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Notes
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Canoeing is a water-based activity conducted on flat or gently moving water, designed to develop paddling skills, confidence, teamwork, and water safety awareness. All sessions are supervised by experienced leaders who are confident in leading groups on the water and, where possible, hold relevant water activity permits or qualifications.
Leaders must be aware of natural and environmental hazards such as overhanging trees, submerged branches, and floating debris, all of which can cause capsizes or entrapment. Particular attention should be paid to dynamic environmental risks that may arise during the session, including changing weather conditions, water levels, and visibility.
In addition to natural hazards, leaders and participants must also remain aware of other water users, including rowers, pleasure craft, paddleboarders, and powered boats. Canoe groups should keep to the right-hand side of rivers or agreed navigable zones, maintain group cohesion, and follow appropriate waterway etiquette to avoid collisions or conflict. Communication between all water users is essential for maintaining safety.
All leaders are expected to have access to and carry a personal rescue kit. Leaders who do not bring their own rescue kit must use the equipment stored in the boat house before the session begins. Every boat on the water must carry a throw line, and safety equipment must be checked prior to launch. In addition, a first-aid kit should be accessible either on a safety craft or on the bank within reach of the activity area. Any session must begin with a full safety briefing, covering paddling techniques, capsize drills, hazard awareness, emergency procedures, and group signals.
Participants must wear correctly fitted buoyancy aids at all times when on or near the water. Footwear with grip should be worn, and appropriate clothing for the weather and water temperature is expected. Leaders will carry out a dynamic risk assessment throughout the session and are responsible for adapting or halting the activity if conditions become unsafe. An emergency action plan should be in place and communicated to all leaders, including how to summon help and access emergency services if required. |
Hazard Identified? /
Risks from it? | Category | Who is at risk? | How are the risks already controlled?
What extra controls are needed? | What has changed that needs to be thought about and controlled? |
Hazard – something that may cause harm or damage.
Risk – the chance of it happening. | Category to help organise risks | Young people,
Leaders,
Visitors? | Controls – Ways of making the activity safer by removing or reducing the risk from it.
For example - you might use a different piece of equipment or you might change the way the activity is carried out. | Keep checking throughout the activity in case you need to change it…or even stop it! This is a great place to add comments which will be used as part of the review. |
| Slips, trips & falls on slipways or banks | Site safety | Participants & Leaders | Inspect access points; ensure clear, non-slip surfaces; use appropriate footwear; brief hazard zones. | Before each session |
| Manual handling (boats/equipment) | Physical injury | Leaders & Volunteers | Team lifting; manual-handling training; use trolleys; avoid solo lifting heavy kit. | Annually or when procedures change |
| Capsize & drowning | Life safety | Participants & Leaders | Wear correctly-fitted buoyancy aids; pre-launch capsize drill; group-to-leader ratio 4:1; ensure all are competent swimmers. | Every trip and upon changes |
| Collision with other water users | Operational safety | Participants & Leaders | Pre-launch briefing on river etiquette; maintain group control; choose quieter timing and venues; use dedicated rescue equipment. | Seasonly or site change |
| Cold water shock, hypothermia | Environmental | Participants & Leaders | Use appropriate wetsuits/drysuits; monitor weather; enforced breaks; hot drinks and clothing change for cold or rainy conditions. | Weather-dependant / monthly |
| Heat stress & sunburn | Environmental | Participants & Leaders | Encourage water intake; use sun protection (sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, lightweight clothing). | Monthly or hot weather |
| Equipment failure (boats/paddles/BA) | Equipment integrity | Participants & Leaders | Pre-use visual checks; repair or retire damaged gear; regular maintenance schedules. | Before use / monthly |
| Entrapment from obstacles (rocks/weirs) | Environmental hazard | Participants & Leaders | Pre-assess route for hazards; teach avoidance techniques; leaders to perform dynamic risk assessments on the water. | Pre-trip & ongoing active |
| Head injuries (hard impacts) | Physical injury | Participants & Leaders | Use helmets in grade ≥2 white water or rocky shores; dynamic assessment to identify when head protection is needed. | Site-dependent |
| Waterborne illness (e.g. leptospirosis) | Health | Participants | Educate on risks; post-session hygiene (showers, clean wounds); avoid swallowing water. | Annually |
| Behavioural risks (unacceptable disruption) | Behavioural safety | Participants & Spectators | Behavioural briefing; clear code of conduct; ability to stop session if needed; buddy systems. | Before each session |
| Dynamic changes (weather, water flow, group ability) | Risk management | Leaders | Ongoing dynamic risk assessment; adjust route, timing, or abort session; maintain communication via radio/phone. | Continual during each session |
| Injury from strain or overexertion | Physical injury | Participants | Warm-up and cool-down routines; teach correct paddling techniques; monitor effort levels. | Every session |
| Weather extremes (storms/lightning) | Environmental | Participants & Leaders | Check forecasts; enforce shelter rules; abort session in unsafe conditions. | Pre-trip and updated mid-session |
| Rescue incidents | Emergency response | Leaders | Leaders hold first-aid and rescue qualifications; carry first-aid kit, throw lines, rescue barrel; practice rescue drills. | 6‑monthly |
| Group separation/lost participants | Operational safety | Participants & Leaders | Assign front/back leaders; use radios/phones; set mandatory stop and regroup points. | Pre-trip and during trip |
| Dynamic environmental hazards (e.g. stoppers, tide) | Operational hazard | Participants & Leaders | Identify in static RA; on-water dynamic decisions; teach recovery from river features; practise rolling/swimming. | Ongoing |
