Forum of Private Business - Health and Safety Guide 2016

Forum of Private Business Health and Safety Guide First edition published

1997 19th edition, April 2016

Published by

Forum of Private Business Ruskin Chambers Drury Lane Knutsford Cheshire WA16 6HA Telephone Website

Copyright ISBN

01565 626001 marketing@fpb.org www.fpb.org

of Private Business 2016 978-1-871929-44-7

All rights reserved other than templates. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto computer or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright owners, except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Subscribers to the guide have paid for an update and information service, which is non-transferable. The document itself remains the property of the Forum of Private Business.

Any unauthorised or restricted act in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

Disclaimer Each business is responsible for ensuring its own compliance with UK health and safety regulations.

Whilst the Forum has taken every possible care to ensure the information contained in this guide is accurate at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept any liability for errors or omissions, however caused.

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Health and Safety Guide – nineteenth edition Health and safety legislation applies to all businesses, no matter what size or sector you are in. Its importance cannot be underestimated as failing to comply can lead to prosecution with fines averaging £28,300*.

As an employer, you are responsible for managing health and safety in your business and you need to ensure you are providing a safe working environment for employees, contractors, visitors and anyone else who might be by your operations.

This new edition of the Forum’s Health and Safety Guide is a vital business resource to give you the peace of mind that you are fully up to speed when it comes to managing your legal health and safety duties, The simple guidance in checklist format will help you identify where you are already legally compliant and point to any action you need to take.

This guide forms part of the Forum’s comprehensive support package to help members comply with legislation.

We can also advice on all aspects of health and safety and audits, polices, assessments, procedures, inspections, and training. Simply call our friendly helpline team on 01565 626001 to find out more.

*statistics courtesy of HSE

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Contents

Contents i

Introduction Health and Safety Guide – nineteenth edition Contents Introduction Health and safety management About the Guide and how to use it Using the Health and Safety Guide CD-ROM Abbreviations used in the Guide

Section 1a Health and safety management systems 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Insurances Responsibility Enforcing authority inspections Directors’ duties Health and safety policy Risk assessment Accident and emergency procedures Accident recording and reporting Accident investigation Incident analysis Young people New and expectant mothers Safety representatives/representatives of employee safety Health and safety poster/leaflet Health and safety training Homeworking Safety signs and signals Workplace inspections Working at height Lone working Personal protective equipment (PPE) Safe systems of work (SSoW) Violence, bullying and harassment Traffic management Vehicle safety Waste management Adverse weather Fire precautions and arrangements Electrical safety Work equipment (WE) Equality and diversity Working time

ii iii v vii viii ix x

1 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 15 18 19 21 24 25 26 30 31 33 35 38 39 42 45 46 47 50 52 53 57 60 64 65

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Section 1b Occupational health and safety systems 33 34 35 36 37 38

First aiders and appointed persons First aid provisions Welfare provisions Stress Manual handling Display screen equipment (DSE)

Section 2 Specific health and safety requirements

44

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Contractors Working on others’ premises Hazardous substances (COSHH) Biological hazards Dangerous substances Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) Health assessment, surveillance and monitoring Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) Noise Vibration Lead Radiation Hot work Lifting equipment (LE) and lifting operations Pressurised equipment Oil and gas equipment Confined spaces

Section 3

69 71 73 76 77 79

83 87 89 90 95 98 104 107 111 114 116 118 120 124 125 127 129 130

131 1 Small shop 2 Building, construction and installation a) Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) b) Construction health, safety and welfare c) Excavations d) Confined spaces 3 Transport, haulage and distribution 4 Motor vehicle repair 5 Property and facilities management 6 Food industry 7 Warehousing 8 Care homes 9 Agriculture and rural businesses 10 Engineering 11 Contracting 12 License trade 13 Funeral directors

Useful contacts

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134 135 136 140 142 143 144 149 153 155 161 164 170 176 180 182 183

184

Introduction

Introduction There are many reasons why companies should establish an effective Health and Safety management system.

The first reason should always be to ensure that risks are sensibly and proportionately controlled so as to prevent accidents and injuries.

Proportionate risk management essentially means that your response and effort to control an identified level of risk presented by your operations should be proportionate to the level that the risk presents. If your operations are low risk then you need not devote an excessive volume of time, effort and resources in controlling those risks.

