Tip of the Month: Risk Assessments

Risk Assessments Tips Provided By Acorn Health & Safety

‘Risk assessment’ can be described as being a careful examination of anything in the workplace that could cause harm or ill health to employees or others as a result of the work tasks being undertaken.

Failing to conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments is not only unlawful but continues to be a significant contributory factor in health and safety related failings.

A risk assessment is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork. It is about identifying and implementing sensible measures to control the risks arising from significant, foreseeable hazards in the workplace.

Employers should already be taking steps to protect employees and others from harm and ill health, but conducting risk assessments will help decide whether enough is being done.

When conducting a risk assessment, whether it is a formal documented procedure, or a dynamic, on-the-job, task-based process, there are a number of things that should be done:

1. Identify hazards (anything in the workplace that has the potential to cause harm), e.g. fire, working at height, slips and trips, etc.
2. Consider the people that may be harmed by the identified hazard: employees, other trades, members of the public, etc. and detail how the harm may occur.
3. Look at current control measures that are in place, and determine the level of initial risk.
4. Identify additional control measures, if required, to reduce the risk rating even further.
5. Record significant findings (if you have 5 or more employees).
6. Review risk assessments periodically, especially after an accident or incident, if the task has changed, or after changes to applicable legislation to ensure the assessment remain relevant.

We offer Risk Assessment training aimed at staff with the responsibility for carrying out risk assessments within their workplace and we also offer the IOSH Working Safely and IOSH Managing Safely courses which also cover Risk Assessments if you require additional training in this field.

We are also a leading provider of health and safety consultancy in the South West. Whether you require support with a one-off assessment or a complete health and safety management system we can help. Contact us for more information

Roger Broadbent, Consultant