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While the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is the primary legislation that requires all employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace, there is no mention in the Act of risk assessments specifically.
Where the need for risk assessments is mentioned is in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and in order to help you meet these duties, health and safety experts like us here at Acorn Safety Services, use a systematic process to ensure that the risk assessments are suitable and sufficient:
Key steps of a risk assessment
- Identify any potential hazards in the workplace. Hazards are anything that have the potential to cause harm and there’s plenty in the workplace including manual handling, work at height, sharps, legionella, electricity, asbestos, noise, stress and many, many more.
- Identify who could be affected by the hazard and how.
- Assess the risk and consider what measures are currently in place to control the risk and if any additional controls are required
- Record your findings and your plan of action to prove you’re acting as a responsible employer when it comes to health and safety. Share significant findings with those affected
- Review your risk assessments where necessary: when review dates come round, when there are significant changes to processes/equipment, or as part of an accident/incident investigation
A risk assessment looks at each potential problem in the setting and considers if there is a way to control the risk or remove it completely. It requires knowledge of the task, equipment or process and looking for what might go wrong and how you can prevent any harm, injury or damage.
Why is a risk assessment important?
Suitable and sufficient risk assessments identify where harm is likely to occur and aims to prevent that from happening. This prevents injuries and can save lives.
A risk assessment can also save a company money, in avoiding fines and civil penalties, but also through sick pay, time off, compensation and retraining of replacement staff. When staff are involved in the process, they can see the company’s commitment to improving health and safety. This helps in maintaining a positive safety culture within your organisation.
Who is responsible?
Employees, managers and safety professionals should all be involved in a risk assessment, but it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that they take place.
You can also employ the expertise of health and safety specialists.
Our certified health and safety consultants can conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify any risks in your business, evaluating everything from the layout of your facility to the equipment you use to mitigate risk.
Not conducting a risk assessment can lead to accidents and injuries, legal penalties, and fines. It is a statutory requirement for all employers and, like a health and safety policy, must be a written document if the company employs five or more people.
Do you have questions about risk assessments? Visit https://acornhealthandsafety.co.uk/health-and-safety-policies/ today to find out more.
We can also provide a quote for additional health and safety services, with no obligation to buy.
