A risk assessment allows you to consider whether or not you have taken the correct precautions to protect yourself, your staff, participants, general public and also the property from any harm as a result of your activity. The purpose of a risk assessment is to make sure as far as possible that no one or nothing gets hurt or damaged as a result of your event, promotion or project. If there are any significant changes to you activity following the submission of your risk assessment, you must update this to take into account any new concerns or issues.
Controlling the risks:
A part of controlling the health and safety of your business, you need to control the risks within your workplace. For this, you need to think about what may cause harm to people and decide what you're going to do to prevent that. Think about which events are most likely to occur and also which will cause the most harm. Your risk assessment could help you realise which aspects your lacking in and which need to be fixed first.
One of the most important aspects of your risk assessment is to accurately identify the potential hazards within your workplace. Ways to do this are:
- Some workers (visitors, contractors, maintenance workers) may not be in the workplace all of the time, so they would need to be briefed on another day.
- Ask other workers if there is anyone that has been missed.
Evaluate the risks:
Some practical steps you could take include:
Controlling the risks:
A part of controlling the health and safety of your business, you need to control the risks within your workplace. For this, you need to think about what may cause harm to people and decide what you're going to do to prevent that. Think about which events are most likely to occur and also which will cause the most harm. Your risk assessment could help you realise which aspects your lacking in and which need to be fixed first.
One of the most important aspects of your risk assessment is to accurately identify the potential hazards within your workplace. Ways to do this are:
- Check manufacturers instructions or data sheets for chemical and equipment as they may help you with identifying the risks and you may have overlooked.
- Look back at your accident and ill health records.
- Take account of non-routine operations. For example, maintenance and cleaning operations.
- Think about long term hazards to health. For example, high levels of noise and exposure to harmful substances.
- Some workers (visitors, contractors, maintenance workers) may not be in the workplace all of the time, so they would need to be briefed on another day.
- Ask other workers if there is anyone that has been missed.
Evaluate the risks:
Some practical steps you could take include:
- organising your work to reduce exposure to the hazard
- issuing protective equipment
- involving and consulting workers