Risk Assessment
As an employer, the law requires you to assess and manage health and safety risks - for most businesses this is not difficult to do and HSE has published Five Steps to Risk Assessment to help you.
A risk assessment helps you focus on the risks that really matter in your workplace - the ones with the potential to cause real harm. In many instances, straightforward measures can readily control risks. For most, that means simple, cheap and effective measures to ensure your workforce is protected.
The law does not expect you to eliminate all risks, but you are required to protect people as far as 'reasonably practicable'. This guide tells you how to achieve that with a minimum of fuss.
Follow the five steps in this leaflet:
Step 1: Identify the hazards - How people could be harmed. The booklet includes tips on how to spot the hazards that matter.
Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how. The booklet will help you identify the best way to manage the risk.
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution. Compare what you do to good practice.
Step 4: Record your findings and implement them. You can use the blank template in the booklet to do this. This will include both temporary and long term solutions.
Step 5: Review your assessment and update if necessary. Set a date each year for a formal review to take account of new processes or equipment.
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