hasloc

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has an active consultation called Health and Safety of Learners Outside the Classroom (HASLOC) (.doc) with proposed regulations for out of classroom school activities.

HASLOC will replace Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits: a good practice guide 1998 (known as HASPEV) and the 3-part supplement we published in 2002. HASLOC will have a wider audience across all children’s services (not just schools). It sets out the enabling nature of sensible risk management and how to reduce 'red tape'. It flags up the lessons learned from serious incidents. HASLOC also sets out how and why staff can expect to be treated fairly if a participant is injured despite their care.

So this is not just a tidy up, a simplification of existing legislation, as it extends the reach of the current regulations to encompass more organisations. It also has ridiculous content like this

APPENDIX 1 – Activities in or around water

Avoiding impromptu water-based activities

1. Swimming and paddling or otherwise entering the waters of river, canal, sea or lake should never be allowed as an impromptu activity. The pleas of children or young people to bathe – because it is hot weather, for example, or after a kayaking exercise – should be resisted where the bathing has not been prepared for. In-water activities should take place only when a proper risk assessment has been completed and proper measures put in place to control the risks.

Nanny doesn't like paddling.