However, you should not assume that a small business will present low risks.

It is often assumed that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are responsible for all of the compliance pressures that businesses may feel themselves under. This is not always the case. The motivators for business to demonstrate they are managing Health and Safety come from many sources.

The motivators that can inform why businesses need to develop, and demonstrate, their Health and Safety management system can come from: •

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – who are responsible for the enforcement of workplace Health and Safety legislation.

•

Insurance companies – who wish to see companies managing Health and Safety so that their own financial risk is limited. This is reflected in the size of the premiums they offer.

•

Solicitors – who may act on behalf of injured parties wishing to see whether a company has been negligent with respect to civil law.

•

Fire authorities – who enforce the suitability of fire safety measures.

•

Local authorities – who are, in general, the main enforcing authority for retail, wholesale distribution and warehousing, hotel and catering premises, offices and the consumer/leisure industries.

•

Equality and Human Rights Commission – who are the enforcing authority for the Equality Act 2006 with respect to equality and diversity.

•

Pre-Qualification Scheme – such as the Safety Scheme In Procurement (SSIP). This is an umbrella organisation that tries to facilitate mutual recognition between many competing procurement schemes in the UK (e.g. CHAS, SMAS, Constructionline, etc.).

•

Environment Agency – who are the main enforcement body responsible for UK Environmental legislation.

•

Police – who are responsible for enforcing workplace fatalities (in conjunction with HSE) as well as other areas of law such as substance misuse in the workplace.

•

Commercial clients – who, as part of their own due diligence and contractor control procedures, wish to see evidence of effective health and safety management for their supply chains.

This is a long list of motivators (and not exhaustive) and whilst it does not always have its roots in legal compliance companies will nonetheless find themselves having to address their many requirements in order to operate their businesses successfully.

The Forum of Private Business’s Health and Safety Guide is for you, the proprietor, partner or managing director, to help you make sure you are aware of the many requirements for compliance with health and safety law as well as all of the other motivators that businesses need to take account of when allocating resources to the management of health and safety.

This guide has been produced to assist companies in addressing the many health and safety and associated issues that they face. It is a guide only and does not replace any requirement to ensure that, as an employer, you are responsible for the management of health and safety in your organisation. In completing the guide, you will need to provide additional documents to demonstrate that you can comply with the law as well as the many other requirements from other sources.

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The guide and the information in it does not constitute having access to competent health and safety advice as is a strict legal requirement- the FPB do not act directly as your Health and Safety advisors, however, it is to be used as a first step to establishing a successful health and safety management system. In addressing each of the subject areas within it, you may find that you need additional help and support. This can be obtained by calling the Forum of Private Business’s member helpline in the first instance on 01565 626001.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require that employers appoint one or more competent persons to assist them in undertaking the measures needed to comply with legal requirements and prohibitions.

Some of this assistance may come from competent individuals from inside a company. Note that this may be from more than one person. Organisations now refer to having a mix of talents. This is also true for health and safety.

Competency can be defined as: 1. Properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient 2. Suitably qualified and/or experienced 3. Having a specific range of skills, knowledge, or ability 4. Having the necessary skills or knowledge to do something successfully.

In terms of the skills mix, this may come from a single person or a team of people within an organisation and could be assisted by an external health and safety consultancy. However, any advice given by an external consultancy still has to be coordinated and implemented in-house.

Therefore, over a defined timescale, it would be important to start to address any shortcomings as far as in-house experience is concerned. This would mean a training programme so that you can start to have more ownership and hence control over your own health and safety management.

See the flowchart on the next page to help you in appointing a competent person.

It must be noted that directors of a company (and sometimes individuals such as managers, supervisors, etc.) can be held personally liable for any health and safety failings or negligence especially where there is a fatality.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 make it abundantly clear that, whoever you (the proprietor, partner, managing director etc.) use as a ‘competent person’ – employees, external consultants and so on – it is YOU who is ultimately responsible for the management of health and safety within your business.

You must understand that, while health and safety duties can be delegated as part of day-to-day operations, the ultimate responsibility can never be delegated.

All of the information in this Health and Safety Guide can be used to develop safe systems of work (SSoW). These SSoW then need to be formally documented so that employees (and others) can be trained in them.

