Risk Assessment

What is Risk Assessment?

Risk assessment is a method which is used to ascertain whether your procedures and systems for protecting your staff from harm are sufficient or if there is more you should be doing.

It is a way to ensure you are being proactive with your health and safety management and compliance rather than addressing problems after they have caused harm. It requires you to look ahead at what could go wrong, before it actually has and then to decide if the measures you are already taking are adequate or if there is more that you could or should reasonably do to make the task, process or area you are assessing safer. Whether you are assessing a task, a working area or even conducting a home worker risk assessment the principle is the same.

Why are risk assessments important?

This is something we are often asked by our clients. The obvious answer is that they are important because failing to do them leaves you vulnerable to criminal liability as they are an absolute legal requirement (ie an employer is not allowed to make a cost/risk analysis before deciding whether to do them or not). However, there are other reasons why they are so important, and the main one is that the processs of risk assessment enables you to look ahead at what could go wrong before it actually has, and then to take measure to stop it from going wrong, or at least reducing the chances of failure, or the impact of any thing that does go wrong. They can also be important when demonstrating to your teams that you value their health, wellbeing and safety as you are taking proactive measures to reduce injury.

For those of you who are developing your safety culture, involving your teams in the assessment process produces significant gains in understanding and ownership of the problems, and hence the solutions.

Other posts you may be interested in:

Fire evacuation drills at work

Fire evacuation drills at work - when, how and how often do you need them? Fire evacuation drills at work are absolutely essential for keeping everyone safe. They’re not just about following the law or ticking boxes - they’re about making sure that every person in the office, from the experienced worker in the factory […]

Read More
The 6 classes of fire - and how to put them out

The 6 classes of fire - and how to put them out Making sure your team at work knows all about the 6 classes of fire is absolutely crucial for keeping everyone safe. Each class is defined by the type of fuel that ignites the fire. And being prepped to know how to tackle each […]

Read More
Health and Safety for lone workers

Health and Safety for lone workers: what you need to know Working alone might sound peaceful! You have no office politics or noisy colleagues to contend with! But it does come with risks. Whether you’re a delivery driver, a care worker visiting homes, or a tradesperson working in an empty building, being on your own […]

Read More
Where does COSHH apply in the workplace?

If you've ever walked past that mystery cupboard at your work marked ‘Hazardous Substances’ and wondered what’s inside, you’re not alone! Employees are aware of workplace safety measures but might not fully understand how regulations like COSHH affect them. So, what does COSHH mean and where does COSHH apply in the workplace? What is COSHH? […]

Read More

Contact us

Speak to us today about the many services we have to offer - or enquire about a bespoke health and safety package we can offer you. Send us an email or give us a call and we'll be very happy to help!

menu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram