Risk Assessment and Control A College Guide to: Risk Assessment and Control

Has health and safety gone too far? If you believe some stories you hear, health and safety is all about stopping any activity that might possibly lead to harm. Sensible health and safety is about risk management, not risk elimination.

Being sensible about health and safety How can you manage the risks to health and safety sensibly? The way to manage health and safety sensibly is through the use of RISK ASSESSMENTS.

Risk Assessment Terminology HAZARD A HAZARD is anything with the potential to cause harm, for example: Glass Electricity Chemicals Machinery Manual Handling Stress Fire

Risk Assessment Terminology RISK The RISK is the probability or likelihood of someone being harmed by the hazard. As part of a risk assessment you will need to determine whether the hazard presents a high, medium or low risk.

Risk Assessment Terminology CONTROL MEASURES Control measures are the arrangements made or the precautions taken to eliminate or reduce the risk, for example: A guard on a machine Dust or fume extraction Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

What is a Risk Assessment? A risk assessment is a pro-active way of identifying: How an accident might happen (the hazards). How serious it might be (the risks). What can be done to reduce or eliminate the risk (the control measures).

Use a Step-by Step Approach Identify the hazards. Consider who is at risk. Identify the control measures that are already in place. Assess the current level of risk. Consider what additional actions are required to eliminate or adequately control the risks. Record your findings. Provide employees with information and training about the risks and control measures.

Risk Assessment Form (HSF 5.04a) Hazards Associated with the Activity People at Risk Existing Controls Risk Rating H/M/L Further Actions Required? By Who? By When? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1. What are the hazards in your workplace? Slipping and tripping Working at heights Fire Hazardous substances Machinery Electricity Dust and fumes Manual handling Noise Violence Stress Poor housekeeping

How do you identify hazards? Use your own experience. Ask others (team approach). Carry out a detailed job analysis. Refer to HSE information. Trade publications can be useful. Check accident/incident history. Use hazard checklists.

Risk Assessment Form 1. List the significant hazards Hazards Associated with the Activity People at Risk Existing Controls Risk Rating H/M/L Further Actions Required? By Who? By When? 1. Slips, Trips and Falls 2. Fire Safety 3. Hazardous Substances 4. Work Equipment 5. Manual Handling

2. Who is at risk? Staff Learners Public Others who may be at particular risk: New starters Young Learners Children People with disabilities Lone workers Cleaners / contractors New and expectant mothers Visitors Neighbours

Risk Assessment Form 2. List the people at risk Hazards Associated with the Activity People at Risk Existing Controls Risk Rating H/M/L Further Actions Required? By Who? By When? 1. Slips, Trips and Falls Staff Learners Visitors 2. Fire Safety Disabled 3. Hazardous Substances Cleaners 4. Work Equipment Young Learners 5. Manual Handling Caretakers

3. What precautions are already in place? Are the existing precautions adequate? Do existing precautions comply with legislation / HSE guidance? Are staff and learners complying with the existing precautions?

Risk Assessment Form 3. Identify the exiting controls Hazards Associated with the Activity People at Risk Existing Controls Risk Rating H/M/L Further Actions Required? By Who? By When? 1. Slips, Trips and Falls Staff Learners Visitors Use of suitable floor coverings. Floors well maintained. 2. Fire Safety Disabled Detection and alarm systems. Emergency procedures. Awareness training. 3. Hazardous Substances Cleaners COSHH assessments. Safe use information. Training. 4. Work Equipment Young Learners Safe use procedures. Training and Supervision. Maintenance. 5. Manual Handling Caretakers Manual handling assessments & training. Handling equipment provided.

4. What is the current level of risk? Assessing the level of risk for each of the hazards identified will help you determine and prioritise any additional control measures required. You can determine the level of risk using your own knowledge and experience or by using some form of risk rating formula.

4. What is the current level of risk? Assessing the level of risk can also help you balance the costs (money, time and effort) of taking action against the risk being considered. This ensures you are doing what is reasonable and practical in the circumstances and therefore complying with the law.

Risk Assessment Form 4. Specify the level of risk Hazards Associated with the Activity People at Risk Existing Controls Risk Rating H/M/L Further Actions Required? By Who? By When? 1. Slips, Trips and Falls Staff Learners Visitors Use of suitable floor coverings. Floors well maintained. H 2. Fire Safety Disabled Detection and alarm systems. Emergency procedures. Awareness training. M 3. Hazardous Substances Cleaners COSHH assessments. Safe use information. Training. 4. Work Equipment Safe use procedures. Training and Supervision. Maintenance. 5. Manual Handling Caretakers Manual handling assessments & training. Handling equipment provided.

5. Are further actions required? If you have assessed the risk as medium or high then additional control measures will be required. Action will also be required if you are not fully complying with health and safety legislation or HSE guidance. Don’t forget to state who is responsible for implementing the actions and by when they should be completed.

Apply the hierarchy of risk control when considering the further actions required. Can the risk be avoided or eliminated by carrying out the activity a different way? Can a hazardous substance be substituted for a less hazardous one? Can the risks be controlled at source by using engineering controls such as dust or fume extraction? Are there clear and effective safe working procedures? Training, instruction and supervision Although Personal Protective Equipment is a last line of defence, can it be used in addition to the above control measures? Other considerations: Welfare facilities First aid facilities Emergency procedures

Risk Assessment Form 5. List the further actions required Hazards Associated with the Activity People at Risk Existing Controls Risk Rating H/M/L Further Actions Required? By Who? By When? 1. Slips, Trips and Falls Staff Learners Visitors Use of suitable floor coverings. Floors well maintained. H Better cable management. Awareness raising. Better housekeeping. MM JB Sept Nov 2. Fire Safety Disabled Detection and alarm systems. Emergency procedures. Awareness training. M Hold regular fire drills. Provide training in the safe use of fire extinguishers. Dec Aug 3. Hazardous Substances Cleaners COSHH assessments. Safe use information. Training. Check whether there are safer substances available. Test LEV. 4. Work Equipment Young Learners Safe use procedures. Training and Supervision. Maintenance. Display copies of the safe use procedures in the work area. Monitor compliance. Oct 5. Manual Handling Caretakers Manual handling assessments & training. Handling equipment provided. Provide manual handling information and awareness training.

By who and by when? To turn what so far has been a paper exercise into practice it is important to determine who is responsible for the implementation of each action point. Set a target date for completion that is based on the level of risk.

And Finally For all those people who believe that health and safety and the need to assess risk is unnecessary because their organisation has not had an accident in all its years of existence, I would like to finish with an extract from a paper presented by Captain E J Smith in 1905. “When anyone asks me how I can best describe my experience of 40 years at sea, I merely say uneventful. Of course there have been winter gales, storms and fog and the like, but in all my experience, I have never been in any accident worth speaking about. I have seen but one vessel in distress in all my years at sea. I never saw a wreck and have never been wrecked, nor was I ever in a predicament that threatened to end in a disaster of any sort.”

Who was Captain E J Smith? Captain E J Smith was Captain of RMS Titanic and sadly 7 years later he and 1500 others perished.