In addressing these issues, you can help to ensure that your business can: • Ensure legal compliance

• Operate more morally

• Avoid criminal prosecution

• Reduce overheads

• Avoid civil liability

• Reduce insurance premiums

• Avoid high staff turnover rates

• Demonstrate health and safety competence to clients

• Implement sensible risk control systems

• Win more contracts.

• Attract motivated and skilled staff • Operate more economically • Operate more efficiently

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Management

Health and safety management

D

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Employers have a legal duty to put in place suitable arrangements to manage health and safety within their organisation.

There are many different ways of managing your obligations, but the PDCA system is a fairly standard methodology.

PDCA

PL

CK

O CK D

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CH E

A

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PDCA CK

T

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• Implement the risk control system (RCS).

D

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PDCA C

• Planning and coordination of the policy is essential for the management system to be effective.

• Coordinate the actions of those responsible for controlling the risks.

CH E

A

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• An effective health and safety policy sets the strategic direction of the organisation.

• Identify the risk profile of the organisation.

D

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PDCA C

CH

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CK

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CH E

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PDCA

• Monitoring the effectiveness of the risk control system is vital to measure performance.

• Investigating accidents and incidents will help prevent recurrence and improve performance.

• Regular audit and review will enable confirmation if existing arrangements are still valid.

• Incorporating results will allow learning lessons for personnel and the organisation.

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Using the Guide

About the Guide and how to use it The purpose of this Health and Safety Guide is to allow you to identify health and safety issues that are relevant to your business. Identifying which topics are relevant to your operations will help you to feel confident that your business meets the requirements of health and safety law and other business requirements. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places responsibility on business owners. Put simply, you have to take care of your employees and others who may be affected by what you do.

You have duties to: • Yourself and to your employees, including trainees, wherever they are working.

• Contractors and visitors to your business.

• Those affected by your work, for example, neighbours or the general public.

• People who use the products you supply.

• Users of your services.

Where this is not possible, you will be in a position to identify those areas in which you need additional help in controlling the risks from your activities.

How to use the Guide The Forum of Private Business’s Health and Safety Guide is divided into three sections. ALL businesses must complete Section 1, which covers general topics relevant to all businesses.

Section 2, identifies area that may be relevant to your business – you should review this section to determine if any areas are applicable to your operations.

Section 3 identifies further requirements for specific industries; you will only need to complete the topics that are relevant to your business (it may be that none of the topics are relevant).

Each topic has a series of questions with tick boxes, designed to help you to ensure that you have considered the essential points. As you read through the topic, tick the boxes to show you have taken the point into consideration.

If you discover serious issues while working through the Guide, they should be corrected immediately.

After considering all the appropriate sections of the Guide you may have a list of areas needing further work. You should therefore assess what you need to do and prioritise the actions resulting. Developing an action plan and acting on it can depend on a number of factors including, time, cost and resources. Having an action plan where actions are clearly identified with realistic timescales for completion by named individuals is important, however, as those involved can clearly see what is expected of them.

Regular meetings are useful during implementation of the plan as individuals can discuss their progress and any issues they may have – it also serves to keep everyone focused in achieving their goals.

Note: Possession of this guide does not make you automatically compliant with the law or satisfy the many other motivators; it is purely a tool to aid you in the steps required to achieve a proportionate Health and Safety management system for your business.

If you need further help, contact the Forum of Private Business’s member helpline on 01565 626001 or email helpline@fpb.org.

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Health & Safety Guide 2015

Abbreviations

Abbreviations used in the Guide ACM

asbestos-containing material

ACoP

FRI

full repairing and insuring

Approved Code of Practice

FRSC

fire-resisting self-closing

ADS

Approved Dosimetry Service

GPS

ATV

all-terrain vehicle

BS

global positioning system

HACCP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

HAV(S)

hand-arm vibration (syndrome)

British standard

CCTV

closed-circuit television

CDM

Construction (Design and Management)

HFL

highly flammable liquid

HGV

heavy goods vehicle

CE

Conformité Européenne – European Conformity

HPWJ

high pressure water jetting

HSE

Health & Safety Executive

CHIP

Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply)

