Natural England - Identify possible threats to visitor's safety
Identify possible threats to visitor's safety
People come to the countryside simply to enjoy themselves safely. As land managers, it is up to us to help them to do so. In fact we have a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984 to make sure that they can pass through our land safely.
Here are some useful tips to help them to go home in one piece.
- Draw the public’s attention to potential man-made and natural hazards on your land.
- Avoid using electric fencing, barbed wire and other hazards close to areas that people visit, particularly alongside narrow paths and at the height of a child.
- Don’t let animals that are likely to attack visitors roam freely where the public has access – you may be liable for any resulting harm.
- Your duty of care [under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984] depends on the type of access right – so it’s important to know what rights, if any, apply to your land. Contact the Country Land and Business Association
or the National Farmers’ Union for more guidance.
