Home › Scout Camp / Residential Camping Risk Assessment
Scout Camp Risk Assessment — Generated Instantly for £29
Describe your residential camp or nights away event — site, dates, group size and activities. We generate a fully written, UK-compliant risk assessment covering campfires, water, cooking, weather and supervision in minutes.
Built for Scout and Guide leaders, cadet units, church groups and schools running residential camps
⛺ Running campfires, water activities or using axes and knives? Mention it — we'll include specific controls for each activity, plus supervision ratios and emergency procedures expected for a Nights Away permit.
Legal requirements for residential camps
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places a duty of care on those organising activities for young people, including overnight camps. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under Regulation 3(1) before any residential event takes place, covering foreseeable hazards from the moment the group arrives to the moment it departs.
For Scout groups, the Scout Association's Policy Organisation and Rules (POR) requires a Nights Away permit holder to be in place for any residential event, and a written risk assessment forms part of the evidence reviewed before a permit is granted or renewed. Girlguiding, cadet forces and similar youth organisations operate equivalent permit and assessment frameworks.
A camp risk assessment should cover fire safety (campfires, cooking equipment, tent fire risk), water hazards (nearby lakes, rivers, washing facilities), weather exposure, supervision ratios appropriate to age group, food hygiene for outdoor cooking, and emergency procedures including the route to the nearest hospital. Not sure if you need one? — if young people are staying overnight away from home under your supervision, the answer is yes.
How It Works
1. Describe the camp
Tell us the site, dates, group age range, numbers of young people and leaders, and planned activities — campfires, cooking, hikes, water activities, axes and knives. Mention any specific site hazards such as nearby water or livestock.
2. Let the app take the strain
Anyrisks produces a fully written, UK-compliant residential camp risk assessment referencing the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
3. Instant download and use
Download as PDF and Word. Submit it with your Nights Away permit application, share it with parents, or file it for your group's records. £29, no subscription.
What it covers
Every camp risk assessment is written in full — covering the hazards specific to residential nights away.
Campfire and open fire safety controls
Cooking equipment — trangias, gas stoves, hot liquids
Water hazards — nearby lakes, rivers and washing facilities
Use of axes, knives and tools under supervision
Tent and gazebo fire safety and pitching hazards
Weather exposure — heat, cold, storms and evacuation triggers
Supervision ratios appropriate to age group
Safe sleeping arrangements and overnight supervision
Food hygiene for outdoor and group cooking
First aid provision and nearest hospital route
Night-time toilet and washroom access
Site-specific hazards — livestock, uneven ground, traffic
Emergency procedures and missing person protocol
Medication storage and administration for young people
Works for
From Scout camps to school expeditions, Anyrisks covers every type of residential youth event.
Anyrisks vs DIY templates
| Anyrisks | DIY / Templates | |
|---|---|---|
| Written in full — not a blank form | ✓ | ✗ |
| MHSWR 1999 Regulation 3(1) referenced | ✓ | ✗ |
| Campfire and water activity controls included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Supports Nights Away permit applications | ✓ | ✗ |
| Supervision ratios tailored to age group | ✓ | ✗ |
| Covers site-specific hazards you describe | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ready in under 2 minutes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Instant PDF and Word download | ✓ | Sometimes |
Frequently asked questions
Does this meet Scout Association nights away requirements?
Yes — the assessment is written to support the Scout Association's Nights Away permit scheme and Policy Organisation and Rules (POR) requirements for residential camping, covering site selection, supervision ratios, and emergency procedures expected by a Nights Away Adviser.
Do I still need a Nights Away permit if I have a risk assessment?
Yes — a written risk assessment supports your permit application but does not replace it. The Nights Away permit scheme requires a named permit holder to oversee the event; the risk assessment is one of the documents they will check.
Does it cover activities like campfires and cooking on open fires?
Yes — describe the specific activities planned (campfires, trangia cooking, axes and knives, water activities) and the assessment will include detailed controls for each, referencing Scout Association activity guidance where relevant.
Is it suitable for Guide and other youth group camps too?
Yes — the same legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 apply to Girlguiding, cadet forces, church groups and other youth organisations running residential camps.
Does it cover safeguarding as well as physical hazards?
The assessment focuses on health and safety risks — fire, water, activities, weather and site hazards. Safeguarding policies should sit alongside it as a separate document, since they are governed by different frameworks.
Can it cover a specific campsite I've already booked?
Yes — enter the site name, facilities (tents or buildings, water supply, fire points, nearest A&E) and the assessment will reflect the actual conditions of that location rather than generic camp hazards.
How long does it take to generate?
Under 2 minutes. Describe the camp, dates, group size and activities, and Anyrisks produces a complete, regulation-referenced residential camp risk assessment instantly.
Also see: The ultimate guide to risk assessment · Do I need a risk assessment · Risk assessment legal requirements · AI risk assessment generator