Why?

A risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm to people in the workplace.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that Employers have a legal obligation to protect their health and safety and that of their workforce.

Regulation 3 requires that:

• Employers must assess the risks to the health and safety of their employees while they are at work.
• The employer's assessment with regards to health and safety risks should be periodically reviewed.
• The significant findings of the assessment should be recorded where the company has more than five employees.

During 2004/2005, 220 people were killed and over 150,000 were injured at work because of a failure to manage risk.

Risk assessments help employers to identify significant risks in the workplace and enable them take the necessary measures to remove or reduce these risks. Effective risk assessments can help to prevent accidents by identifying hazards and reducing the risk of injury from those hazards.

Workplace accidents and ill health can be the cause of increased costs including lost output and compensation claims which may result in higher insurance premiums.

When?

Listed below are examples of when risk assessments should be carried out:

• When the work changes significantly.
• If there is an accident or incident.
• When equipment or machinery is to be used.
• For processes or procedures.

Who is at risk?

Employees:

• The person directly carrying out the task.
• Other employees working near the task.
• Cleaning and maintenance staff.
• Contractors.

Visitors:

• Customers.
• Delivery drivers.
• Emergency services.

Other:

• Members of the general public.
• Neighbours.
• Tresspassers.

How?

A risk assessment is:

1. An identification of hazards in the work place.
2. A determination of the likelihood that these hazards will cause harm.
3. Prioritisation of prevention and control measures.

To carry out a risk assessment, the following must be taken into account:

• Consider the task or process.
• Identify the hazards.
• Identify who is at risk.
• Analyse and evaluate the risk against the severity.
• Decide on control measures.
• Implement the control measures.
• Monitor the control measures.
• Review the process.