The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland

Transcription

1 The Ryal Envirnmental Health Institute f Sctland Risk Assessment Curse Syllabus and ntes fr presenters Minimum teaching time 3 hurs The Ryal Envirnmental Health Institute f Sctland is a registered Scttish Charity, N SC009406

2 HSE Statement n Risk Assessment Sensible risk management is abut: Ensuring that wrkers and the public are prperly prtected Prviding verall benefit t sciety by balancing benefits and risks, with a fcus n reducing real risks bth thse which arise mre ften and thse with serius cnsequences Enabling innvatin and learning nt stifling them Ensuring that thse wh create risks manage them respnsibly and understand that failure t manage real risks respnsibly is likely t lead t rbust actin Enabling individuals t understand that as well as the right t prtectin, they als have t exercise respnsibility Sensible risk management is nt abut: Creating a ttally risk free sciety Generating useless paperwrk muntains Scaring peple by exaggerating r publicising trivial risks Stpping imprtant recreatinal and learning activities fr individuals where the risks are managed Reducing prtectin f peple frm risks that cause real harm and suffering

3 This shrt curse explains the principles and practice f Occupatinal Health & Safety risk assessment and why it is necessary. Trainers shuld tailr the cntent described here t match the candidates wn needs, taking int accunt the nature, level and cmplexity f their wrk activity. Curse cntent 1. Intrductin 2. Definitins 3. What is Risk Assessment? 4. When t use the risk assessment prcedure 5. Wh might be harmed and hw? 6. Cntrl measures 7. Recrd keeping 8. Emplyer s bligatins 9. Key Actin Steps Cnducting Risk Assessments Hazard sptting initial stage 10. Purpse and Objectives f recrd keeping 11. Assessment review 12. Emplyee awareness f risk assessments

4 Ntes fr REHIS Presenters - Risk Assessment Curse Intrductin This curse explains the principles and practice f Occupatinal Health & Safety risk assessment and why it is necessary. It is imprtant t stress t candidates that rganisatins shuld tailr the apprach described here t match their wn needs, taking int accunt the nature f their wrk and the seriusness and cmplexity f their risks. Definitins Hazard: smething with the ptential t cause harm; Risk: the likelihd that harm frm a particular hazard will be realised and cnsequences What is Risk Assessment? A hazard is smething which has the ptential t cause harm, e.g., a substance, machine r situatin, such as wrking at heights. A risk is the likelihd that the harm will ccur cmbined with its severity (i.e., the number f peple likely t be affected and whether the hazard wuld cause minr r majr injuries r even a fatality). Risk assessment is an evaluatin f the chance that harm will ccur. When t use the risk assessment prcedure All emplyers and self emplyed peple have a legal duty t assess the risks frm their wrk activities. The risk assessment prcedure described in this curse is intended t be used: fr situatins where hazards appear t pse a significant threat and it is uncertain whether existing r planned cntrls are adequate in principle r in practice; by rganisatins seeking cntinuus imprvement in their Occupatinal Health & Safety management systems, in excess f minimum legal requirements. The risk prcedure described in this curse is nt necessary r cst-effective when it is quite clear frm preliminary study that risks are trivial, r a previus assessment has shwn that existing r planned cntrls: cnfrm t well-established legal requirements r standards; are apprpriate fr the tasks; are, r will be, understd and used by everyne cncerned. Here n further actin is required ther than t ensure, where apprpriate, that cntrls cntinue. Emplyer s bligatins The Management f Health and Safety at Wrk Regulatins implement the requirements f the Health and Safety at Wrk etc Act by extending emplyer s bligatins t include: develping a general framewrk fr safety management enhancing any cntrl measures prvided cnducting risk assessments f wrk activities and identifying the actin needed t cntrl the health and safety risks in the wrkplace. The assessment f hazardus peratins must nt be seen as a paper exercise but a practical ne taking the pprtunity t review and evaluate peratins and seek imprvements.

5 Cnducting Risk Assessments The prcess f cnducting risk assessment can be summarised as fllws:- Hazard sptting initial stage Appint a small grup (usually 2-3 persns) t walk rund the wrkplace Identify what culd cause harm, cncentrating n significant hazards which culd have severe cnsequences. During the walk rund ask emplyees fr their pinins and what they cnsider t be significant Use accidents/ill health recrds and manufacturers' instructin/data sheets t aid in yur hazard sptting. Wh might be harmed and hw? In deciding wh might be harmed and hw, cnsider nt nly emplyees but als peple wh may nt always be present in the wrkplace, e.g., cleaners, visitrs, delivery persnnel, cntractrs, maintenance wrkers, etc. Decide fr each hazard whether the risk is high, medium, lw r nt significant. Ask yurself several questins, such as:- - Have yu dne everything that the law says yu have t? - Are industry standards in place? (Nte: the law requires that yu must d what is reasnably practicable t keep yur wrkplace safe). Cntrl measures Imprving health and safety need nt necessarily be cstly and sme cntrl measures can be very simply implemented with n majr restraints n budget such as, nn-slip material n slippery steps. Preventative and prtective measures will be implemented as a result f the assessment s sme f the fllwing shuld als be cnsidered:- Can the hazard be remved altgether r, if nt, can it be cntrlled s that harm is unlikely Can the risk be avided by eliminatin, substitutin r reductin (e.g. buying dangerus substances in lesser quantities) Can the risk be cmbated at surce (e.g. remve spillages frm flr areas instead f intrducing warning signs) Is the persnal prtective equipment used nly because there is nthing else reasnably practicable Recrd keeping There is a legal requirement t recrd the significant findings f a risk assessment. What shuld be included :- a list f hazards identified in the assessment highlighting the types f peple wh may be at risk identifying existing cntrl measures if they are in place indicate that all risks have been assessed but nly recrd significant risks

6 Purpse and Objectives f recrd keeping Keeping a recrd f an assessment is t indicate that it was dne sundly, addressed the significant issues and reached justifiable cnclusins. The amunt f effrt put int recrding will be related t the degree f risk and the cmplexity f the issues invlved. The purpses are t enable management t identify: the basis fr mnitring health and safety cntrls training prgrammes needed the standards against which unusual events are judged changes which make re-assessment necessary. Assessment review As new hazards becme apparent r where there are significant changes, fr example, the intrductin f new machines, substances r prcedures, assessments must be reviewed. N amendments are needed fr trivial changes. It is recmmended that reviews are undertaken annually r mre ften where things change r risks are high. Emplyee awareness f risk assessments Emplyers shuld ensure that all emplyees are made aware f the risk assessments, significant findings and their cntrl measures by training and cmmunicatin. Recrds shuld be kept t prve that the findings f risk assessments have been cmmunicated. Key Actin Steps Identify hazards by carrying ut a wrkplace inspectin. Decide wh might be harmed and why. Cnsider the risks arising frm the hazards and decide whether existing arrangements are adequate. Make written recrds f yur findings. Carry ut peridic reviews f yur assessments and make necessary revisins. Share the findings f the assessments -and the cntrl measures -with emplyees. Additinal Infrmatin/Further Reading L21 Management f Health and Safety at Wrk: Management f Health and Safety at Wrk Regulatins Apprved Cde f Practice and guidance Available frm HSE Bks