The Legal Framework

Health and safety law in the UK is built on a foundation of practical, proportionate risk management. The primary legislation is the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which places a general duty on every employer and self-employed person to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of everyone affected by their work. That includes your staff, your participants, their parents, and anyone else at your venue.

For children's activity providers, several additional sets of regulations are relevant:

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: Requires you to carry out risk assessments and put appropriate measures in place
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR): Defines which accidents and incidents must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: Requires a fire risk assessment for any premises you control or operate from
Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981: Requires you to provide adequate first aid provision

If you employ five or more people, you must have a written health and safety policy. Even if you employ fewer, having a written policy is good practice and reassures parents and venue owners that you take safety seriously.

Risk Assessments: The Foundation of Everything

A risk assessment is not a box-ticking exercise. It is a structured way of thinking about what could go wrong and what you are doing to prevent it. Done well, risk assessments protect children, protect your staff, and protect your business from liability.

What You Need to Assess

You need risk assessments for:

Each venue you use (considering the specific hazards of that space)
Each activity you deliver (different sports carry different risks)
Specific equipment (trampolines, climbing frames, pool equipment)
Special events (performances, competitions, outdoor sessions, trips)
Specific participant needs (children with medical conditions, disabilities, or additional needs)

The Five-Step Process

The HSE recommends a five-step approach to risk assessment:

Step 1: Identify the hazards. Walk through the venue and think about each activity. What could cause harm? Slippery floors, sharp edges, heavy equipment, deep water, hot surfaces, trip hazards, inadequate lighting, poor ventilation.
Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how. Consider children of different ages and abilities, staff, parents, spectators, and visitors. A hazard that an adult would avoid might injure a three-year-old.
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions. For each hazard, consider how likely it is to cause harm and how serious the consequences would be. Then decide what you will do about it: eliminate the hazard entirely, substitute with something safer, put guards or barriers in place, change your procedure, or provide protective equipment.
Step 4: Record your findings and implement them. Write down the hazards, who is at risk, and the measures you are taking. Make sure everyone on your team knows what the measures are and follows them.
Step 5: Review and update regularly. Risk assessments should be reviewed at least annually, and immediately after any incident, near-miss, or change in venue, equipment, or activity.

Venue Safety Checks

Whether you own your venue or hire halls, pools, or outdoor spaces, you need to check safety before every session. A venue that was safe last week may not be safe today if something has changed.

Pre-Session Check Routine

Develop a standard check that your team completes before participants arrive:

Floor surface: Clean, dry, free from debris. Check for spills, loose tiles, or damaged surfaces
Equipment: All equipment in good condition and correctly assembled. Remove or repair any damaged items
Exits: Fire exits clear, unlocked, and signed. Know where they are and ensure your team knows
Temperature and ventilation: Is the space at an appropriate temperature? Is there adequate airflow?
Lighting: Sufficient lighting for the activity, especially in corners and around equipment
Hazards: Scan for anything unusual: exposed cables, unstable furniture, protruding fixtures, wet areas
First aid kit: Present, stocked, and accessible. Check contents monthly

Use a simple checklist form and keep completed copies on file. If you use a management platform like AMES, you can create digital checklists that are timestamped and stored automatically, which provides a clear audit trail if you ever need to demonstrate due diligence.

Equipment Maintenance

Equipment failures are a foreseeable and preventable cause of injury. Regular maintenance is both a legal requirement and common sense.

Maintenance Schedule

Before every session: Visual inspection of all equipment to be used. Look for cracks, tears, loose bolts, fraying, and wear
Weekly: More thorough inspection of high-use items. Clean and sanitise mats, floats, and shared equipment
Monthly: Detailed check of all equipment, including items in storage. Replace anything showing significant wear
Annually: Professional inspection of fixed equipment (wall bars, trampolines, climbing walls) and any electrical equipment (PAT testing)

Keep a maintenance log recording each inspection, what was checked, any issues found, and the action taken. This documentation protects you if an incident occurs and questions are asked about equipment condition.

Accident Reporting and RIDDOR

When an accident happens, and in any active environment involving children, minor incidents are inevitable, you need to record it properly and determine whether it must be reported to the HSE under RIDDOR.

Internal Accident Recording

Every accident, however minor, should be recorded in an accident book or digital record. Include:

Date, time, and location
Name and age of the injured person
What happened (factual description)
The injury sustained
First aid treatment given
Names of witnesses
Follow-up action taken

Inform the child's parent or guardian as soon as possible, and ask them to sign the accident record to acknowledge they have been informed.

