Session Risk Assessment

Dynamic, on-the-day. Complete before every session.

This is a live assessment of the conditions in front of you, not a one-off document. The lead coach completes it on arrival, before participants start fishing, and reassesses during the session if anything changes: the weather turns, the water rises, the group changes, or something happens.

Work through every section. Sections expand where they apply. Anything marked as a stop means do not start, or stop, until it is resolved. When you are done, use Save as record at the foot to keep a copy, and file it the way your scheme keeps its records.

This form is for use by School Of Fish and its franchises. It sits alongside the School Of Fish Health & Safety Policy, which it puts into practice. Franchises should set their own venue, emergency, and record-keeping details in the fields below.

In an emergency

Life at risk: call 999. Give your What3Words location for the peg.
Someone in the water: Reach, Throw, Wade only if safe, Row. Do not enter deep water unless you are a trained lifeguard and it is safe.
Pollution, dead or gasping fish: Environment Agency incident hotline 0800 80 70 60.
Safeguarding concern: contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead at safeguarding@schooloffish.co.uk.

1. Session details

Date *

Venue / water *

Start time

Expected end time

Lead coach

Session type

Other coaches / volunteers present

Total participants expected

Operator email (for our records, no copy is emailed to you)

2. Group and supervision

Ratios and supervision depend on who is attending. Answer the first question to reveal the rest.

Are any participants under 18?

Number of under-18s

Number of qualified coaches supervising

Coach to junior ratio looks high. School Of Fish works to roughly 1:6 on enclosed still waters and 1:4 on rivers, canals, or open water. Add coaches, reduce the group, or move to a safer water before starting.

Supervision in place

Under-13s: a parent or guardian is staying on site or bankside for the session. 13 and over without a parent on site: written consent and verified emergency contacts are held. All coaching is in sight or hearing of others. No one-to-one in a secluded spot.

Any participant with a medical condition or additional need affecting safety on the bank?

Detail and the control in place (medication, allergy, mobility, supervision)

3. Weather and conditions

Conditions now

Thunder or lightning forecast or present?

Stop. Carbon rods conduct electricity. If lightning is present or imminent, do not start, or stop fishing at once: rods down flat, move everyone well away from the water and tall objects, and wait at least 30 minutes after the last strike. Postpone if it sets in.

Temperature risk to manage?

Heat: shade and drinking water available, hats and sun cover encouraged, watch for overheating, take breaks.

Cold: warm layers and dry kit, watch for cold hands losing grip and early signs of hypothermia, keep sessions shorter.

4. Water and venue hazards

Walk the pegs before participants arrive. The stops below must be cleared before anyone fishes.

Overhead power lines within 30 metres of any peg?

Stop. No fishing within 30 metres of overhead power cables. Relocate to pegs clear of the lines, or do not run the session here. Look up, look out.

Algae bloom, pollution, oil, or dead or gasping fish in the water?

Do not fish. Keep everyone out of and away from the water. Report it to the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60. Blue-green algae is toxic to people and dogs. Move the session or stand it down.

Water type

Water level and flow

High or fast water raises the risk of falling in and of cold water shock. Keep well back from the edge, brief everyone, and consider postponing if the bank is undercut or the flow is strong.

Bank condition at the pegs

Control in place

Deep or open water next to the pegs?

Controls for water-edge risk

A throw line of at least 20 metres is present and to hand. Participants briefed: no entering the water, no leaning out, stay back from the edge. Buoyancy aids available where the risk warrants them.

General venue checks

Trip hazards and obstructions checked (roots, pegs, undergrowth, rubbish). Other water users and public access considered. Hand gel or wipes available, and a reminder to cover cuts (Weil's disease).

5. Equipment, PPE and first aid

Before fishing starts

Eye protection (sunglasses or clear safety glasses) available for everyone fishing. This is mandatory. Barbless or micro-barbed hooks only. At least 5 metres between anglers when casting. Tackle checked: no cracked rod sections, seating stable and locked. A stocked first aid kit is present and to hand. Unhooking mats and wet-handling kit ready for fish welfare.

6. Emergency preparedness

Qualified first aider on site (name)

What3Words for the pegs

Nearest A&E or emergency vehicle access point

Muster point

Is there usable mobile signal at the water?

Alternative plan for raising the alarm

Emergency contact details are held for every participant.

7. Additional hazards identified on the day

Anything specific to this session or venue that the sections above did not cover. Record the hazard, who is at risk, the control you have put in place, and the risk that remains.

Hazard	Who is at risk	Control measure	Residual risk

8. Decision and sign-off

Overall decision *

Reason for postponing or standing down

I have assessed the conditions at this venue today, put the controls above in place, and will reassess and act if conditions change during the session.

Lead coach (sign) *

Date and time of assessment

Fields marked * are needed to submit. Submitting sends a copy to School Of Fish (info@schooloffish.co.uk) as the central record. Your own copy is the PDF. See our Privacy Policy for how the data is handled.