Assessing Risk
What are some external sources of health and safety information? (8)
1. Databases 2. Legislation 3. Product information 4. British and international standards 5. Industry, trade association and professional body guidance 6. International Labour Organisation (ILO) 7. Specialists and consultants 8. Research
What nine attributes are useful for risk assessors?
1. Experience and training in risk assessing 2. Knowledge of the processes or activities to be assessed 3. Willing and able to obtain external help and advice 4. Technical knowledge of the plant or equipment 5. Good communication and report writing skills 6. Awareness of one's own limitations in experience 7. Understanding of best practice in the area of work 8. Ability to interpret legislation and guidance 9. Right attitude for the job
What are the key actions of risk profiling? (7)
1. Identify person responsible 2. Consequences 3. Risk assessment must be carried out by a competent person 4. Maintain an overview of the risk-profiling process 5. Check minor risks 6. Remember to assess the effects of changing technology 7. Have the effects been examined?
What should a risk assessment include to be suitable and sufficient? (5)
1. Identify risks 2. Make the assessment proportionate to the risk 3. Consider all who might be effected 4. Demonstrate reasonable risk limiting steps 5. Make appropriate steps
What are some internal sources of health and safety information? (3)
1. Personal knowledge and experience of managers and employees 2. Accident, ill-health and incident data 3. Records
How do you implement risk assessment findings? (3)
1. Record findings 2. Action plan 3. Share
What does an employer need to do when they have a new and expectant mothers?
Adjust work hours Offer suitable alternative work Suspend on full pay
When might you update the risk assessment?
After a certain amount of time, with any change to equipment, any problems reported, any lessons learnt from incidents
What is a harm?
Anything from ill-health and injury to damage to property
What is a hazard?
Anything that may cause harm
What is the second step in a risk assessment?
Decide who might be harmed and how
What does an employer need to do when they have a disabled employee?
Equality act 2010
What is the third step in a risk assessment?
Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
What does a risk profile do?
Examines the likelihood of adverse effects occurring, the level of disruption and costs associated with each type of risk and the effectiveness of the control measures in place
What is a risk profile?
Examines the nature and levels of threats faced by an organisation
What is the first step in a risk assessment?
Identify the hazards
How do you calculate risk?
Likelihood x seriousness (each is 3)
What does an employee need to do when they have a young employee?
Look at the psychological and physiological risks
What does an employer need to do when they have a lone worker?
Psychological, stress, first aid facilities
What is the fourth step in a risk assessment?
Record the findings and implement them
What is the hierarchy of control?
Reduce Isolate Control Safe system of work PPE
What is the five step in a risk assessment?
Review the risk assessment and update if necessary
What is sensible risk management about?
Saving lives and preventing injuries and illness
What has HSE defined risk assessment as?
Simply a careful examination of what, in the workplace, could cause harm to people, so that a decision can be made as to whether the precautions taken are satisfactory or whether more should be done to prevent harm
What is a risk?
The chance that someone could be harmed by a hazard
What is risk management?
The employer looking at the risks that arise in the workplace and then putting sensible health and safety measures in place to control them
Who should risk assess?
The employer, but they can appoint one or more competent persons to assist in conducting the risk assessments
What is the basic principle of risk assessments?
To protect people and make everything safer
