The UK government gave the go-ahead for private face-to-face music tuition to resume in England in early July. While the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to give clear guidance on this subject at the time of writing, it seems reasonable to conclude that it is only a matter of time before music teachers in these locations can also resume in-person tuition if they want to.
Any private music teacher considering face-to-face teaching will need to undertake a risk assessment in order to minimise the risks of Covid-19 transmission. The purpose of assessing risk is to implement something that will protect us and the people around us. Understanding the fundamental principles of risk assessment and management is essential to creating an effective scheme of risk management. The UK regulator for health and safety is the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Health & Safety Executive. These organisations provide a great deal of information about Covid-19 risk assessment and control, which you can read about on their websites (www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/risk-assessment.htm and www.hseni.gov.uk/topic/covid-19-advice-and-guidance-places-work).
The typical risk assessment approach set out by the HSE asks us to identify what could cause injury or illness, and then to decide how likely it is that someone could be harmed and how seriously.
What does that mean for a Covid-19 risk assessment? It means we need to identify how the virus could spread and methods to stop it from doing so.
Understanding Covid-19 transmission routes will help you identify the hazards of how the virus can spread in your own working environment. In essence, transmission of Covid-19 occurs from one person to another through the dispersal of water droplets containing the virus, for example through sneezing and coughing. Most droplets, but not all, fall harmlessly to the ground. They can also land on surfaces. People touching a contaminated surface and then touching eyes, mouth and so on can transfer the contaminant into their own bodies. There is also increasing evidence that smaller airborne droplets produced by breathing and speaking may be a transmission route.
The HSE uses a five-step method to support the approach to risk outlined above. According to this method, you will need to:
- Identify hazards
Topics to consider might include the capacity of your working space, entry and exit procedures from your premises, movement around the premises, shared spaces/equipment/instruments if relevant, and whether there are additional risks identified in relation to certain music activities. - Assess the risks
Who might be harmed and how, and what you are already doing to control the risks. On this point, it is most practical for your risk assessment to assume that if there is a hazard, not controlling it is likely to result in an infection. - Control the risks
What do you need to do to eliminate the risks you have identified? If you cannot eliminate it, what else can you do to keep people safe? Personal protective equipment can be considered after you have attempted to eliminate or reduce risks by other means. Some things to consider might include staggering start and finish times, oneway systems, social distancing, additional ventilation of your space and so on. - Record your findings
The HSE Covid-19 template will help you document your significant findings, including the hazards you have identified, who might be harmed and how, what you are doing to control risks and what further action you need to take to control risks, plus who is going to carry out any actions, and when? - Review your controls
You need to review your risk assessment when the controls may no longer be effective, or if scientific information develops. You should also review if there are any changes to your workplace that could lead to new risks, such as new equipment or other environmental changes.
Telling people what you have done and are doing is an important part of managing risk because it will show how you are planning to keep them safe, and also tell them what they need to do to make sure your control measures continue to be effective.
If you work in a school, the school is responsible for undertaking a risk assessment. You or your representatives should be involved in this process, and you should ask to see the results of the school's assessment. If you think it is missing anything, tell your representative. You can also contact our legal team if you are an ISM member: legal@ism.org
Further resources
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ISM's recent webinar on risk assessment for musicians is available at www.ism.org/professional-development/webinars/risk-assessment
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For private teachers: www.ism.org/advice/health-and-safety-guidance-for-private-music-teachers
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Instrument hygiene resources: www.ism.org/advice/instrument-hygiene-preventing-the-spread-of-covid-19-when-performing-or-teaching
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For teachers in schools: www.ism.org/advice/easing-of-lockdown-schools-reopening
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ISM members can also access a sample risk assessment template we have prepared to help get them started with their own: www.ism.org/advice/sample-risk-assessment-document-covid-19
