The senior management team here intend to spend a couple of evenings knoocking on doors (council tenants) to survey them about the housing repairs service. I have been asked to risk assess the activity and produce a method statement including a briefing session for all those involved. With the intent of surveying in a fairly random manor and making the assumption that tenants would almost certainly want to invite managers into their homes and show them the repairs, I'm wondering if anyone else has done anything similar and what controls you put in place to ensure that everyone returns safely at the end of the evening. Everyone has mobile phones and we have a system for alerting colleagues by using code words etc, but there doesn't seem any point in investing too heavily in technolgy for as possible one-off event. Help would be appreciated. Thanks

Your not doing your IOSH "Open Assessment" are you?

Possible this is the way you are planning on carrying this out but would it not be possible to contact tenants by phone to see if they would agree to a visit that way they know you are coming so no old dears having heart attacks. also if you get a lot of abuse on the phone then they would be the ones to avoid (although they might be the ones with reason to complain and who you should be listening to). I think it would be down to the person knocking on the door would need to assess the situation before entering as to whether it's safe. If they don't feel comfortable entering then they could do a shortened questionnaire which means they could get the hell out of there but the tenant wouldn't know you had cut things short and create possible more friction. I think doing door to door knocking is best done during the summer when days are longer and people at home would feel lest concerned in opening their doors why it is still light. I think pre-booking appointments would be the way to go, that way you would know where everyone was due to be and know the tenants would be welcoming. Phil

This type of thing goes on all the time with few real problems - I advise you to take on board what has already been written and add these ideas to your risk assessment - an additional hazard being the 'one-off' visit as tenants are not stupid contrarily to what may people think and they usually know that one-off exercises are mostly political exercises so this may get peoples backs up One assault that I know of was an assault to a caller of the nature that you describe was carried out by off duty EHO's at their rented accommodation - Yes LA employed EHO's!!! - They worked in one area but lived in another