DO NOT CONTINUE WITH A SURVEY IF ANY OF THE SAFETY GUIDELINES ARE NOT MET

 

Before you leave home

• Check the Risk Assessment See our risk assessment document (v2)
• Make sure it’s safe and legal for you to access the river, stream or lake.
• Is someone going with you? If not, let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Make sure you take your mobile phone and can call for help if needed.
• Are you wearing the right footwear? Waterproof with good grip is best.
• Check the weather: you’ll need sun cream, a hat and some water in hot weather, several layers of clothing in cold weather – and waterproofs if it looks like it’s going to rain.
• Consider whether recent heavy rain might have made river or riverbank conditions more dangerous.

 

When you arrive at the sampling site

• Are you standing somewhere stable with good footing?
• Is there a safe area to complete the water quality tests, away from the water and other hazards such as livestock or traffic?

 

When carrying out the survey

• The site you have chosen should enable a sample to be collected without the need to enter the watercourse.
• If sampling from the edge, try not to lean over the water.
• Ensure your telescopic sampler device enables you to take a water sample safely.

 

River water can contain harmful bacteria that can cause ill health and potentially serious diseases such as Weil’s disease (also known as Leptospirosis). You should be aware of Weil’s disease and, if you feel unwell, should mention it to your doctor. For this reason – and for sample integrity – try to minimise personal contact with water to be tested. By using a suitable sample container and the syringe provided there should be no need to immerse hands or fingers in the sample. Do not carry out sampling with open cuts or wounds and make sure to wash hands thoroughly between sampling and handling food. Please take a bottle of hand sanitiser gel for while you’re out and about.