- Scan
- Assess
- Fix or Forgo
- Evaluate
The proper
assessment of risks and the implementation of suitable precautions to reduce
those risks is the basis of most health and safety regulations. Risk
assessment is required by all safety regulations (e.g. Management of Health and
Safety at Work Act, Manual Handling regulations, Control of Substances
Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, etc) such that employers are required
to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of:
- the risks
to the health and safety of their employees to which they are exposed
while at work, and
- the risks
to the health and safety of persons not in their employment arising out of
or in connection with the conduct by the employers or of their undertaking
A hazard
is something which has the potential to cause harm to people, or damage to
equipment, buildings or the environment. A risk is a function of the
likelihood of that harm or damage actually occurring and the severity of its
consequences.
A Risk
Assessment must consider:
- What is
the hazard?
- What
could go wrong?
- Where is
there likely to be a problem?
- Who might
be hurt?
- Why might
it happen?
- When
could it happen?
- How could
all this be avoided?
Risk
assessments must be reviewed periodically, and following any changes to
procedures etc.
The School
Safety Group will review selected risk assessments to assure that hazards have
been properly identified and the appropriate control measures are in place to
minimise risk.
See also
