When it comes to complying with many regulations and health and safety laws for the workplace, it’s not always easy to keep track, but before all that you must identify the needs of your workplace.

Depending on your business type, industry, workforce and equipment you use, the regulations will vary – as to what you should be following, not how they should be followed.

Of course, the way that the majority of workplace needs are assessed is through risk assessments. Most workplaces require a personalised risk assessment, based on the conditions we’ve previously mentioned, but it is usually a well-known process for each company.

Factfile

• Risk assessments vary in process, depending on the organisation but there is a typical structure to follow.
• They are a legal requirement – you must perform them so you have plans setup in the event of liable risks occurring.

What?

Risk assessments are the initial step in measuring health and safety in the workplace, to ensure the needs of your staff are met and that you are complying with any and all Government regulations. It is the careful examination of what, in your workplace, could cause harm to people, weighing up the precautions to be taken to prevent harm.

All staff and others on your site have the right to be protected from harm caused by failures to take reasonable control measures.

When thinking about your risk assessment, remember:

• A hazard is anything that may cause harm, such as chemicals, electricity, working from ladders, an open drawer, etc; and
• The riskis the chance, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by these and other hazards, together with an indication of how serious the harm could be.

How?

Typically speaking the risk assessment procedure follows this structure:

• Step 1: Identify the hazards
• Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how
• Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
• Step 4: Record your findings and implement them
• Step 5: Review your assessment and update if necessary

Remember that employees have legal responsibilities to co-operate with their employer’s efforts to improve health and safety (e.g. they must wear protective equipment when it is provided), and to be aware of / consider others’ safety.

Risk assessments are only a legal requirement because they prevent so many potentially harmful situations – both for employee health and safety and for your business reputation – stay on the right side of the law and comply with them.

If you’d like to know more about the occupational health services, training and consultancy that we provide, why not call 07720 956789 or if you like what you hear, follow us at @BusinessHealth_.