Risk Assessment for Indoor/Outdoor Training – 1-2-1 / family - people social distancing

See updates inserted for 6/01/2022

Training of dogs is an important element of their social development. Dog trainers may continue to provide advice on training on a one-to-one basis using technology to connect the trainer and client. It may also be possible to run classes by video link. If a trainer can utilise a secure safe area to provide training, clients can meet the trainer there providing social distance can be maintained and class sizes are limited to comply with current government guidance (2m should be adhered to where possible). There should be no physical contact between the trainer and client or dog and social distance should be maintained at all times.

Where trainers normally use an indoor space for classes the trainer should undertake a risk assessment before re-starting classes. The assessment should include the ability to maintain a two metre social distance between clients. This may require the establishment of a one-way system during entry and exit to the room and limiting the number of clients in a class. The trainer must also ensure additional hygiene measures such as regular cleaning of items such as door handles and light switches are in place.

Owners of dogs from infected or self-isolating households pose a significantly higher risk to the trainer and should not be accepted. Owners can leave their dogs with a trainer providing the business handover protocol is followed and social distancing is maintained.

Dog Training Sessions - using Social Distancing measures

Before re-commencing sessions you must consider the Government guidance and all the potential risks associated with this. Training sessions must take place outdoors and a maximum of 6 people are permitted to meet at any one time but following social distancing measures.

Venue Risks

•It is at the discretion of each training provider to carry out a thorough risk assessment and resume sessions only if all areas of concern can be covered fully.

•Can you ensure the space used for training is safe? Yes

•If training outside , does your venue have provision of shade particularly in hot weather? Yes

•What provisions would you have in the event of wet weather? Continue with appropriate clothing & tent or car cover / outdoor log cabin with PPE.

•Will you be using your regular venue or an outside public space? If so do you have permission to use this public space? Yes. Regular private hired venue

•Is the venue usually used by the club or would this be a temporary venue used during this period? If so do you need to adapt your venue to comply with government guidelines and to ensure the safety of all participants? Venue usually used by club but updated with government guidelines.

•Can you ensure the space being used for training will allow social distancing measures between dogs and handlers at all times? Yes

•Are you able to create pods or zones within your training area where individuals can be placed so that they can see the class but remain socially distanced? Yes

•Is the floor surface safe? Grass, concrete or astro turf, do any adjustments need to be made to make it safe? Mowed weekly grass outdoors. Own mats for hall use & cleaned. Waterproof blankets for floor, that can also be cleaned.

•If a dog was to get off the lead, how could you ensure a dog off lead did not run up to other handlers/dogs in the group or get out? Secure fencing around field and shut gate, use spare lead to collect dog, tip bit pot on hand too. Full PPE also available.

•Check your insurance cover is adequate for the training session, Yes

Entering the training venue

•Handlers will need to be advised when to arrive, when to leave and only to come on their own with their dog. Yes via e mail, risk assessment also sent and on website.

•Class times may need to be staggered so that one class does not meet the other on the way in/out. Yes, half hour gap between classes for change over and cleaning.

•Consider the times of class, will it be before or after another class or one to one session, if so how can handlers maintain a social distance during the changeover? Half hour time delay between groups or 1-2-1.

•When entering the premises, do handlers need to touch gate/doorways? Does the entry gate need to be tied open at arrival time until everyone is in the training area? Gate open and tied back by myself or people guiding people into hall via sanitizer station and one way system.

•Does the Instructor need to meet handlers in the car park and then escort into the training area? Yes, they will be met at the hall entrance or gate. Temperature taken.

•Will handlers need to queue up to enter the training area, if so can they maintain socially distanced from other handlers? Yes, it is possible and advise prior to class plus signs in place, in addition to person present to sign people in.

•The venue car park may need to be sectioned into zones e.g. yellow zone (to the right of the car park) for the first class and orange zone (to the left of the car park) for the second class. Only one class present at a time and advised on social distance parking in car park to replicate that already used in field parking.

•Will you need signs, markers or cones to facilitate these procedures? All signs and notices are in place.

