Litter picks

Risk assessment and safety

It's important to organise a safe litter pick.

After choosing which site or sites you would like to clean up, you should visit the areas to carry out a risk assessment.

This looks at the possible harms and dangers that your volunteers might run into when carrying out the clean up, for example:

Unlabelled and unmarked cans and canisters, oil drums, poisons, insecticides, broken glass, syringes, condoms etc.
Slips, trips and falls, especially around water, steep banks, muddy holes
Roads, with heavy traffic, or waterways with deep or fast flowing water

If an area has too many risks for you and your team, leave the clearing of the site to the Council and choose another location.

A risk assessment form and guidance notes are available from the Council to help you successfully plan your event.

Keep Britain Tidy have a useful risk assessment template that you can use template risk assessment form.

Make sure everyone is aware of the potential dangers, such as items they should not be picking up, as identified in your risk assessment.
If you are involving local children, make sure there is a sufficient number of adults to supervise.
Before the litter pick make sure the children understand which items might dangerous and should not pick up. Be aware that some children may not listen to your warnings and so must be supervised, don't let children attempt to pick up heavy or bulky items.
With children try to do no more than an hour litter pick, if only adults are involved, attempt only what is in everyone's capacity and allow for rest.

Those carrying out voluntary litter picks should make sure they have the appropriate protective clothing and equipment:

Suitable footwear which will protect their feet including sturdy rigid soles (no open toed footwear)
Sturdy gloves that will give protection
Hi-visibility coat or vest which can be seen by members of the public including drivers of vehicles
A set of litter pickers
Suitable clothing to do the task

You may find dangerous items when litter picking. These include, but not limited to:

Discarded syringes / needles or other drug related items - Do not touch these instead contact the Council / Housing Services on 191 427 7000 or 0300 123 6633 and someone trained in removing these will be sent.
Broken Glass - Only use your litter pickers to remove this and if there is a box or a container which this can be placed into do so - do not place glass in a litter bag
Asbestos or other unknown materials - these should not be moved by volunteers, contact the Council on 0191 427 7000