Principles of risk assessment Risk assessment training course Module 1 Principles of risk assessment

Understanding the principles and practicalities of risk assessment Understanding risk evaluation Selecting control measures Implementing control measures Monitoring and reviewing Session outcomes

Principles of risk assessment Management Regulations (1999) are the umbrella regulations Require employer to: Identify hazards Assess risks Eliminate or control exposure to risks Write it down if significant Legal background

Principles of risk assessment What are the hazards? Who is doing what, where & when? (WWW) AND Who else might be affected by what is done? What is the degree of risk? What do we need to, or can we, do to control (eliminate/minimise) exposure to the risk? How will we monitor the work/people? Risk Assessment – the 5 steps

Principles of risk assessment What comes first? Even before the 5 steps – one question: What is it we have/want/would like to do? We can call this: - The task The job to do The procedure Everything can be covered in this way

Principles of risk assessment Let’s have some examples

Principles of risk assessment Hazard and Risk Hazard the potential to cause harm or damage Riskthe chance of that harm occurring Calculated as - potential severity of harm (the consequence – or damage) x likelihood of event occurring

Principles of risk assessment What will I be using/doing? How much do I know about what I am using/doing? What factors or properties could there be that affect the level of hazard (not risk)? Hazard identification Do I really have to do the work/task at all? Can I substitute something less hazardous?

Principles of risk assessment Who is affected by the work? Those who do the work Maturity Experience Health and immune status Medication Disability Pregnancy Others in the workplace Cleaning and maintenance staff Visitors External – including neighbours

Principles of risk assessment Can we work out how high the risk is? What could go wrong? What is the worst that could happen? Consequence - severity Likelihood How often must it be done? How many people do it? Is everyone doing it competent and trained?

Principles of risk assessment Where do our risks fit on the spectrum? How likely? How bad?

Principles of risk assessment Evaluating the risk 1.Highly unlikely 2.Possibly 3.Quite likely 4.Very likely 1.Slight harm 2.Injury affecting work 3.Serious injury 4.Possible fatality

Principles of risk assessment Risk Matrix

Principles of risk assessment Risk Matrix

Principles of risk assessment Risk Matrix – Does it work? 4 Tolerable 8 Significant 12 Unacceptable 16 Unacceptable 3 Insignificant 6 Tolerable 9 Significant 12 Unacceptable 2 Insignificant 4 Tolerable 6 Tolerable 8 Significant 1 Insignificant 2 Insignificant 3 Insignificant 4 Tolerable

Principles of risk assessment Controlling the risk Unacceptable – stop doing it until improvements made Significant - proceed with caution but improvement high priority Tolerable- OK to proceed but plan to improve Insignificant- Any improvements low priority

Principles of risk assessment Controlling the risk Decide measures to be taken Implement them according to priority Confirm measures appropriate and work

Principles of risk assessment Monitoring and Review Monitoring ‘Live’ nature of assessments Possible modification to procedures Review Identifies changes to procedures Possible modification to assessment