Tips for Holding a Safe Allotment Open Day
07/29/2024
Hosting an open day at your allotment is a wonderful way to engage with the community, share your gardening knowledge, and showcase the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour. However, ensuring the safety of all visitors is crucial to the success of the event. Here are some essential tips to help you hold a safe and enjoyable allotment open day.
Conduct a Comprehensive Risk Assessment
Before the event, conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential hazards. This involves walking through the allotment and noting any areas that could pose a risk to visitors. Consider factors such as uneven paths, exposed sharp tools, and any areas where visitors could trip or fall.
- Identify Hazards: Walk through the allotment to spot any potential risks.
- Evaluate Risks: Assess the likelihood and severity of each hazard.
- Implement Controls: Take steps to address identified risks, such as repairing paths, marking hazardous areas, and ensuring tools are stored safely.
Keeping Visitors Safe
Ensuring the safety of visitors should be your top priority. Here are some key considerations:
- Supervision: Have volunteers or staff members available to guide visitors and provide assistance.
- First Aid: Ensure there is a first aid kit on site and easily accessible.
- Emergency Plan: Develop an emergency plan and make sure all volunteers are familiar with it. This should include procedures for dealing with accidents, fires, or any other emergencies.
Maintain Clear Walkways
Clear and accessible walkways are essential for preventing accidents, plus protecting your members’ plots and the plants they are growing.
- Remove Obstacles: Ensure that all paths are free from clutter such as garden tools, hoses, and plant pots.
- Slip hazards: Look out for slip hazards such as moss build-up, algae or dead leaves.
- Signage: Use clear signage to direct visitors along safe routes and highlight any areas that are off-limits.
- Lighting: If your event extends into the evening, ensure pathways are well-lit to prevent trips and falls.
- Wires & pipes: Ensure that all electrical cords and cables are properly secured and do not pose a tripping hazard. Use cord covers or cable ties to keep pathways clear. This also applies to stray hosepipes.
Secure Sheds and Equipment
Gardening tools and equipment can pose significant risks if not properly managed.
- Lock Sheds: Keep sheds locked when not in use to prevent unauthorised access to potentially dangerous tools.
- Safe Storage: Store all sharp and heavy tools securely and out of reach of children.
- Safe Storage: Store chemicals in a locked cabinet or shed, away from areas accessible to visitors.
- Mark Boundaries: Clearly mark areas where visitors should not enter, especially around sheds and equipment storage.
Health and safety precautions
By taking general health and safety precautions you can significantly enhance the safety of your open day.
- Hand Hygiene: Provide handwashing stations or hand sanitisers, especially if there are activities involving soil or plants.
- Weather Preparedness: Be prepared for different weather conditions. Provide shaded areas for sunny days and shelter in case of rain.
- Electrics: Ensure that all electrical equipment is weatherproof or protected from the elements. Consider the use of residual current devices (RCDs) where there is a risk of water leaks or accidental damage.
- Hydration: Ensure there is access to drinking water to keep visitors hydrated, especially on hot days.
- Food: If you are serving food, be sure to follow good food hygiene practises (see our guide on ‘Food hygiene for outdoor events’)
Engage and Inform Visitors
Keeping your volunteers and visitors informed about safety measures can prevent accidents and ensure a smooth event.
- Safety Briefing: Give a short safety briefing to your team at the start of the open day, highlighting key points such as the location of first aid, emergency contacts, and areas to avoid.
- Information Boards: Use information boards to display important safety information and any rules visitors should follow.
- Volunteer Assistance: Have volunteers stationed around the allotment to guide visitors and answer any questions they may have.
Working with third-Party vendors
If you are inviting third-party vendors, such as food trucks or ice cream vans, to your open day, it's important to ensure they adhere to safety and hygiene standards.
- Insurance: Verify that all third-party vendors have their own insurance, including liability coverage, to protect against any accidents or incidents that may occur.
- Hygiene Practices: Ensure vendors follow good hygiene practices. This includes having appropriate food handling certifications and maintaining clean and sanitary conditions.
- Location Planning: Position vendors in a convenient and safe area, ensuring they do not obstruct walkways or emergency exits.
- Vendor Communication: Communicate your safety expectations clearly with all vendors prior to the event. Provide them with any necessary information about your site and emergency procedures.
- Electrical Requirements: Discuss power requirements with vendors beforehand. Ensure that electrical equipment and connections are checked before the event. Look for any signs of wear or damage.
By following these tips and taking proactive steps to manage risks, you can ensure that your allotment open day is not only enjoyable but also safe for everyone involved. A little preparation goes a long way in creating a welcoming and secure environment for your community. Enjoy your open day with peace of mind, knowing that you have taken every precaution to keep your visitors safe.
Public Liability Insurance for your open day
Most public liability insurance policies cover not-for-profit organisations, like Allotments, for a set number of events each year. This means your open day and other events will be protected, giving you peace of mind. Public liability insurance helps protect your organisation from claims related to property damage, personal injury, and legal costs that might come up during your events or operations. This insurance cover could help ensure your organisation can run smoothly without worrying about unexpected incidents.
