Risk assessments, an integral part of workplace safety

Health and safety rules can often feel like an inconvenience, but they are there to protect us and those around us. Statistics released by the HSE in July 2016 reported that 144 workers in Great Britain were killed whilst at work in 2015-2016. This begs the question, was there a suitable risk assessment in place?

A risk assessment needs to be conducted before employees complete work on current, new or unknown parts, processes or materials. You must consider the possible causes of harm and what steps to take in preventing that harm in the first place. 

A good risk assessment will help to prevent accidents and ill health. Accidents not only have the potential to ruin lives, but they could also increase costs to businesses through lost output, compensation claims and higher insurance premiums. With the HSE reporting just under 60 work-related fatalities in Ireland alone last year, the importance of safety in the workplace is more important than ever.

As of 1 February last year, sentencing guidelines are now stricter than ever. So with this in mind, why risk something going wrong? It’s crucial to note, that contrary to popular belief, spotting potential hazards by conducting a risk assessment will not prevent people from doing things, rather it identifies ways of enabling people to do things in a safe manner.

There are no set rules on how to conduct a risk assessment and the good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Generally, you need to identify hazards, decide who could be harmed and how, evaluate the risks and consider the controls. You must record the findings to act as your company’s due diligence and of course, then implement them. Risk assessments need to be reviewed at least annually, and whenever you have new procedures or activities within your organisation. Remember, one size does not fit all. And whilst they form the foundation of every organisation, every businesses’ risk will differ. If you work in retail, hospitality or catering, just some of the many risk assessments you may need in place may include:

COSHH, PPE, Work at Height, New and Expectant Mothers, Young Persons, Manual Handling, Stress, Legionella, Asbestos, Fire Risk Assessment, Noise, Dermatitis, First Aid, Driving at Work, Permit to Work, Visitors and Contractors, Work Equipment, Violence at Work, Electrical Safety, Gas Safety, Lifting Equipment, and Lone Working.

Shield Safety has written a suite of generic work-based risk assessments, perfect for a wide range of businesses. Their generic templates will enable you to carry out your own risk assessments for whenever you need one. Having one in place provides the evidence you need to demonstrate how far you’ve gone to make a situation as safe as possible.

To start assessing your workplace risk, visit: Shield Safety Group