RIDDOR Reporting

You must report to the HSE under RIDDOR if:

A participant, visitor, or member of the public is taken directly to hospital for treatment as a result of an accident arising from your activity
An employee suffers a specified injury (fracture, amputation, loss of consciousness, or any injury requiring hospital admission for more than 24 hours)
An employee is incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days as a result of a workplace accident
A dangerous occurrence takes place (structural collapse, equipment failure, near-miss with potential for serious injury)

Reports must be made online at the HSE's RIDDOR website within 10 days of the incident (or 15 days for an over-7-day employee incapacitation). Fatal and specified injuries must be reported by telephone immediately.

Fire Safety

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the "responsible person" for any premises to carry out a fire risk assessment and maintain appropriate fire safety measures. If you hire a venue, the venue owner is typically the responsible person, but you still have duties to cooperate with their fire safety arrangements and ensure your activities do not increase the fire risk.

Your Responsibilities

Know the fire exits: Before your first session at any venue, identify all fire exits and the assembly point
Brief your team: Every staff member and volunteer should know the evacuation procedure for each venue you use
Brief participants: At the start of each term or for each new participant, point out the fire exits
Do not obstruct exits: Keep equipment, bags, and prams away from fire escape routes
Know where extinguishers are: And know which type to use for which fire. Do not attempt to fight a fire unless it is small, contained, and you have a clear escape route behind you
Practise evacuation: Run a fire drill at least once per term at each venue

Water Safety

If you run pool-based activities, water safety is paramount. Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death in children in the UK, and it can happen silently in seconds.

Pool-Specific Requirements

Qualified lifeguard or pool-side safety: Depending on your arrangement with the pool, either their lifeguard or your qualified staff must provide constant pool-side supervision
Instructor-to-child ratios: Follow your governing body's guidance. Swim England recommends ratios based on age, ability, and pool depth, typically ranging from 1:4 for non-swimmers to 1:12 for competent swimmers
Normal Operating Procedures (NOP): The pool should have a written NOP covering supervision, maximum bather loads, water quality, and emergency procedures
Emergency Action Plan (EAP): A written plan for what happens in a pool emergency, including who does what, where rescue equipment is, and how emergency services are called
Pool-side rescue equipment: Reach poles, throw bags, and lifebuoys should be readily accessible and your staff should know how to use them

Ensure every instructor holds a current pool-side rescue qualification appropriate to their role. Swim England and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) both offer relevant qualifications.

Outdoor Activity Safety

Outdoor sessions bring additional considerations that indoor venues do not.

Weather assessment: Check conditions before every outdoor session. Have clear criteria for when you cancel (lightning, extreme heat, high winds, ice). Communicate cancellation procedures to parents in advance
Sun protection: In summer, ensure children have sun cream, hats, and access to shade. Schedule intensive activity for cooler parts of the day. Be alert to signs of heat exhaustion
Ground conditions: Check the playing surface for hazards: dog mess, broken glass, uneven ground, waterlogged areas, hidden holes
Boundaries: Ensure the activity area is clearly defined and, where necessary, enclosed. Near roads, car parks, or water, physical barriers or constant supervision are essential
Visibility: Account for reduced daylight in autumn and winter. Ensure children are visible (high-vis bibs) and that the area is adequately lit

Creating a Safety Culture

Rules and checklists are essential, but they only work if safety is genuinely embedded in how your team thinks and operates. A safety culture means that everyone, from the business owner to the newest volunteer, takes personal responsibility for spotting and addressing hazards.

Practical Steps

Lead by example: If you skip safety checks because you are running late, your team will learn that safety is optional. Always complete checks, even when time is tight.
Encourage reporting: Make it easy and safe for staff to report hazards, near-misses, and concerns without fear of blame. Every near-miss reported is a future accident prevented.
Discuss safety regularly: Include a safety item in every team meeting. Review recent incidents, discuss what went well and what could improve, and share learning.
Train continuously: Initial training is not enough. Provide refresher training annually and specific training when new hazards, equipment, or venues are introduced.
Involve parents: Share your approach to safety with parents. When they see that you take it seriously, their trust increases. Include safety information in your welcome pack and on your website.

Safety is not a burden. It is the foundation that allows children to take risks, challenge themselves, and grow in an environment where the dangers are managed and the adults around them are prepared.

Key Takeaways

Understand your legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act, RIDDOR, and fire safety legislation.
Conduct thorough risk assessments for every venue, activity, and piece of equipment, and review them at least annually.
Complete pre-session safety checks at every venue before participants arrive, using a consistent checklist.
Maintain equipment on a regular schedule and keep a written maintenance log.
Record every accident and know when RIDDOR reporting is required.
Know the fire exits and evacuation procedures for every venue and practise them regularly.
Apply extra care around water and outdoors, where the risks to children are highest.
Build a safety culture where every team member takes personal responsibility and reporting is encouraged.