| As any company will testify, payouts for injuries to | | | | Once the risks have been identified and documented, |
| staff or members of the public is a costly process, | | | | each aspect needs to be given a risk level. This is |
| and in the case of staff injuries loses valuable | | | | basically graded as low medium or high. As part of a |
| working hours in the process. To minimize accidents | | | | project, the level of risk can be a deciding factor as |
| occurring and to adhere to insurance company | | | | to whether or not the project can go ahead. Even if |
| policies, risks need to identified and mitigating | | | | the risks are regarded as high however, there is a |
| procedures put into place. We take a look at how | | | | chance that mitigating procedures that can be put in |
| companies deal with hazards in the workplace by | | | | place will allow the project to continue. |
| conducting a risk assessment. | | | | It is essential that a health and safety officer is able |
| A risk assessment is a procedure that has to be | | | | to state what will be done to reduce the risk and |
| carried out in any commercial environment where the | | | | what procedures will be implemented should accident, |
| practices of a company or an individual may pose a | | | | injury or illness occur. To reduce the chances of |
| risk to others. These assessments are carried out by | | | | potential hazards staff can be sent on training |
| everyone from artists exhibiting in a gallery to | | | | courses so heighten their hazard perception and to |
| companies that manufacture toxic chemicals. | | | | learn to use equipment responsibly. Learning how to |
| The initial part of a risk assessment is to identify the | | | | lift heavy items correctly and to ensure adequate |
| types of hazards that are present. Hazards are | | | | safety equipment is used is a common theme in |
| classed as anything that may cause illness or injury, | | | | hazard prevention. |
| over either a long or short time. In an office | | | | Finally, procedures need to be drawn up as to what |
| environment this could be air pollution caused by air | | | | action would be taken in the event of the risk |
| conditioning systems, fire hazards or danger of injury | | | | becoming reality. This could be in the form of fire |
| from tripping over trailing cables to electrical | | | | drills, emergency response and access to first aid |
| equipment. In other industries the potential risks may | | | | equipment. A successful risk assessment ensures that |
| only become evident over a prolonged amount of | | | | whatever the hazards are, they are minimized |
| time, such as exposure to toxic chemicals and the | | | | thorough awareness and safety procedures to |
| build up that occurs over many years. | | | | prevent harm to an individual. |