Below is a draft written as a practical community risk assessment for business planters, adopted planters, council/public-realm planters and volunteer maintenance.

The structure follows the HSE approach: identify hazards, decide who may be harmed, control the risks, record findings and review them. (HSE) It also reflects the general public-realm principle that footways should remain firm, smooth, uncluttered, well maintained and predictable, especially for disabled and visually impaired users. (scotsnet.org.uk)

Risk Assessment for Planters

Activity: Installation, adoption, watering, weeding and maintenance of planters
Locations: Shops, pavements, parks, community spaces and other agreed sites across Corstorphine
Assessment date: [insert date]
Assessed by: [insert name]
Review date: [insert date / annually / after incident / after planter moved]

1. Scope

This risk assessment covers:

Freestanding planters, troughs, barrels and existing stone planters.
Planting, watering, weeding, litter removal and light maintenance.
Activities by volunteers, businesses, community groups and council-supported partners.

It does not cover hanging baskets, work at height, electrical equipment, roadworks, lifting by machinery, or contractor activity. These require separate assessment.

2. People who may be affected

Volunteers and community participants.
Business owners, staff and customers.
Pedestrians, including older people, wheelchair users, children, people with prams and visually impaired people.
Cyclists and road users where planters are close to carriageways, cycleways or junctions.
Council staff, contractors and emergency services.
Nearby residents and visitors.

3. General controls applying to all planters

Before any planter is installed or adopted:

Permission confirmed
The landowner, business owner, council or relevant responsible body must agree to the planter being placed or maintained.
Safe position agreed
Planters must not block pavements, dropped kerbs, tactile paving, ramps, bus stops, cycle routes, fire exits, service access, utility covers or emergency access.
Visibility maintained
Planters must not obstruct sightlines for pedestrians, drivers or cyclists, particularly at junctions, crossings, car park exits or shop doorways.
Stable and suitable container
Planters should be heavy enough not to blow over, but not so heavy that volunteers are expected to move them manually once filled.
No sharp or dangerous edges
Containers should be checked for sharp metal, splinters, cracked timber, broken plastic, protruding screws or unstable fixings.
Maintenance responsibility agreed
Each planter should have a named adopter, business, group or coordinator responsible for basic checks, watering and reporting issues.
Volunteer limits understood
Volunteers should only do light gardening tasks. Heavy lifting, moving filled planters, traffic management, work at height or repairs near traffic should be done by competent persons or referred to the council/landowner.
Incident reporting
Any injury, near miss, obstruction complaint, vandalism, unstable planter or public safety concern should be reported to the planter coordinator and, where relevant, the landowner or council.

4. Risk assessment table

Hazard	Who could be harmed	Risk before controls	Control measures	Risk after controls
Planter obstructing pavement or access route	Pedestrians, wheelchair users, visually impaired people, prams, older people	High	Site planters only where adequate clear pedestrian route remains. Do not place on tactile paving, dropped kerbs, ramps, entrances, bus stops, cycleways or utility covers. Seek council/landowner approval for public areas.	Low
Trip hazard from planter, feet, watering cans, tools or loose materials	Public, volunteers, shop customers	Medium	Keep planter edges visible. Avoid low, unexpected or projecting objects. Keep tools and bags of compost off public routes. Clear up immediately after work.	Low
Planter blown over or moved by wind/vandalism	Public, vehicles, nearby property	Medium	Use stable containers. Fill sufficiently to give weight. Do not use lightweight containers in exposed public locations unless secured or placed in a protected position. Check after storms.	Low
Manual handling injury when moving planters, compost or water	Volunteers, business staff	Medium/High	Do not ask volunteers to move filled planters. Use smaller bags of compost where possible. Use two-person lifts for awkward items. Use trolleys where available. Avoid twisting or lifting beyond personal ability.	Low/Medium
Slips from spilled water, mud, algae or wet leaves	Public, volunteers, shop customers	Medium	Water carefully. Avoid creating puddles on smooth paving. Sweep soil from pavements. Remove wet leaves and plant debris. Do not overwater where runoff crosses walking routes.	Low
Working close to traffic, parking bays or cycle lanes	Volunteers, pedestrians, cyclists, drivers	High	Avoid volunteer work in live traffic areas. Work from the pavement side where possible. Do not step into roads. High-risk locations should be maintained by council, contractors or competent persons with proper traffic controls.	Low/Medium
Reduced visibility at junctions, crossings or driveways	Pedestrians, cyclists, drivers	High	Do not place tall planting or large planters where they block sightlines. Keep planting low near junctions, crossings and vehicle exits. Review growth through the season.	Low
Sharp tools, hand tools or broken containers	Volunteers, public	Medium	Use only simple hand tools. Keep tools under control and never leave them unattended on pavements. Wear gloves. Remove or repair damaged containers.	Low
Cuts, scratches, thorns, nettles or skin irritation	Volunteers	Medium	Use gloves. Choose plants carefully for public edges. Avoid highly thorny, toxic or irritant plants in high-contact areas. Wash hands after gardening. Cover cuts.	Low
Allergic reactions, stings or bites	Volunteers, public	Low/Medium	Volunteers with known allergies should carry their own medication. Avoid disturbing wasp nests or dense unknown vegetation. Use pollinator-friendly plants but avoid placing heavily bee-attractive plants immediately beside narrow entrances where concern exists.	Low
Use of chemicals, pesticides or fertilisers	Volunteers, public, pets, environment	Medium	Avoid chemical pesticides and herbicides. Use peat-free compost where possible and slow-release fertiliser only as instructed. Store materials safely and never leave chemicals in public areas.	Low
Contaminated soil, litter, glass or dog fouling	Volunteers	Medium	Check planter before working. Use gloves. Remove litter carefully. Do not handle needles, hazardous waste or significant contamination; report instead. Wash hands after work.	Low
Children or vulnerable volunteers participating	Children, vulnerable adults, group leaders	Medium	Children should be supervised by a parent/guardian or responsible adult. Give age-appropriate tasks. No sharp tools for young children. Avoid roadside tasks with children.	Low
Poor weather: wind, ice, heat, heavy rain	Volunteers, public	Medium	Cancel or postpone work in unsafe weather. Avoid icy pavements, storms, high winds or extreme heat. Volunteers should wear suitable clothing and footwear.	Low
Watering from businesses or public taps	Volunteers, business staff, public	Low/Medium	Agree water source in advance. Avoid hoses across pavements unless supervised and only briefly. Do not leave hosepipes creating trip hazards. Use watering cans for most public areas.	Low
Plant failure creating dead material or messy appearance	Public, adopters, reputation	Low	Use suitable drought-tolerant plants. Agree watering rota. Remove dead plants and debris promptly. Review planters during dry spells.	Low
Vandalism, theft or anti-social behaviour	Public, volunteers, businesses	Medium	Use robust planters and avoid expensive removable items. Check regularly. Do not challenge vandals. Report serious damage or unsafe items.	Low/Medium
Fire risk from dry planting, cigarette ends or mulch	Public, businesses, property	Low/Medium	Avoid excessive dry material near entrances. Remove litter and cigarette ends. Keep planting watered during dry periods. Avoid flammable decorations.	Low
Unclear responsibility after installation	Public, businesses, council, volunteers	Medium	Each planter should have a named adopter or responsible contact. Keep a simple register showing location, owner/adopter, maintenance contact and any special restrictions.	Low

