Safe Outdoor Navigation with Local Information

This guideline aims to cover visits to places at which there may be an area of accepted or assumed risk not covered by the regulations for such activities as canoeing, hillwalking, rock climbing etc. (see Guideline 8). Obvious examples of "hazardous natural environments" are: 1 COASTAL AREAS (involving cliffs, tides, high seas, dangerous bathing etc.) 2 INLAND WATERWAYS (e.g. rivers, lakes, canals with danger of falling into cold and muddy water etc.) 3 REMOTE HILL COUNTRY (with obvious weather, navigation, accident/evacuation problems etc.) 4 RUINED BUILDING/HIGH STRUCTURES, QUARRIES etc. (including danger of falling, injury from loosened stones etc.) 5 CAVES, OLD MINE WORKINGS etc. (particularly hazardous environments demanding very careful preparation). All these environments which could involve visits by primary and secondary schools and youth groups can be found in the Borders. Access to local knowledge should not prove to be a major difficulty, in many cases the Outdoor Education Section will be able to advise. Hazardous environments place additional responsibilities upon the group leaders due to the nature of the increased risk. In these circumstances "reasonable care" would include: i) Identify the nature and extent of possible hazards ii) What bearing does this have on preparation and organisation? iii) Does it require "specialised knowledge" (e.g. tides), training or is it a matter of applying "common sense"? iv) Can the hazard be accommodated by prior inspection, pre-knowledge, special rules and behaviour, special equipment, outside help and expertise? What "extra" considerations does it merit? v) Having taken specific steps and precautions is the activity now acceptable? vi) Where a measure of independent pupil activity is to be permitted, can students identify and deal with possible dangers from their own knowledge and experience? Positive steps should be taken to ensure that this is the case and agreed contact procedures should be applied