Risk Assessment

The assessment of risk is the fundamental principle behind the drive for a reduction of workplace accidents and work-related ill health. Employers with five or more employees are required by law to record the significant findings of their risk assessments. Main (or principal) contractors may wish to see written risk assessments from any other contractor they intend to employ, regardless of the number of employees.

Risk Assessments must consider the potential risks to the health and/or safety of anyone who may be adversely affected, which may include employees, the employees of other contractors, site visitors, members of the public etc. Carrying out risk assessments need not be difficult or unduly time consuming; the effort should be proportionate to the degree of perceived risk.

There is no ‘official’ content or way of structuring a risk assessment; it is for each employer to decide what works best for their undertaking. Some common conventions have evolved.

Method Statements are a way of integrating the information gained during the risk assessment process into a structured sequence of work activities for completing a job.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended) place a legal duty on employers and the self-employed to assess the risks to the health and safety of:

  • Their employees
  • Other people who are not their employees

There is also a requirement in other sets of regulations for employers to carry out risk assessments in relation to specific threats to health or safety in the workplace, such as:

  • The use of hazardous substances
  • Noise in the workplace
  • Manual handling activities
  • The presence of asbestos
  • The use of display screen equipment
  • Work at height
  • Work with vibrating tools and equipment

As with Method Statements, there is no set layout for a risk assessment, however they should be written clearly to enable those doing the work to fully understand the details of the job. There is certain content which should be included, RFS can help you carry out and/or complete these documents, contact us to discuss your project needs and requirements