•Are there any other people in the venue at that time, if so how do handlers get into the venue and observe social distancing? Only dog club present.

Hygiene

•How can you ensure safe hygiene at each training session? Sanitizer on entry, in hall, in person and on exit. Temperature taken.

•Can you provide suitable hand sanitisers or wipes for handlers entering the venue and during classes? Are you able to provide an area for these to be located? These are all in place plus additional ones available.

•Could members bring their own alcohol anti-viral sanitisers with them? Yes

•Is there a bin available to place rubbish? Yes, this will be removed at end of session.

•Do you have a poop scoop bin for handlers to dispose of their dog waste? Yes, but asked to bring their own and take home to dispose.

•When cleaning up other than by a poop scoop is needed, how can this be done maintaining hygiene? Mop bucket and disinfectant also available. Jug to fill bucket also supplied. Do not use kitchen to fill or empty bucket.

•If using any equipment like cones or markers during the class only the instructor should handle them. Yes

•Instructors must have a mask and gloves available for themselves in case of emergencies. Yes, plus visor and apron.

•In the event of an emergency and bearing in mind the social distancing measures, are you able to pass the dog to an instructor or back to the owner and avoiding cross contamination? Yes PPE available and extra leads available.

•Do you have first aid facilities? Yes for humans and dogs.

Communication to Handlers

•During social distancing measures, clear communication must be in place to all handlers taking part in classes. This may differ from previous class guidance. These will be sent via e mail plus placed on website.

•Handlers need to be advised that attending classes is at their own risk and they will be required to follow strict social distancing measures when entering the premises and during each session. Yes

•Handlers will need to be advised that training class times and content may change due to current social distancing measures. Yes – Zoom could also be an option in the event of another lock down.

•Handlers must bring all the equipment they may need with them including hand sanitiser, spare leads, mats, toys, clicker, retrieve articles, dog water, water bowl, dog treats, food bowl, drinks, poop scoop bags and a chair if appropriate. All requested and chair is a must for indoor training.

•Clear instructions will need to be provided to each handler in writing before arrival. This can be emailed prior to the lesson. Yes

•How are class fees to be paid? Do you have facilities to take payment electronically? Or do you have facilities for handlers to pay on the day avoiding cross contamination? All fees requested a month at a time via electronic payment.

•Paperwork could be emailed to dog owners prior to the class. Remember that any paperwork given out should be prepared at least 72 hours in advance and put into a bag or box ready to take to class, The class instructor should wear gloves when handing out paperwork out or sanitise hands before and after. Rare for this to be required but puppy packs are printed the week before and placed in plastic sheets, than can also be sanitised if needed.

•If any handler is unwell or showing symptoms they must not come to class. True!

Class sizes and content

•Training classes must take place outdoors and a maximum of 8 people are permitted to meet at any one time but following social distancing measures. This means a maximum of 8 handlers with 1 instructor or less if there are more than 1 instructor/assistant. Yes

•Consider which classes are best to return first, is your club better placed to facilitate smaller puppies classes or is easier to hold more advanced classes with handlers who have been training before. Puppies will be returning first and most advanced later, daytime classes first and possibly evening classes at a later point.

•As instructors cannot handle a client’s dog, how can you avoid this during a lesson? Use gloves, sanatiser or extra lead.

•When demonstrating training techniques, can the instructor use their own dog to show something or demonstrate in another way? Yes

•Instructors should be very mindful of allowing dogs to be off lead during a training session. Does your venue have a safe area where this can be done without a dog interfering with others? Yes and management of dog individually.

•Consider multiple handlers with dogs on leads. Dogs on the end of a normal length of lead may be able to access another hander, so it may be advisable to position handlers further apart so that social distancing measures can be upheld. Yes

•Social distancing and class control must be observed at all times. Preventing inadvertent unwanted contact between dogs will need to be considered. Yes

•The instructor’s ability to control and steer the class is vital to the safe participation of everyone taking part. Yes

•Do you have a training plan for your lessons? Will your lessons need to be adapted to enable you to follow social distancing measures? Adapted according to weather, numbers and ability of dogs and handlers per class.

