Risk Assessment Policy as Coach Hire Operators
At Buses Excetera, we never compromise on your safety when offering you cheap coaches and affordable coach hire prices when you hire a coach from us. We operate to the highest standards within the coach hire industry for the maintenance of our vehicles. Passenger and employee safety is paramount in our thinking and to this end, we have a documented Health and Safety Policy and fully documented systems for coach safety management and inspections not only to ensure compliance with our legal obligations but to ensure the safety of our passengers and the general public.
All aspects of driver operation and the preventative maintenance of vehicles are subject to continual risk assessment. It is the responsibility of staff to identify areas where additional risk assessments need to be carried out, bringing these to the attention of their Health and Safety Officer. We will be happy to assist with your preparations.
Find a generic sample of our risk assessment for coach-hire transport below. If you require a specific risk assessment for your trip and/or journey, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Risk Assessment – Coach Hire Transport
| Hazard | People Harmed | Risk Control | Further Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road Accident | All | If the conditions of either the bus or the driver are considered to be dangerous the venture is not allowed to proceed. | Ensure that buses used have appropriate documentation and drivers hold relevant qualifications prior to booking. |
| Road Accident – injuries to passengers | All | Young people sitting in seats with seat belts fastened at all times when the bus is in motion.Young people must not be allowed to move around the vehicle when it is in motion. Where there is a toilet on board it is used only in an emergency. Toilet stops arranged for the journey at appropriate intervals. Young people must not distract the driver when the vehicle is in motion. Appropriate insurance is arranged for young people during the journey, | Staff supervision to ensure that this is complied with throughout the journey. |
| Road Accident | All | If the accident is not serious On normal road keep pupils safe by remaining on the transport if it is safe to do so. If not the move the young people to a safe location protected from oncoming traffic.When moving follow the highway code and use staff to supervise the young people to avoid danger.If the accident is seriousMove those able to walk away from the scene of the accident keeping them safe throughout. This will have to be assessed at the time.Deal with casualties as best as you can until emergency help arrives. | Control communications with parents. Contact school as soon as possible. Control communications with parents.Contact school and Crisis Line as soon as possible.Co-operate with the emergency services and at least one member of staff accompanies an injured young person to hospital. They remain there until parents or guardians arrive. |
| Mechanical breakdown – motorway | All | Get the party behind the side crash barrier as soon as possible. | Keep the young people in a safe position until either the problem is fixed or replacement transport arrives. Check transport that firms have procedures in place to cover such circumstances. |
| Breakdown of transport – normal roads | All | On normal road keep pupils safe by remaining on the transport if it is safe to do so. If not the move the young people to a safe location protected from oncoming traffic.When moving follow the highway code and use staff to supervise the young people to avoid danger. | Keep the young people in a safe position until either the problem is fixed or replacement transport arrives. Check transport that firms have procedures in place to cover such circumstances. |
| Young person becomes ill or is injured | Young People | Young people informed what to do in the case of emergency. Member of staff identified to accompany the injured or ill young person to hospital if necessary.Staff will remain there until parents/guardians arrive or the patient is released. | Supervision reorganised to take into account the member of staff now off-site. Arrangements to return the member of staff and young person if necessary either to school or the intended venue. |
| Member of staff becomes ill or is injured | Staff | Supervision reorganised to take into account the member of staff now missing.Contact made with establishment so that next of kin can be informed as soon as possible. Plan B brought into play if supervision levels now prevent the original activities from taking place. Additional / replacement member of staff to join the venture to maintain supervision levels. Group return home early if supervision levels fall below the required standard for safety to be maintained. | Plan B prepared and fully risk assessed. Contact Outdoor Education Adviser for advice. |
| Young Person gets lost | Young People | Head count taken on a regular basis especially when young people leave and re-board transport. | |
| Child Protection | Young People | Staff supervision to ensure that there is no time where the driver is alone with either individual or small groups, of young people. Supervision of young people at public toilets if used during the visit. The age and maturity of the young people will have to be taken onto account. | If there is not same sex supervision for this use the unisex disabled toilet for the sex without direct supervision. |