CNC

computer numerical control

COSHH

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

IN

improvement notice

IPAF

International Powered Access Federation

IRR

Ionising Radiations Regulations

ISO

International Organisation for Standardisation

CPC

Certificate of Professional Competence

DBS

Disclosure and Barring Service

LA

local authority

DSE

display screen equipment

LE

lifting equipment

DSEAR

Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations

DQC

driver qualification card

EAP

emergency assembly point

ECA

Electrical Contractors’ Association

EFAW EL EMAS FAW

emergency first aid at work employers’ liability Employment Medical Advisory Service first aid at work

FFE

fire-fighting equipment

FFE

fee for intervention

FLT

fork-lift truck

FOPS FRA

fall over protection structure fire risk assessment

LEA

local education authority

LEV

local exhaust ventilation

LGV

light goods vehicle

LOLER LPG MEWP MOT MSDS MVR NICEIC OHPL PASMA PAT

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations liquefied petroleum gas mobile elevating work platform Ministry of Transport materials safety data sheets motor vehicle repair National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting overhead power lines Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association portable appliance testing

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Abbreviations

Abbreviations used in the Guide PCV

passenger-carrying vehicle

RPA

radiation prevention adviser

PPE

personal protective equipment

RPE

respiratory protective equipment

prohibition notice

SPF

skin protection factor

PN PSV

public service vehicle

SSoW

safe system(s) of work

PTO

power

STEL

short-term exposure limit

PTW

permit to work

SWL

safe working load

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations

TMP

PVC

polyvinyl chloride

VDU

RCD

residual current device

PUWER

REACH RF RIDDOR ROPS RoSPA

x

Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals radio frequency

UV

management plan visual display unit ultraviolet

VWF

vibration white finger

WBV

whole-body vibration

WE

work equipment

Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

WEL

workplace exposure limit

roll over protection structure

WTN

waste transfer note

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

Forum of Private Business

WRULD

work-related upper limb disorder

Section 1a Health and safety management systems This section covers general topics which are relevant to all businesses.

Most of the topics covered in this section will be applicable to your business.

Work through the guide, identifying areas where you need to take action.

When you have completed all the relevant sections, move on to Section 1b and check whether any of the topics are relevant to your business. After considering all the appropriate sections of the guide you will have created a list of areas needing further work. You should then develop an action plan where actions are clearly identified, assigned to named individuals with realistic timescales are set for completion.

Section 1a 1

Insurances

• Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 • Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 Most companies should have a certificate of employers’ liability (EL) insurance.

Most companies should have EL insurance in place to a value of not less than £5 million.

Read the information and answer the questions below.

Have you implemented procedures to ensure that: You are aware if you qualify for an exemption (Refer to the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969: A Guide for Employers (HSE40) for further details).

EL insurance is obtained (to a value of not less than £5 million)?

A copy of your current certificate of EL insurance is displayed at each site or premises? Your employees must have access to it but it can be made available electronically if required (for example on an intranet).

You are able to retain copies of certificates that have expired? (Claims for diseases may be made up to 40 years after they have been identified.)

Your company may also require other insurances, such as: • Public liability • Building and contents • Professional indemnity/liability • Business interruption • Key person • Vehicles • Contractors all risk.

Usually, insurance companies include these as part of a package of insurance policies for businesses.

Forum insurance Comprehensive legal expenses and tax investigation cover insurance is included as standard in Forum membership and includes cover for costs incurred defending a health and safety criminal prosecution and access to an expert health and safety helpline.

For more information on our business insurance, call us now on 01565 626001.

Further Information HSE publication: Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969: A Guide for Employers (HSE40) www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf HSE insurance website: www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/get.htm

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2

Responsibility

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 You must identify who is ultimately responsible for health and safety in your business.

Read the information below.

The proprietor, partner, managing director or similar person is ultimately responsible for health and safety for all aspects of the business. Sometimes this responsibility may be shared jointly by directors or board members, for example.

Duties for health and safety may be delegated to a person in the organisation who is competent to perform them, but the responsibility will still remain with the proprietor/partner/managing director.

It is necessary that the proprietor/partner/managing director is identified as the proprietor/partner/director with responsibility for health and safety.

This person must ensure that the business has access to competent health and safety advice, so that health and safety responsibilities can be suitably discharged.

Where it is not economically viable to employ someone directly, then the assistance of an external consultancy can be sought. You may find that a combination of in-house and external expertise is preferable.

Obtaining this advice, however, in no way reduces the responsibility of the proprietor/partner/managing director.

Please enter below the name and position of the person who is ultimately responsible for health and safety, together with the full address and contact details of your company.