•Remember handlers who are engrossed in engaging with their dogs may sometimes forget to space themselves appropriately. Yes.

On lead work – This can be done in small groups but social distancing must be observed and common sense must prevail. The instructor’s ability to control and steer the class is vital to the safe participation of everyone taking part.

Off lead work - This will be dependent on the space and restraints of the training area being used and ability of the dogs and handlers taking part. The instructor’s ability to control and steer the class is vital to the safe participation of everyone taking part.

Stays – These will be dependent on the space and restraints of the training area being used and ability of the dogs and handlers taking part.

Recall - This will be dependent on the space and restraints of the training area being used and ability of the dogs and handlers taking part. The instructor’s ability to control and steer the class is vital to the safe participation of everyone taking part. Consider the use longer leads/lines or on lead puppy recalls for younger and inexperienced dogs

Playing with Toys on or off lead - This will be dependent on the space and restraints of the training area being used and ability of the dogs and handlers taking part. The instructor’s ability to control and steer the class is vital to the safe participation of everyone taking part. Playing with toys can be done on lead but extra care must be taken if playing with a dog off the lead so that social distancing is not breached

The bellow information will also be e mailed to class members and used to build a combined risk assessment with the committee of Stewart hall, this will also be available to my class members or for 1-2-1.

Please note, there is a one way system in force at Stewart hall, Little Kimble & Adjoining field (1-2-1 in winter & Groups in Summer)

Entry will be via the back door, please use social distancing when arriving at the hall and in the car park.

Exit is via the side door. No entry or exit via main front doors.

You will be shown to your space and need to keep social distancing.

All items must be placed on the mats provided, including your chair.

The kitchen is to be cleaned and surfaces cleaned plus rubbish removed.

Please only use toilets if necessary, the lights are controlled by infra red, so no need to touch light switches.

Please only use the disabled toilet if absolutely necessary, as this is the designated quarantine room.

Cleaning will need to be carried out between each class, hence changing of times for some people.

A limited number of people can now attend each class and the whole dog club, so numbers are reduced.

This will be reviewed when possible and extended again when we go back outside in April 2022.

At arrival at the hall, please text your name to the mobile phone number given, this is to keep a record of everyone’s timed arrival at the venue. Please note, on request, this may be shared with Stewart hall committee. Update, I have your phone numbers on record, if required. Pre booking system used.

20/8/2020 – Face coverings are advisable but not compulsory.

01/10/2020 & 6/01/2022 – Face coverings required.

20/8/2020 & 6/01/2022– Facilities are available for temperature to be taken by each person entering the hall- advisable but not compulsory.

01/10/2020 & 6/01/2022– Text of FULL NAME to be sent to allocated phone number on arrival. All clients sent this number. Date/time and number will be automatically recorded for track and trace purposes. Update, pre booking system in place and numbers on record.

Please make sure that each person brings their own chair and additional sanitizer.

All equipment used and housed at the hall will also be cleaned between classes and stored once cleaned again at end of session.

I (Julia Meads – INCA Dog Training) have agreed to clean all surfaces between classes and deep clean before leaving the venue, to aid facilitation of general hiring of the hall and replace the need for an additional cleaner for this purpose. I have also under taken Corvid 19 training and certificate for this purpose.

Log cabin & garden – 44 Moor Park, Halton ( 1-2-1 in winter )

Entry via front door – sanatiser available to use.

Direct route to back door, no contact to be made with surfaces.

Toilet to only be used in emergency and all surfaces cleaned with PPE and cleaning materials provided. All rubbish removed.

All materials to be cleaned and surfaces wiped after each client.

Face coverings required indoors.

Temperature to be taken on entry.

Please text allocated number on arrival – FULL NAME is required. Date and time plus number will automatically be recorded.

Copy of risk assessment to be sent to each client via e mail & displayed on website.

Exit via front door and sanatiser on entry to house, no surfaces to be touched.

One person or pod to enter or exit at given pre organised time.

Dog to be carried if small or kept under strict lead control.

A copy of Stewart hall risk assessment will also be sent to everyone attending classes and posted on the website.