If you’re visiting a garden—be prepared and stay safe. The WHS Policy and procedures and forms are here.
Activity leader
Your role as leader is to ensure duty of care for everyone on the visit, including yourself. Duty of care means making certain that all reasonable steps are undertaken to ensure the safety, health and well-being of participants and others likely to be affected by the activity’. This includes the garden owner.
Given this duty of care:
- Only visit gardens that are accessible to people and does not present difficulties
- Ensure the garden owner is comfortable hosting the number of people expected
- Brief participants on the hazards and how to manage them on the visit
Plan your visit
- Research the visit to the garden and make sure the owner is comfortable with the visit and number of people expected
- Understand from the owner any hazards of the garden
- Check the APS NSW Risk Register and adjust for this situation
- Pre-test the visit prior to the day
- Check weather forecasts and be aware that weather conditions can change rapidly. Be ready to cancel the visit if the weather is unsuitable
- Consider and plan for refreshment locations, bathroom facilities
Before the visit start
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Introduce yourself to participants and clearly describe any potential hazards.
Tell people what to do in an emergency.
Outline the agenda for the day
- Introduce the owner of the garden and ask them to share about the garden and any safety hazards and agreed itinerary
- Ensure all participants complete sign¬on sheet.
- Conduct a starting head count.
- Ensure a first aid kit, plus any other appropriate equipment are brought to the activity.
- Ask all participants to report any incidents no matter how minor they seem at the time.
- Be very careful around water sources and waterfalls
If someone is hurt, or there is an incident or near miss
- Immediately take care of the person using first aid
- Contact Emergency services if serious
- After the walk, contact the District Group President and APS NSW President of the injury
- After the walk, complete the Injury Form
- If there is an incident or near miss, complete the Incident Form and submit to the District Group President and APS NSW President as soon as possible
Visitor to the garden
Role
Your role is to be part of a group and operate under the direction of the leader of the visit and the garden owner.
- Bring your own, food, water, medication and first aid kit - as outlined below
- Wear the right clothing, as outlined below
- Sign the attendance form
- Understand the risks
- Inform the leader at any time if you feel unwell.