Company Address

Postcode Telephone Email Person responsible for health and safety Position

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Section 1a 3

Enforcing authority inspections

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 • Health and Safety (Fees for Intervention) Regulations 2012 If an enforcing authority inspector calls, you must ensure you co-operate with his or her requests.

An enforcing authority can include the HSE, the fire and rescue service, the police or your local authority (LA).

Answer the questions below.

Are you aware that: Enforcement inspectors can enter your workplace at any time without giving notice, though notice may be given where

the inspector thinks it is appropriate?

Normal inspection includes assessing the workplace, work activities, the management of health and safety, and documents to ensure you are complying with health and safety, food and fire legislation?

During a normal inspection, an inspector will expect to check that you have arrangements in place for consulting and informing employees?

Enforcement action may result in a letter informing you of your requirements for compliance?

Enforcement action may result in an Improvement Notice (IN) informing you of what has to be done, why and by when?

(The improvement notice will inform you when the remedial action has to be undertaken by. After this period, a reinspection may be undertaken to determine your compliance.)

If you fail to comply with the requirements of the improvement notice, you may be prosecuted?

Enforcement action may result in a Prohibition Notice (PN) informing you to cease the activity until appropriate remedial action has been taken? (The prohibition notice will inform you when the remedial action has to be undertaken by. After this period, a re-inspection may be undertaken to determine your compliance.)

If you fail to comply with the requirements of the prohibition notice, you may be prosecuted?

Fees For Intervention Are you aware that: The new HSE cost recovery scheme is called Fees For Intervention (FFI)?

If you are in material breach of health and safety legislation the HSE may recover its costs from you by charging a fee for the time and effort it spends on helping you to put the matter right, investigating and taking enforcement action?

The recovery of costs for formal intervention is currently levied at £124 per hour, with a monthly invoicing schedule?

You can avoid intervention fees by ensuring legal compliance?

Further Information HSE publications:

What to Expect when a Health and Safety Inspector Calls (HSC14) www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc14.htm Health and Safety Regulation – A Short Guide (HSC13) www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf Fee for Intervention – What you need to know: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse48.pdf Regulating and Enforcing Health and Safety microsite: www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/ HSE Fee for Intervention (FFI) microsite: www.hse.gov.uk/fee-for-intervention/index.htm

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4

Directors’ duties

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 • Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 • Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 Companies and directors (and those ultimately responsible for health and safety – the ‘controlling minds’) can be prosecuted for failing to comply with health and safety legislation. This can lead to large fines and penalties and also imprisonment in serious cases.

Disqualification orders related to health and safety failures in the management of companies may also be raised.

These are legal sanctions against directors convicted of health and safety offences.

The maximum period of disqualification is 15 years (except where the order is made by a court of summary jurisdiction – in which case the maximum period is 5 years).

Where offences and liabilities are deemed to be corporate then penalties can include unlimited fines, remedial orders and publicity orders. A remedial order will require a company or organisation to take steps to remedy any management failure that led to a death. The court can also impose an order requiring the company or organisation to publicise that it has been convicted of the offence.

Are you confident that suitable arrangements are in place to: Plan, deliver, monitor and review a comprehensive health and safety management system?

Ensure company board, directors, partners, proprietors, etc. lead by example and show a strong commitment to health and safety?

Ensure you have access to competent health and safety advice?

Ensure all staff are sufficiently trained and competent in their health and safety responsibilities?

Ensure your workforce is consulted properly on health and safety matters, and that their concerns are reaching the appropriate level within your organisation?

Undertake suitable and sufficient risk assessments at all levels in your organisation?

Ensure that monitoring of what is happening on a day-to-day basis is undertaken?

You have at least an annual board meeting (or equivalent) where health and safety is discussed and appropriate targets and budgets are set to help manage and improve health and safety?

Further Information HSE Leading Health and Safety at Work Microsite: www.hse.gov.uk/leadership HSE Corporate Manslaughter microsite: www.hse.gov.uk/corpmanslaughter

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Section 1a 5

Health and safety policy

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 By law, businesses employing five or more employees, including proprietors or partners, must have a written health and safety policy that is reviewed at least on an annual basis. It is helpful, in terms of defence against litigation, if a business has a written policy, even if it employs fewer than five employees.

