| What is risk assessment? | | | | |
| | | | Do not overcomplicate matters. In the |
| A risk assessment is simply a careful | | | | majority of firms in the commercial, service |
| examination of your workplace, to identify | | | | and light industrial sectors, the hazards are |
| what could cause harm to people, so that you | | | | few, and those that do exist are fairly |
| can decide as to whether you have taken | | | | obvious. Checking them is mainly a matter of |
| enough precautions or should do more to | | | | common sense, but also a required and |
| prevent harm from being caused. | | | | necessary action. |
| | | | |
| Work accidents and work related ill health, | | | | You probably know already, whether you have |
| can ruin lives, and seriously affect your | | | | machinery that could cause harm, or if there |
| business also, if output is lost, machinery | | | | is an awkward entrance or stairway where |
| is damaged, insurance costs increase, or you | | | | someone could be hurt. If so, check that you |
| have to go to court. | | | | have taken all reasonable precautions you can |
| | | | to avoid accidents and prevent injury. |
| You are legally required to assess the risks | | | | |
| in your workplace. | | | | Lets take a closer look at Steps 1 and 2. |
| | | | |
| The important thing you need to decide is | | | | Step 1. Look for the hazards. |
| whether a hazard is significant, and whether | | | | |
| you have taken satisfactory precautions to | | | | If you are doing the assessment yourself, |
| minimize the risk. | | | | walk around your workplace and look at what |
| | | | could reasonably be expected to cause harm. |
| If you are a small firm owner, and you are | | | | Ignore the trivial (for now) and concentrate |
| confident you understand what is involved, | | | | on significant hazards which could result in |
| you can carry out a risk assessment yourself. | | | | serious harm. |
| You do not have to be a Health and Safety | | | | |
| expert. If you are a larger firm, then you | | | | Ask your employees what they think. They are |
| may want to assign a responsible employee, | | | | the ones who are working with the various |
| safety representative or safety officer to | | | | components on a daily basis, and will |
| carry out the task. You can also obtain | | | | therefore know where the problems are. They |
| advice from outside companies, who have | | | | may have noticed things which are not |
| specialised in this type of work. | | | | immediately obvious. Manufacturers |
| | | | instructions or data sheets can also help you |
| What is Hazard and Risk? | | | | spot hazards and put risks in their proper |
| | | | perspective. |
| A hazard means anything that can cause harm. | | | | |
| To give you a basic idea, think of chemicals, | | | | Step 2. Decide who might be harmed and how. |
| electricity, working at heights etc etc. | | | | |
| | | | For each identified hazard you should then |
| A risk is the chance, high or low, that | | | | decide who might be harmed and how. And of |
| somebody will be harmed by the hazard. | | | | course you will then be able to decide on a |
| | | | course or action that will prevent the hazard |
| There are five steps in a risk assessment: | | | | from causing risk. |
| | | | |
| Step 1. Look for the hazards. | | | | Do not forget about young workers, trainees, |
| | | | expectant mothers etc who may be at |
| Step 2. Decide who might be harmed and how. | | | | particular risk. |
| | | | |
| Step 3. Evaluate the risk and decide whether | | | | Do not forget cleaners, visitors, |
| the existing precautions are adequate or | | | | contractors, maintenance workers etc who may |
| whether more should be done. | | | | not be in the workplace all the time. |
| | | | |
| Step 4. Record your findings. | | | | Do not forget members of the public, or |
| | | | people you share the workplace with, if there |
| Step 5. Review your assessment and revise it | | | | is any chance they could be injured by your |
| if required. | | | | activity. |