In this second part of our series on workplace risk assessment, we’ll delve into Step 3: evaluating risks and determining if existing safety measures are sufficient or if further action is required. This crucial step helps businesses proactively manage hazards and protect their employees.
After identifying potential hazards, the next step is to assess the likelihood of each hazard causing harm. This evaluation will dictate whether additional measures are necessary to mitigate the risk. It’s important to acknowledge that even with precautions in place, some level of risk may remain. The objective is to determine whether the remaining risk associated with each significant hazard is high, medium, or low.
Begin by ensuring full compliance with all applicable legal requirements. For instance, strict regulations govern preventing access to dangerous machinery components. Next, confirm that generally accepted industry standards are implemented. However, compliance alone is not enough. The law mandates taking all reasonably practicable steps to maintain a safe workplace. The ultimate goal is to minimize all risks by implementing additional precautions as needed.
When improvements are identified, create an action list, prioritizing high-risk hazards and those affecting the largest number of employees.
When considering action, ask the following questions:
1. Can the hazard be eliminated entirely?
2. If elimination is not possible, how can the risks be controlled to minimize the likelihood of harm?
To control risks, apply the following principles, ideally in this order:
1. Opt for a less risky alternative.
2. Prevent access to the hazard by installing guards or barriers.
3. Organize work processes to reduce exposure to the hazard.
4. Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
5. Ensure adequate welfare facilities, such as washing stations, to remove contaminants, and provide first aid.
Improving health and safety doesn’t always require significant investment. Simple measures like installing a mirror at a blind corner to prevent vehicle accidents or applying non-slip material to slippery steps can be highly effective risk mitigation strategies.
Failure to implement these straightforward precautions can lead to far greater costs in the event of an accident.
Addressing Variable Work or Multiple Sites
When work tasks vary frequently or involve employees moving between different sites, identify reasonably foreseeable hazards and assess the associated risks. Upon arriving at a new site, look for any additional hazards, gather information from site personnel, and take necessary actions.
Shared Workspaces
If your business shares a workspace with other employers or self-employed individuals, communicate any risks your work may pose to them, as well as the precautions you are taking. Also, consider the risks posed to your workforce by others in the shared workspace.
Leveraging Existing Risk Assessments
If you’ve already assessed risks associated with hazardous chemicals under regulations like the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), you can consider those risks checked and proceed to other areas.
Further information on legal requirements and standards can be found in HSE publications such as “An Introduction to Health and Safety,” “Essentials of Health and Safety,” and “Management of Health and Safety at Work: Approved Code of Practice.”
That concludes this section. Steps 4 and 5 will be covered in Part 3.