teaching notes 3 - safety first
Ref: T03

Remember you will be in or near water and that water can be dangerous. A few golden rules follow, but it's mainly about being careful and thinking about what you're doing.

• Never go sampling in water alone - it's unfriendly anyway;
• Never enter water of unknown depth;
• Beware of sudden changes in depth - a shallow, stony bed may conceal deeper potholes;
• Always work in water of less than wellie depth - this will keep your socks dry and may save your life;
• If the water looks deep or the banks steep, find somewhere where they are not;
• Watch out for soft mud, or unstable gravel;
• Always work with or near an adult;
• Beware of algae on rocks, creating a slippery surface;
• Wear proper clothing as the weather can change (see Sampling & Surveying T4)
• Never sample near weirs, intakes, outflows or other pieces of river apparatus;
• Beware of water weed - it can get wound round your ankles and trip you;
• Look out for broken glass and other sharp objects on the riverbed.

Remember …

BETTER SAFE THAN SOGGY and THINK BEFORE YOU SINK!