Risk Assessments

What is a risk assessment?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) define a risk assessment as ‘… a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm…’

Essentially, it is the process of identifying hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm to any individual who may come into contact with your workplace and the activities undertaken within that workplace, and ensuring that the right amount of time, effort and money has been used to mitigate the hazard in relation to the size of the risk and the likelihood of it causing harm.

Is a risk assessment a legal requirement?

Yes. It is a legal requirement for an employer or self-employed person to make an assessment of the health and safety risks arising out of their work. The purpose of the assessment is to identify what needs to be done to control health and safety risks. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 state that a risk assessment only needs to be recorded if you have 5 or more employees. However, we would advise that a simple risk assessment is recorded no matter the size of the business to show that you have identified the hazards and mitigated the risks as much as possible.

When do I need to do a risk assessment?

A risk assessment should be carried out prior to undertaking any work that presents a risk of injury or ill health. There are a number of specific risk assessment you might be required to carry out depending on what your business does.

  • General Risk Assessment – Required under The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • Fire Risk Assessment – Required under The Regulatory Reform (Fire) Safety Order 2005.
  • Workstation Risk Assessments – Required in accordance with Health & Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992.
  • Manual Handling Risk Assessment – Required in accordance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.
  • COSHH Risk Assessments – Required in accordance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
  • Working at Height Risk Assessment – Required in accordance with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • Home Worker Risk Assessment – Required in accordance with Health & Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992.
  • Lone Worker Risk Assessment – Required in accordance with the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • Stress Risk Assessment – Required under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • Disability Access Audit/Welfare Survey
  • Young Persons At Work Risk Assessment – Required in accordance with the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
  • New & Expectant Mothers Risk Assessment – Required under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

How can Peligro help me?

Here at Peligro our consultants can identify what risk assessment needs to be carried out and produce a comprehensive document setting out how you are managing that risk and what additional steps you may need to take. Your risk assessment will look at what in your business might cause harm, how it may cause harm, and to whom.

For further information please contact Peligro on 0114 212 5505 or email [email protected]

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