CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
Specialist Classroom and Facility Activity Risk Register
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Maintained and academy primary and secondary schools in England with applicable drama, sports, laboratory, art, IT, design and technology, or other specialist facilities.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Activity-specific assessment and management for specialist classrooms and facilities involving specialist equipment or substances. Record the facility, activity, equipment or substances, people exposed, and the boundaries of each register entry. Apply entries only where relevant to the facility and activity being assessed.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
Inadequate identification and management of hazards associated with specialist activities, equipment or substances.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Define the facility and activity covered. Identify the equipment, substances, processes and people who may be affected, including pupils, staff, visitors, contractors and anyone requiring additional support. Assess the activity-specific hazards rather than relying solely on an ordinary classroom checklist. Record the controls selected for the particular facility and review them when the activity, equipment, substances, staffing, users or arrangements change.
Local assessment and additional controls
Contact with, inhalation of, ingestion of or other exposure to hazardous substances, including substances used or produced during the activity, where applicable.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Where substances are used or produced, identify them and their relevant hazards from current information. Define safe handling, storage, labelling, quantities, access restrictions, ventilation, personal protective equipment, spill response, disposal and emergency arrangements appropriate to the activity. Consider exposure routes and people who may be particularly vulnerable. Do not use a substance or process until the required information and controls have been confirmed.
Local assessment and additional controls
Moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces, pressure, electrical energy or other equipment-related sources of injury, where applicable.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- List the equipment and intended use. Confirm that equipment is suitable for the activity, accessible only to authorised or supervised users where necessary, and operated in accordance with available manufacturer or organisational instructions. Define guarding, isolation, supervision, safe setup, safe shutdown, inspection, maintenance and fault-reporting arrangements. Remove defective equipment from use until its safety has been established.
Local assessment and additional controls
Fire, explosion, ignition, combustion or uncontrolled reaction arising from equipment, substances, heat sources, compressed systems or activity processes, where applicable.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Identify potential ignition sources, combustible materials, reactive substances, heat-producing equipment and any process-specific fire or explosion hazards. Define controls for separation, quantities, storage, ventilation, supervision, emergency isolation, ignition-source management and housekeeping. Confirm that users know the relevant emergency arrangements and that the activity does not obstruct escape routes or emergency equipment.
Local assessment and additional controls
Slips, trips, falls, falling objects, impact or unsafe movement within the facility or during the activity.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Plan the layout, access routes, working positions, storage and movement of people and materials. Keep floors, routes and exits suitable for the activity and address trailing leads, spills, clutter, unstable storage, raised or suspended items and changes in level. Define arrangements for setting up, clearing away, transporting equipment and responding to spills or obstructions.
Local assessment and additional controls
Manual handling, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, repetitive activity, awkward posture or excessive physical effort, where applicable.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Identify loads, handling distances, frequency, available space and any task-specific physical demands. Reduce handling where reasonably practicable through layout, storage, mechanical assistance, team handling or smaller loads. Define who may undertake the task, the required instruction or supervision, and arrangements for handling equipment, materials, scenery, sports items, tools or other activity-related objects.
Local assessment and additional controls
Exposure to noise, vibration, heat, cold, radiation, lighting conditions or other physical agents, where applicable.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Identify physical agents generated by the activity or equipment and the people potentially exposed. Define controls such as limiting duration, increasing distance, shielding, ventilation, temperature management, equipment selection, maintenance, access restriction and suitable personal protective equipment where required. Include arrangements for users who may be more sensitive to the physical conditions.
Local assessment and additional controls
Unauthorised, unsupervised or inappropriate use of specialist equipment, substances, facilities or processes.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Define permitted users, competence requirements, supervision levels, access arrangements and activities that are prohibited or restricted. Provide task-specific information and instruction before use. Keep equipment and substances secure when not in use and define how substitutions, changes to the activity, unfamiliar users and non-routine use will be assessed before proceeding.
Local assessment and additional controls
Failure to respond effectively to an incident, spill, equipment failure, injury, exposure, fire or other emergency arising from the specialist activity.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Define foreseeable emergencies for the activity and facility. Record immediate actions, stopping or isolating equipment, securing the area, obtaining assistance, first aid, exposure or spill response, evacuation, reporting and recovery arrangements as applicable. Ensure emergency information is available to relevant users and that arrangements do not depend on unverified assumptions about equipment, substances, staffing or the facility.
Local assessment and additional controls
Risks arising from changes, non-routine activities, temporary setups, shared use, maintenance, cleaning, delivery, storage or contractor work.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Identify non-routine and shared-use arrangements that may introduce different hazards or users. Assess temporary setups, demonstrations, performances, practical examinations, events, maintenance, cleaning, deliveries and contractor activities before they take place. Define handover, segregation, access, supervision, housekeeping, reinstatement and review arrangements, and update the register when the circumstances change.
Local assessment and additional controls