5. Site checklist before installing a planter

Use this for each location.

Location:
Planter type:
Landowner / approving body:
Named adopter or maintainer:
Water source:
Emergency / issue contact:

Position check

Permission has been obtained.
Planter does not block the main walking route.
Planter does not obstruct tactile paving, dropped kerbs or ramps.
Planter does not block shop entrances, fire exits or service access.
Planter does not obstruct bus stops, cycle lanes or parking access.
Planter does not block sightlines at junctions, crossings or driveways.
Planter is visible and not a low unexpected trip hazard.
Planter is stable and suitable for the location.
Filled planter will not need to be moved by volunteers.
Watering can be done without creating slip or trip hazards.

Planting check

Plants are suitable for the site: sun/shade, drought, wind and pollution.
Avoid highly thorny, toxic or irritant plants in public contact areas.
Planting will not grow to block visibility or access.
Dead plants and litter will be removed promptly.
No chemicals or pesticides will be used unless specifically authorised.

6. Volunteer method statement

For ordinary volunteer maintenance:

Wear suitable footwear and gardening gloves.
Check the area before starting.
Keep tools, bags, watering cans and plant trays away from the pedestrian route.
Do not work from the road or cycle lane.
Do not move heavy or filled planters.
Do not handle hazardous waste, needles, broken glass or dog fouling.
Stop work if the weather, traffic or public activity makes the task unsafe.
Clear all soil, leaves, tools and waste before leaving.
Report any damaged, unstable or obstructive planter.

7. Emergency and reporting procedure

Minor cuts or scratches should be cleaned and covered. Any more serious incident, near miss, public complaint, damaged planter or obstruction concern should be reported to:

Planter contact: [insert name/email]
Landowner/business contact: [insert details]
Council contact, if applicable: [insert details]

If there is immediate danger to the public, the planter should be made safe if this can be done without risk. Otherwise, keep people away and contact the responsible owner, council or emergency services as appropriate.

8. Review

This risk assessment should be reviewed:

Before the main planting season.
After any accident, near miss or complaint.
After severe weather or vandalism.
When a planter is moved or replaced.
When the type of work changes.
At least annually.

9. Sign-off

Assessment completed by:
Role:
Date:

Approved by / landowner or responsible body:
Date:

Next review date:

Short wording for businesses or adopters

You could also give businesses this simpler version:

Please keep the planter safe, stable and tidy. Do not move it into the main walking route, across tactile paving, near a dropped kerb, or where it blocks visibility. Please water carefully so the pavement is not left slippery, remove dead plants or litter, and report any damage or safety concern to Corstorphine in Bloom. Volunteers should only carry out light gardening tasks and should not move heavy planters or work from the road.