Ermintrude had an undone shoelace while playing in the playground. An undone shoelace poses a hazard as her shoe could come off, causing her to trip and get hurt. The risk of her getting hurt from an undone shoelace was assessed to be medium in both potential and likelihood of harm. While there was no immediate tiger hazard, an undone shoelace in active play still posed risks.

1. Risk Assessing
Definition of the situation
• Risk Assessment; Risk assessment methods are used to decide on priorities and to set
objectives for eliminating hazard, and reducing risks. Wherever possible, risks are
eliminated through selection and design of facilities, equipment or process. If risks cannot
be eliminated, they are minimised by use of physical controls or, at a last resort, through
systems of work and personal protective equipment. [HSG 65]
• Hazard: A hazard is the potential of a substance, activity or process to cause
harm. A hazard can be ranked relative to other hazards or to possible level of
danger.
• Risk: A risk is the likelihood of a substance, activity or process to cause harm.
A risk can be reduced and a hazard controlled by good management
• Harm:When harm is seen as Social, Physical, Psychological or Environmental
damage caused by a substance, human activity or process, Where the
Environment is seen as either Natural, Physical, Social or Cultural [Spiritual]
or all parts as a whole.[My definition]
Purpose and Scope
• Child's health and Well-being
Practical demonstration of Actions, Consistencies and Conscience
Child Focused
• using the child's imagination
• using the child's practical experience of every day living
The tiger's story and the shoelace
The tiger's story
[Where a tiger is seen as a hazard to humans]
A tiger is quite shy and usually tries to avoid humans who enter into its natural
environment. Nature has provided it with camouflage to hide in the long grass.
The tiger is quite safe in relation to humans until it enters a village or a social
environment, then he becomes a hazard.
These days tigers are a protected species, when a tiger enters a village, villagers drive
the tiger a way by collectively beating the ground with sticks or by reporting the
sighting to the Nature Reserve wardens, who will then come to deal with the potential
hazard.

2. However, years ago when curious and inquisitive human beings usually from Europe
or America came across these creatures they either shot them as trophies or captured
them and sent them home for public viewing, where the animals were caged in a zoo.
Fortunately these days tigers are only put in cages as and when necessary.
What happens if a tiger escapes from captivity and enters our social environment?
The tiger becomes a hazard as there is a potential that he may cause harm, people are
put at risk as there is a likelihood that they could be harmed.
What should we do if we are ever placed in this situation?
Inform an adult, call for help or do nothing? If you can 'inform an adult'
The adult should assess the situation and contain or control the hazard. [The tiger]
The adult can shoot the tiger with a tranquilliser dart, and when it is subdued, the
responsible adult and her team can put the tiger in a cage.
Containing the hazard, reducing the potential and likelihood that the tiger could cause
harm and protecting you from the risk by putting the tiger in a cage.
The hazard [Tiger] is still there, it has not disappeared throughout the story, but the
risk has been removed or reduced and the hazard contained or controlled.
The shoelace
This story is about a shoelace, buckle, bow or the hooky-fluffy-strappy thing that
holds your shoe, sandal, trainer or flip-flop on to your foot.
For ease of story telling I'm just going to call it a shoelace. However, you can
substitute this word with buckle, bow, that hooky-fluffy-strappy thing or what ever
holds your shoe, sandal, trainer or flip-flop on to your foot.
Girls and boys, dogs and cats enjoy activities such as chasing things or each other, it
is fun to play.
The difference between girls and boys and dogs and cats in this instance, is that dogs
and cats don't usually wear shoes.
You have probably been informed that 'If you leave your shoelace undone your shoe
could come off and be trapped under your wheel or you could trip and fall injuring
and hurting yourself' If not I've said it now.

3. Ermintrude had been paying attention to the story when she was informed about these
dangers. However she was now having fun in the playground, whizzing around
chasing Donnelly. Donnelly was enjoying the game too.
She had noticed her shoelace was undone earlier that morning, but nothing had
happened. She hadn't hurt herself then and she wasn't going to hurt herself now.
She knew there were no hazards around this area as she had never seen a tiger
recently apart from on a nature programme and that was two weeks ago.
The humming buzz of excitement and euphoria echoed through the empty school
hallways and classroom, drifting in and out of the main hall.
This is where Joan was sitting, eating some sandwiches she had prepared with the
children earlier that morning, she was also chatting to Tom who in turn was sipping
his tea from a china cup.
It seemed to be an ordinary lunchtime, most of the children and adults were out in the
playground or going about there own business elsewhere.
Joan was the first to notice the deadly silence, Tom responded by raising his hand to
his ear and frowning, Gorge came out from behind the serving counter and Dianne
asked the question on everyone's lips 'What's occurring?'
In relation to Ermintrude...What was the hazard?
What was the risk?
A) What was the potential of that hazard causing harm?
➢ High, Medium or Low
or
➢ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 where 5 is high and 1 is low
B)What was the likelihood or chance that that risk could cause harm?
➢ High, Medium or Low
or
➢ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 where 5 is high and 1 is low
add A to B
…......................Had you been Ermintrude would you have done up your shoelace?
Footnote [There is no right or wrong answer to this question as risk assessments are a subjective
view of one moment in time, this is why two or more people should be involved in this process]