Let’s get this straight: he’s in charge of a flying vehicle and needs to deliver heavy loads to a critical deadline? We think it’s time for a Risk Assessment.

General job description

Santa Claus is employed for only two nights a year. His
duties are as follows:

* Delivering presents from his factory in the North Pole to all the good  children
 world-wide
* Carrying out work whilst the children are asleep to avoid detection.

* Delivering presents in a nine-reindeer flying sleigh
* Gaining access to premises from the roof via a chimney
* Payment in the form of tips (generally mince pies and a glass of sherry)

Logistics of job

Previous research has shown that:

* Santa visits over 1500 homes per second
* The average speed of his sleigh is of the order of 3.6 million miles an hour.
* The sleigh carries about 156,000 tons of cargo.

Risk assessment and general health and safety requirements

Vehicle

It is Santa’s responsibility to ensure his sleigh is in good air worthy condition, carries all necessary documents and complies to all relevant regulations; failure to do so will result in prosecution and a fine, and/or a jail sentence.

As the sleigh passes through International air space, all relevant Civil Aviation laws and rules must be adhered to:

* Registration and identification marks must be visible
* Seat belts must be fitted and worn during take off and landing
* Emergency exits must be clearly marked, and clear of obstructions
* As they will fly over large bodies of water, life jackets must be carried
* Port & Starboard navigation lights must be fitted. The glowing red nose of Rudolf the  reindeer is not an acceptable warning light for other air space users
* A fire extinguisher and First Aid Kit must be carried
* The Reindeers’ harnesses should be loose fitting so as not to cause chafing, be regularly  checked for tear and wear, and replaced as necessary.

As the sleigh has an open cockpit Santa must have suitable clothing to protect him from:

* Extreme cold of Northern Alaska
* Heat of Central Africa & Australia
* Decompression of high altitude flight, generally over large bodies of water
* Good quality shatter proof eye protection must be worn (insect or reindeer excrement  strikes at 2000 miles per second and could impair vision).
* The extreme forces due to acceleration and deceleration. A full climate controlled outfit with  integral ‘G’ suit is recommended, available from NASA  

 
Landing and taking off

Landing and take-off permission must be sought from the relevant air traffic authority, as well as permission to enter or leave designated air space. Before landing Santa must sight the proposed area and check it is clear of obstructions, bearing in mind the sleigh takes up the room of 1500 houses. Large mirrors should be fitted to enable the rear of the sleigh to be viewed during parking. Care must be taken to avoid trees, overhead power lines and chimneys. Chimneys should not be blocked as these must be clear to gain access to the houses. The landing area should be capable of supporting the 156,000 ton vehicle. Collapse of any of the target houses would be unacceptable as the children would be woken.

Ingress and egress of vehicle

As the sleigh is parked on roof tops, most of which are in areas of temperate climates and have pitched roofs, care must be taken and a good quality working boots should be worn giving good ankle support for the sloping surface.
For areas in the Northern half of the Northern hemisphere, where the temperature will invariably be below zero, a good non-slip soled shoe should be worn.
High visibility jacket and hard hat should also be worn.
A support harness must be worn. It must be attached to a secure anchor point.
For fragile roofs, crawling boards must be used.

Handling of presents

Suitable training should be given to enable Santa to lift any heavy presents destined for especially good children. Special care should be taken when stretching to reach presents from the back of the sleigh.
Clambering over the pile of presents should be avoided due to the unstable nature of the footing, this can be achieved by packing the presents in the order required.
All dangerous materials, chemistry sets etc, should be suitably marked, have relevant MSDS sheets attached, and be stored in flameproof containers.

Chimneys

Care should be taken when entering the chimney. The use of ladders is recommended, and also the safety harness. Due to the dark environment, a lamp should be used (miner’s type would be preferable to enable hands’ free usage).
Respiration equipment and eye protection must be worn due to the dust, soot and smoke.
All clothing should be manufactured from non-flammable materials, and be heat and flame proof as many of the chimneys will have lit fires below. Footwear should have asbestos or similar heat resistant soles. (A separate Risk Assessment and Asbestos Register should be kept regarding the boots).
Care should be taken to keep the high visibility jacket clean. It is recommended that it is washed or changed regularly.

Setting down of presents

Care should be taken when entering the room. Dogs, security guards and surveillance equipment should be considered. Attack by dogs can be prevented by the wearing of thick over-garments or even a decoy piece of steak. For surveillance equipment and security guards, Santa will have to handle this.
Caution should be taken around Christmas trees which are normally covered in sharp needles and fragile glass baubles. If Santa’s clothing is wet due to rain or melted snow there is a definite risk of electrocution with the Christmas lights. A rubber mat should be provided to prevent such a problem.
Manual handling training should be given to show the correct way to set down large presents. Trip hazards should be looked out for, e.g. last year’s discarded toys on the floor of children’s bedrooms.

 
Working hours

With Santa’s 31 hour working day, regular breaks should be taken, allowing time to eat, drink and take care of calls of nature.
Working with animals, the reindeer should also be given regular breaks for the same reasons. They should be allowed to graze frequently and be given time to stretch their legs. Santa should be trained in the flying reindeers’ special needs.

Safety equipment

All safety equipment should be checked and/or replaced each year to ensure optimum performance.
It is strictly forbidden for Santa to be in charge of his sleigh under the influence of alcohol.
Due to the means of payment (glasses of sherry) this is especially important. It is strongly recommended a separate designated driver is employed.
 
Criminal Record Bureau Clearance

Specifically relevant in the UK, it is also required that background checks be made as Santa, by his own admission, enters the homes of children to give them presents.
An enhanced CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) disclosure MUST be obtained before Santa may continue to enter any home this year, also, this must apply to any of his little helpers (elves) who accompany him on his deliveries. Failure to obtain these documents will mean that to continue, the Santa Claus franchise will be in breech of UK law and will be liable to immediate arrest or indeed, the sleigh may be shot down by UK Air Defense, with all due care being taken to avoid injuring any Reindeer, should this be required.

We send our warmest and best wishes for you and your families,  for Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, with health and prosperity!

Infomarine On-Line www.infomarine.gr