Top Tip Tuesday - Risk Assessment

R – RISK ASSESSMENT

Having the ability to complete good risk assessments is the most valuable tool a health and safety practitioner can possess. Although there is some debate on the difference between completing a risk assessment and assessing the risk.

The task of completing a risk assessment is usually recorded in generic form. These are usually completed as a desktop exercise and used for commercial or procurement requirements to demonstrate a process.

Assessing the risk is a different dynamic. Physically entering the work environment to analyse what is being done, who is doing it; and how they are doing it. It is more precise. It is relevant to what is being done and clearly demonstrates some interaction between the assessor and the assessed.

Here are some top tips to ensuring your risk assessments not only end up as suitable and sufficient, but also a solid and professional document that shows it is being managed well:

• Train as many people as you can in risk assessment principles. The more that are trained, the more valuable they become.
• Ask your most valued team members to get involved in risk assessments. Select individuals who have a positive attitude towards health and safety. People who have the right attitude.
• Carry out a walkthrough assessment identifying all the different areas and tasks that will require a risk assessment. Don’t prepare risk assessments for specific topics (working at height), look at the tasks and activities they are performing (clearing guttering).
• Once you have confirmed your list, split the assessment of risk between some of the individuals you selected. Allow them to find out all the information, record it and then report back to you or their immediate line manager.
• Review their findings and start to prepare/record each risk assessment. Remember to involve the people that complete these tasks so they are engaged and can have an input.
• Once finalised, the library of risk assessments can then be implemented with all personnel having access to them at any time.
• Keep them under review and only make modifications if there has been a change.

Need more help on this? Contact us as we are happy to advise and guide you.