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What is a Risk Assessment?<< Back to Health & Safety index page A risk assessment is nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people (this includes customers, employees and visitors), so you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure no one gets hurt or becomes ill. Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and effect your business too if output is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase, or you have to go to court. You are legally required to assess the risk in your workplace. The important things you need to decide are whether a hazard is significant and whether you have it covered by satisfactory precautions so that the risk is small. You need to check this when you assess the risks. Remember that certain sections of society may be more vulnerable and at higher risk to injury or illness ie those people who may have special needs, children, young person, the elderly, those with disabilities etc. Hazard means anything that can cause harm. Risk is the chance, high or low that somebody will be harmed by the hazard. Five Steps to Risk Assessment: Step 1: Look for the hazards Those who have received suitable and sufficient training should only complete the risk assessment. You should not complete a risk assessment unless you are competent to do so or if the task being assessed is outside your scope of knowledge or experience. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf |
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