Risk Assessments

What is Risk Assessment?

Risk assessment is a technique for preventing accidents and ill health by helping people to think about what could go wrong and ways to prevent problems.

It is nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill. Accidents and ill health can ruin lives, and affect your business too if output is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase, or you have to go to court. It can also be used as an aide to determine training needs and assist with quality assurance programmes.

You are legally required to assess the risks in your workplace (and if you employ five or more people, record the main findings and your arrangements for health and safety).

Carrying out Risk Assessments

We all carry out informal risk assessments every day. For example, before crossing the road we will stop and look to see if it is safe to cross. Traffic speed and visibility will play their part in our assessment before we decide to cross. This is just one of the hundreds of informal risk assessments that we make unconsciously every day.

However, formal risk assessments must be carried out in every workplace. Assessors are usually trained, competent managers and supervisors who are familiar with the task or issue being assessed and the suitable safety controls required. They must also be up to date with relevant legal requirements. The workplace and activities must be carefully examined. Some hazards are obvious while some may be hidden. Often the best way to conduct workplace assessments is to involve the workforce.

Derwent Safety Centre can assist your company to ensure that all significant causes of injury or ill health are identified in order that proper steps can be taken to protect your employees and others from the hazards.

Alternatively, if you feel that you would prefer to carry out your own risk assessments, but perhaps are afraid that you lack sufficient knowledge, we can arrange to deliver our one-day Risk Assessment course to your Managers and Supervisors. The course content is introduced via formal presentation and participative training techniques, using visual aids and practical exercises to confirm understanding. Click on the Training Centre link for details of our courses, or click here for the Risk Assessment course outline.