Leading: Introduction
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Leader's Checklist
The job of a task leader gets much easier with practice, but it can be a bit daunting on the first few times.
LCV has agreed a set of Responsibilities of a leader. In order of decreasing priority these are:
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Look after yourself.
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Ensure the volunteers have a safe day: care for them from when we pick them up to when we drop them off.
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Protect the public during and after the task
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Give the client what they want: make sure that they are getting what they paid for
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Look after new volunteers: be welcoming and considerate and involve them in the group.
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Ensure the volunteers have an enjoyable day: worked hard (but not too hard!), fed and watered appropriately and kept informed and engaged
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Ensure that our involvement in the task is worthwhile: that it fits with our objectives and 'has a point'
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Communicate with and educate volunteers and the public
The Leader's Checklist gives an idea of what the task leader needs to do when. If you are a member of LCV and want more information, ask Louisa for the excellent BTCV Leader's training and support pack.
It is also worth looking at the BTCV Local Action handbook and its section on leading tasks.
Risk assessments
Risk assessment is about identifying hazards and the level of risk associated with them, then prescribing measures to control or reduce those risks. Risk assessments are carried out by our task leaders, and are publicised in the Safety Talk at the start of each task.LCV follows the advice of BTCV in their booklet Health and Safety Overview for Practical Conservation Projects. This means that we carry out a risk assessment of each task and work site.
We have a comprehensive set of Risk assessments for all the tasks we carry out. This is to allow our leaders to take advantage of the knowledge available to all members.
Health hazards from conservation work
Conservation work is not usually a particularly hazardous activity. However it does increase the risk of exposure to a few nasty illnesses, in particular Tetanus, Weil's Disease and Lyme Disease. Some of the plants we work with also present unusual hazards.
We must admit that the occasional volunteer has got sunburnt on a task with us, but as far as we know, nobody out of the hundreds of volunteers who have come out with LCV in the last 35 years has ever caught any of the more serious diseases.
The precautions to minimise the small chances of suffering from any problems can be summarised as follows:
- Make sure your tetanus immunisation is up to date.
- Cover cuts and grazes with a waterproof dressing before you start work.
- Wear appropriate protection from the weather.
- Wash your hands before eating.
- If you suffer from flu-like symptoms shortly after working in water or suffering a tick bite, you have almost certainly got flu! You should nevertheless go to your GP, so they can check that you have not got something worse. In the very unlikely event that you have, they can treat it very effectively.
BTCV publish more detailed advice about the health hazards of conservation work:
Tool safety
The same general safety principles apply to all the tools that we use:
Carrying Tools
You should always carry tools
- Down by your side.
- At their point of balance.
- With the business end where you can see it.
- So that you can easily drop it if you need to (for example if you trip).
Don't overload yourself or others.
Choosing Tools
When choosing a tool, make sure
- It is the right one for the job. If in doubt, ask!
- It is in good condition.
Using Tools
When using a tool, make sure
- That you know how to use it. If in doubt, ask!
- That you are wearing the correct personal protective equipment.
- That you - or someone else - will not be injured if the tool escapes from your control.
- That you - or someone else - will not be injured if the tool creates flying debris.
Storing Tools
If you are not using a tool, make sure
- It is stored so nobody can trip over it.
- It is stored so it cannot fall on anybody.
- It is not buried in the undergrowth. This reduces the risk of someone walking into it accidentally, and means that it will not be forgotten at the end of the day.
There is more information in the BTCV Health and Safety Overview
(c) Lothians Conservation Volunteers 2011
Lothians Conservation Volunteers is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC020384
