Dynamo Training Solutions Guide to Risk Assessments

Dynamo Training Solutions recognise the importance of risk assessments and how they can be used to ensure that employees and members of the public are kept safe. Dynamo Training Solutions offers a wide range of training courses, both classroom and online that ensure that you receive the skills, knowledge, and expertise to complete well-documented risk assessments.

Dynamo Training Solutions Guide to Risk Assessments

Risk assessments were introduced into health and safety legislation when the original Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) was introduced in the 1980s. Since their incorporation into COSHH legislation, they have become a mainstay in health and safety legislation.

The main purpose of a risk assessment is to help the employer. A risk assessment helps an employer determine what methods should be taken to stay compliant with their duties and responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The basic principles of any risk assessment are contained in The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Approved Code of Practice (ACOP). This ACOP requires that employers undertake a systematic examination of any work activity and record the significant findings of the risk assessment. It must be remembered that if five or more people are employed the risk assessment must be written down.

One of the best ways to carry out a risk assessment is to use the experience and expertise of a competent person or persons with experience and relevant competency in their field. Being a competent person does not mean just being qualified. The person or persons must have worthwhile experience and an understanding of what they are assessing. To sum this up, a competent person should have knowledge, experience, and relevant qualification. The person must refresh their knowledge to ensure that it is up to date-and relevant.

At this point, it must be made clear that it is not the written document that makes a particular task or job safe, but the control measures that are put in place and reviewed regularly. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment should identify the hazards, evaluate risks, determine appropriate measures necessary, and ensure that it is appropriate to the nature of the work whilst being valid for a reasonable period of time.

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm, whereas risk is the likelihood of harm occurring. The principles of a risk assessment follow a systematic process, which should be considered as a 5 step plan

Step one is identifying hazards. This would be anything that has the potential to cause harm. This could include any item, object, chemical, environmental or work process that has the potential to cause harm.

Step two is to identify who may be harmed. In a risk assessment, everyone who comes into contact either directly or indirectly with the hazard needs to be included in the finished report. This will include employers, employees, visitors, contractors, and anyone else that is affected by the hazard or hazards identified.

Step three is for the evaluation of the risk by considering all existing precautions that are already in place. This would be a list of anything and everything that is done to prevent something from causing harm.

Step four is the recording of all findings. This step involves written documentation (If five or more staff are employed) of all the hazards and the attributed risks as well as all the precautions in place.

Step five is the reviewing and revision of the risk assessment as and when necessary. A review could take place periodically, when necessary would involve an introduction of a new work process, new machinery, or new environment, or even if a new hazard or risk has been discovered.

A risk assessment should be reviewed and if necessary modified regularly or after any near miss or accident.

It is a requirement to follow a systematic approach to deciding which control measures need or should be implemented. The hierarchy of control is basically a systematic process to decide which control measures should be implemented

The first step of the hierarchy of control and the most important thing is to try and avoid the risk altogether. If the risk can be taken away, there is no reason to continue the hierarchy of control, as there is no risk of injury.

The second step is substitution. Can the task, equipment, or substance be substituted for something less risky, therefore reducing the harm/

The third step of the hierarchy is enclosure, isolation, and separation. Can the work process be enclosed so the workers are not affected by the process and not exposed to the risk?

The fourth step would be the introduction of guarding or safety devices. This would protect all relevant people by preventing them access to dangerous areas.

The fifth stage would be the introduction of a safe system of work, in which procedures must be followed and the staff is made fully aware of what these procedures are.

Supervision is the sixth stage of the hierarchy of control. This ensures that effective supervision is in place to monitor that procedures are in place and staff do not take unnecessary risks or shortcuts

The seventh stage is training. Training should include all management, supervisors, and employees that are involved with the task. The training needs to be relevant to the task to make it an effective control

The eighth stage would include information. This information is regarding the hazards and risks in the workplace that have been identified and safe systems that should be followed

The last stage should be the introduction of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is only to be used as a last resort. This is because PPE only protects the wearer from the risk.

A separate risk assessment will need to be undertaken for young employees. This is an employee between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. Young employees are seen as risk averse, which simply means they are unaware of potential dangers in the workplace. A separate risk assessment needs to be carried out for a pregnant woman. The pregnant employee would need to inform the employer in writing that they are pregnant. It may be necessary to repeat the risk assessment as the employees’ health and capability may change throughout the pregnancy.

It is important to remember that a risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying hazards and risks in the workplace and documenting them. A risk assessment is only a stage in the removal of a hazard and the risk of someone becoming injured or ill at work. A risk assessment is not the last step regarding health and safety at work, it is a tool to help protect employees, visitors, and anyone else affected by the potential hazard as well as the risk. Dynamo Training Solutions risk assessment training fully meets the required standards to both complete and understand risk assessment procedures.

Dynamo Training Solutions Guide to Risk Assessments