1. Safety and Risk in Residence Abroad John Canning and Vicky Wright Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies University of Southampton

2. Why is safety and risk an issue? We recognise that students take risks and gain from them. Students may take risks to increase their intercultural competence. Recognition of hazards and calculation of risk means risk can be decreased Risk assessment may provide useful legal evidence.

3. Duty of care “The duty which rests upon an individual or organisation to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure the safety of any person involved in any activity for which that individual or organisation is responsible.” (British Canoe Association website).

4. Duty of Care (2) “The legal obligation to take reasonable care to avoid causing damage. Doctors have a duty of care, as do drivers to other road users, and solicitors to their clients. A breach of duty of care can give risk of a civil claim for negligence.” (Cutts 1992: 71- 72).

5. Beyond a ‘duty of care’ RA is a marketing tool. HEIs are service providers- students customers. Service providers have obligations- customers rights.

6. Understanding and assessing risk.

7. Risks and Hazards Hazard: anything that can cause harm. Risk: chance, high or low, that somebody will be harmed by the hazard. Source: Health and Safety Executive.

8. 5 steps to risk assessment. 1. Look for hazards. 2. Decide who might be harmed and how. 3. Evaluate the risks and decide whether existing precautions are adequate and whether more should be done.

9. 5 steps to risk assessment (cont). 4. Record your findings. 5. Review your assessment and revise it if necessary. Source: Health and Safety Executive.

10. Types of hazard. Social, Cultural, Political Environmental and Geological. Occupational Biological

11. Assessing risk. Risk assessment need not be quantitative. Use fuzzy logic (high, medium, low). What is –The risk of a hazard occurring? –What are the consequences if the risk occurs?

12. Risk assessment

13. Source: adapted from University of Oxford School of Environment

14. Factors affecting risk may include: Gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality. Activities e.g. sports and leisure. Town, city, village of residence within a country. Language proficiency. Uncertainty.

15. Conclusions and recommendations. HEIs have a duty of care to their students. Risk assessment is useful and not complicated. Clear any policy with your institution’s H&S officer. Involve students in the risk assessment.