Tips for Field Trip Safety

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School field trips offer an opportunity to expand the education process for youngsters. They expose students to new experiences and frequently allow teachers to use them as an extension of the lessons being taught in the classroom. Unfortunately, accidents and mishaps happen when groups of students and teachers engage in organized activities away from classroom. Advance preparation and planning are essential for a successful and safe field trip. If you are a teacher, school administrator or concerned parent, here are a few tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable field trip experience.

Visit the site

Before you get into the details of planning a field trip with students, it is important for a teacher to visit the destination. An assessment of potential safety issues must be made, so they can be addressed and plans made in advance of the trip on how to address them. The individual doing the assessment of the location should review the rules and regulations in place at the site to allow for plans to be made to ensure the group will be in compliance with them.

The site visit is the perfect opportunity to determine if the location has facilities to safely accommodate students with special needs. For example, if a class includes one or more children in wheelchairs, a destination with ramps and facilities to accommodate those students is preferable over one that does not.

Informing parents and getting permission

A permission slip sent home for parents or guardians to sign must include enough information about the trip for them to make an informed decision. Included along with the permission slip should be the following information about the field trip:

• Date, time of departure from the school and approximate time of return
• Destination name and location
• Overview of the purpose of the trip
• Clothing children should wear
• Whether children must bring their own food
• If food is to be provided, a list of the menu for parents to review to identify possible allergy risks

Parents should be asked to provide contact information for a parent or guardian during the hours of the trip. Permission slips include consent for emergency medical treatment during the trip and request information about known allergies or other medical conditions that could pose a risk to a student during the trip.

Have adequate supervision

Depending upon the ages of the children and the number of children going on the field trip, teachers and administrators should determine the number of adults needed to properly supervise the group. The number of adults required could also depend upon any school board policies currently in effect.

Large groups of students should be broken into smaller groups with adult supervisors assigned to each group. Supervisors should be thoroughly briefed on safety and emergency procedures established for the trip. One adult should be trained in first aid, and a first aid kit should be available at all times.

Children should never be left unsupervised, and at least one adult should be assigned the task of keeping track of the number of students present at different stages of the field trip. For example, a list of students should be checked to make certain all those scheduled to go on the trip are present. The last time the list should be checked is when students board transportation to return to home. 

Field trip injuries require skilled personal injury lawyers

A child or adult supervisor injured on a school field trip could be entitled to compensation. The personal injury lawyers at Diamond & Diamondhave successfully fought for compensation for accident victims for years. When you think you need a lawyer, contact our 24/7 injury hotline at 1-800-567-HURT or visit our website to speak to someone now about your claim. Consultations are free, and we have offices throughout Ontario.