management The best way to deal with becoming lost is to avoid becoming lost in the first place. Good navigation is not simply knowing how to use a compass. It means continually…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Suitable indoor or outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Emergency procedures, leadership, communication, headcounts, search planning, risk assessment A lost-person situation should be treated as an emergency that needs an organised response, not as an excuse for everyone to immediately spread out and search. The first priorities are…