For example, the company may employ fewer than five employees directly, but may also employ casual or agency staff or contractors. For the purposes of health and safety, casual or agency staff or contractors should be classed as employees as you still have a duty of care towards them.

If you employ five or more people, you need to have a formal, documented health and safety policy.

Read the information below.

Are you confident that suitable arrangements are in place to: You will need to formulate a health and safety policy document. There is a sample health and safety policy document on the CD-ROM that accompanies this guide. This can be adapted to your own requirements.

The policy should be commensurate with the size and complexity of your operations.

Having a health and safety policy in place will assist in: • Compliance with the law • Documenting the management systems that you already have in place • Ensuring employees (and others working at your premises, such as contractors) are informed of the health and safety arrangements for the business • Securing contracts with clients • Demonstrating compliance to insurance companies • Demonstrating a professional image to clients and suppliers.

You need to work through the rest of the Guide and update your policy statement accordingly. The level of detail in your policy statement will depend on how complex your business is (you may need to significantly expand on the template provided to ensure that your arrangements are covered)..

The health and safety policy should be broken down into three sections: 1. Statement of intent (the policy statement) 2. Organisation/duties and responsibilities 3. Arrangements

Further Information HSE website: Write a health and safety policy for your business www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/write.htm

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6

Risk assessment

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Risk assessments are required for all aspects of your operations. You must identify hazards and assess the level of risk they present to employees and others. The number and complexity of Risk Assessments will depend on your operations and the degree of risk presented.

The process of Risk Assessment should be proportionate to the level of risk presented by your operations. Low risk operations, for example, will only need a simple risk assessment process where complex situations will need a more complicated risk control strategy developing.

There is a sample risk assessment form on the CD-ROM that accompanies this guide. This can be adapted to your own requirements, but should be commensurate with the size and complexity of your operations.

See the flowchart opposite which can help you conduct a risk assessment.

You must undertake a risk assessment of your activities that present significant hazards.

Read the information and answer the questions below.

Have you implemented procedures to ensure that: A ‘competent person’ is identified to undertake a risk assessment? Other competent people may be available to assist if necessary.

Hazards are identified? (Hazards are things that have the potential to cause harm.) This can be undertaken by direct observation and discussion with those involved in tasks Those at risk are identified? (This may not only be your employees but could also be visitors, contractors (e.g. maintenance staff) and the general public, among others.)

The risks arising from significant hazards are identified? (Risk is the likelihood that harm may result from a hazard.)

The risks are evaluated? (Consider the combination of the probability (i.e. likelihood) of the risk impact and the severity of the possible outcomes (i.e. consequences).)

You have identified control measures to reduce the likelihood of a problem occurring? Control measures should be identified and recorded for each hazard/risk. (There may be additional precautions and practical steps that could be taken to remove or minimise the risk.) Choose a risk scoring mechanism that is simple enough for people to understand (e.g. a probability and severity matrix using High, Medium and Low categories).

Your risk control system should follow a simple hierarchy, this being: Eliminate the hazard (e.g. undertaking the work from ground level to avoid working at height), Substitute the Hazard (e.g. using less harmful substances), use Engineering Controls (e.g. extraction ventilation), use Administrative Controls (e.g. developing procedures, providing information, training, etc.) before any final reliance on PPE (as a last resort).

Assessment findings are recorded (and recommendations are actioned to make improvements)?

Assessment findings are reviewed and updated to make sure they still reflect the company’s operations.

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Section 1a There are also specific risk assessments that are required by law, including: • Fire • Manual handling • Display screen equipment (DSE) • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) • Confined spaces • Young persons • New/expectant mothers • PPE • Vibration • Noise.

These subjects are covered in other sections of this guide.

Competency Are you competent to undertake a risk assessment? Competency can be loosely defined as a combination of skills, knowledge, experience and training. If you are not fully competent, enlist the help of other people in order to ensure that the assessment takes into account all aspects of your operations.

Assistance may come in the form of other suitably knowledgeable/experienced employees or from specialist advisers.

Risk assessment

Activity or task

Identify hazards Refer to a hazard list for assistance

Identify persons at risk

Evaluate the risk and decide on precautions

Are existing controls adequate?

Identify additional control measures to reduce the level of risk presented by the identified hazards

Record assessment findings

Inform employees of the assessment findings

Monitor and review as necessary

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