Risk Assessments

All student groups are required to submit risk assessments to Keele SU. Find out what they are, when you need one and how to do it here!

Overview

As a club or society, you're not legally independent—you’re part of Keele SU. That means all relevant laws and responsibilities apply to you too. If something goes wrong, both the SU and your committee could be held accountable. To help protect everyone involved, we require all student groups to complete risk assessments for their activities.

Risk assessments aren’t just a formality—they help keep your members safe and protect the SU from serious legal and financial consequences. You know your group best, so you're in the best position to identify and manage risks effectively.

Each year, you’ll be asked to submit an updated risk assessment during reaffiliation. This helps us confirm which groups are still active and ensures your activities are safe for the year ahead.

Additional risk assessments may be required throughout the year—especially if you're planning something outside your usual activities, like a trip, tour, or large-scale event. These must be submitted and approved before you advertise or begin planning.

To make things easier, we’ve created a general risk assessment template that covers most standard society activities. It includes guidance on how to complete it properly.

If your society only runs occasional meetings or stalls, you may not need to add much. But please read the template carefully and add anything specific to your group. Societies that run events, use equipment, or do more complex activities will need to include more detail.

The template includes space to add your own risks—this is essential, as every group is different. All societies are expected to make at least some additions. Please don’t delete any of the existing content, and remember: the more detailed your risk assessment, the better protected you are.

If you need help or have questions, contact the Student Experience Team:

Download Risk Assessment Template

Risk Assessments

How long does our risk assessment have to be?

There’s no maximum length—a detailed risk assessment is a good one. The template is already quite comprehensive, but you should expand on it where needed to reflect your group’s specific activities.

Which committee member is responsible for our risk assessment?

All committee members share responsibility. Everyone should read and understand the risk assessment. The President must sign it each year to make it official.

Do we need to do anything once we’ve completed our risk assessment?

Yes—follow the control measures you’ve outlined. A risk assessment is only useful if it’s put into practice. If you’re unsure how to implement any part of it, contact the SU for support.

Why is risk management important?

It keeps your members safe, protects the SU, and helps you run smoother events. Plus, it’s a valuable skill to add to your CV—showing planning, responsibility, and attention to detail.

What happens if we don’t complete our risk assessment?

You won’t be recognised as an official Keele SU group. That means no website presence, no stall at welcome fairs, no access to budgets, and no room bookings. For individual events, we may cancel anything that doesn’t have a valid risk assessment—we can’t approve what we can’t verify as safe.