What is this site for?

The site is to help people learn from the mistakes of others. It is not about blaming people for those mistakes.

Experience shows that incidents usually result from several factors coming together to cause harm. It is important that those involved in visits have the opportunity to study a real event to see how mistakes can be made and how existing guidance provides the foundation for providing visits of low risk and high educational value. The site:

• summarises the findings of the very detailed investigation of the tragedy
• shows that the chain of events leading to it began long before the fateful weekend
• shows how compliance with existing guidelines and good practice prevents such chains developing
• makes clear that such prevention relies on having effective health and safety management systems and guarding against individual and institutional complacency
• gives pointers to good practice to prevent others from making similar mistakes
• demonstrates the importance of pupil involvement in organising safe and successful educational visits
• provides links to further information
• makes some wider observations on the role of school/educational visits
• most importantly, provides support and advice for all those involved in adventurous and educational visits

Many of the learning points, recommendations and good practice in this report reinforce these messages and support the existing guidance.

Note: The text for this site was prepared by the HSE inspectors who investigated the tragedy, working with senior managers from Lancashire County Council. The Department for Education and Skills (DfES), together with a representative of the outdoor industry have also made significant contributions.

The terms used in this report necessarily reflect the local authority and school management arrangements and responsibilities for health and safety in England & Wales because the parties involved in the incident at Glenridding Beck were from a school in England. In Scotland, there are some differences in the detailed management arrangements and terminology, but the same broad principles apply to health and safety considerations. The Scottish Executive Education Department has issued relevant guidance - "Health and Safety on Educational Excursions."