DS: Risk Information; Off-Site Transport

Hello all,

A customer has brought an unacceptable case to our attention which involved a local company. There's useful underpinning items within at this time of peak off site visit activity:

Due to break down and the rest of the company's fleet being used on home to school transport, a school needed to make emergency calls and put out hurried communications to parent/carers, putting their own contingency in place for the pupils and staff to return from W-S-M when their coach didn't show.

Not only did the company not let the school know there was a problem, but they had no plan to recover from the situation. They even stopped answering the phone. It was then found that there was no immediate capacity at other companies to assist. Reporting the matter to the Traffic Commissioner (TC) revealed the company licence has been revoked.

An important element of planning any trip involving transport is contingency in the event of a problem which, if a company is being booked, they should supply and be able to trigger at a moments notice. It looks too that a quick check on the TC web site would do no harm either: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/traffic-commissioners

All the best.

Bill

Comments

DS Risk Warning: Health - Coronavirus/Covid 19

Hello all, You may well have already heard or seen that as a result of the Government's meeting today on this issue they have moved to a different level of response to the virus and its progress namely DELAY. After reading the following and reflecting on it you may come to the conclusion a communication to all staff and another to parent/carers would be timely, as soon as possible, to try to stave off issues on site tomorrow morning. With immediate effect the advice is that anyone with a new persistent cough or high temperature should self-isolate for seven days. From Friday, school trips abroad will be banned. This should trigger the ability to claim from your insurers but there's no compensation for the disappointment and lost opportunity, of course. Older people and those with pre-existing health conditions are being told not to go on cruises. PM Boris Johnson said it was "the worst public health crisis for a generation". He said there was no...

Delegated Services Risk Warning; Heat

Thu 19 Jun, 25 Repeated below is the AMBER warning Heat health alert for information and action. Apart from: 1. having robust policy in place on sunscreen/shade/protective clothing and hats/ventilation/breaks and hydration, and 2. thinking carefully about those with medical conditions we are advising sports days need to be held early morning in such conditions, or postponed. Heat health alert updated for the South West The amber heat health alert is in effect from 12PM on 19/06/2025 until 9AM on 23/06/2025 across the South West . The amber alert has a matrix score of 12. This means: Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including: a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups likely increased demand on all health and social care services internal temperatures in care settings (hospitals and care homes) may exce...

DS Risk Warning: Weather: AMBER heat health alert updated for the South West

Hello all, The above Agency has just increased the warning to Amber. The details are below. We have had a number of calls on sports days. It is one of those 'no wins' like snow. Some have been able to move things to first thing, otherwise they've been sensibly postponed or even cancelled. There's some enquiries too on DofE expeditions, which in the circumstances will need careful review and potential postponing. If you have any other queries, do get in touch and we'll do our best to advise. DS Heat health alert updated for the South West The amber heat health alert is in effect from 12PM on 11/07/2025 until 9AM on 14/07/2025 across the South West. The amber alert has a matrix score of 12. This means: Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including: a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups likely inc...

Search This Blog