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#1 Posted : 09 February 2005 10:18:00(UTC)
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Posted By Zoe Barnett
One of our schools is taking a party of sixth formers to Iceland. I thought colleagues might enjoy some of the comments from the tour operators' risk assessment (which don't even have the excuse of having been written by someone for whom English is a foreign language). I promise that these are all direct quotes.

Hazard: Exposure
Risk: Chapped lips
Action: Use lip salve/ Nivea

Hazard: Illness
Risk: Air sickness
Action: Take pills

Hazard: Vehicle stuck in river
Risk: Drowning
Action: Sit tight. Follow instructions

Hazard: Swimming
Risk: Tarnished jewellery
Action: Remove all rings before entering water

Hazard: Sinking
Risk: Drowning
Action: Listen to instructions given by captain

Hazard: Walking behind falls
Risk: Cliff collapse; death
Action: Resist temptation. Waterfall overhangs must collapse some day.


Needless to say we are seeking more information before approving the trip!!
Admin  
#2 Posted : 09 February 2005 10:49:00(UTC)
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
[sarcastic intonation]

Zoe - I don't think you're taking the hazards associated with chapped lips & tarnished jewellery seriously.

After all, you could get a nasty rash!

[/sarcastic intonation]

Seriously Zoe, what are they planning doing with them (apart from accidently driving them into glacial mel[expletive deleted]er underneath a waterfall close by an active volcano that is)?
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#3 Posted : 09 February 2005 10:51:00(UTC)
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Posted By Heather Aston
Zoe

Having recently been to Iceland I would add the following:

Hazard: Icelandic cuisine. Risk: everything tastes of dried fish. Action: Eat pizza instead

Hazard: Price of alcohol Risk: heart failure on paying £5 for glass of indifferent beer. Action: Take duty free allowance and drink that instead.

Hazard: Stays light all night. Risk: May try staying up all night "just to see if it gets dark" Action: Don't be tempted. It doesn't.

Hazard: Stupendous scenery and marvellous people. Risk: may not want to come home. Action: Risk worth taking as it's a brilliant country to visit.

Hope this helps :)

Heather
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#4 Posted : 09 February 2005 11:06:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
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Posted By Merv Newman
Zoe,

it would appear that the risk assessment needs to be redone by a competent professional person. Demand that the travel company fly you to Iceland to do it (their expense). Shouldn't take more than a week or two. Or I could do it for you.

Merv
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#5 Posted : 09 February 2005 11:17:00(UTC)
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
Darn, now why didn't I think of that Merv?
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#6 Posted : 09 February 2005 11:20:00(UTC)
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Posted By Heather Aston
No, no, me, me, I asked first.

Well no actually I didn't but I'll sue Merv for stealing my idea and then you'll send me.

Oh, did I say that out loud.

On a serious note for a moment. We did notice when we were there that the Icelanders have a more "risk-taking" policy with some of thier natural wonders than we do.

Case in point. At Gulfoss the path was being washed away. (what do you mean what's Gulfoss?? Go here at once and look http://www.south.is/photo_gullfoss.shtml )
Now in the UK it would have been closed as too dangerous and we would have had to look at this stupendous waterfall from 100 yds away. Being Iceland they let you struggle past and get right up to the falls. Seriously look at the photos and see how close people are. It was fantastic, but you need to be aware of this kind of thing if on a school trip.....

Heather
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#7 Posted : 09 February 2005 11:44:00(UTC)
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Posted By gburgess
My personal fav was the one with

Action: resist temptation.

So they have never been involved in arranging school trips before then.

Definately feel it needs a visit by a competent professional Zoe.

Greg
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#8 Posted : 09 February 2005 11:58:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
Indeed as Oscar Wilde wrote:

I can resist anything, except temptation.
Admin  
#9 Posted : 09 February 2005 12:01:00(UTC)
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Posted By Heather Aston
or chocolate.
Admin  
#10 Posted : 09 February 2005 17:42:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ivan Morley
I can resist everything - I just choose not to!
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