Risk Management in the Workplace Explained

Written By Paul Roberts | Jul 14th, 2008 | | | Category: Ask An Expert

Is it necessary to record the findings of all the risk assessments undertaken?

It is a legal requirement within health and safety law to keep a record of the significant findings of your assessments if you employ five or more people. The records of the assessment will assist you when discussing the results with your employees, and also when you come to reviewing your assessment.

Different health and safety consultants have shown me different forms to record my findings on, is there a specific form that I have to use to record a risk assessment?

No, you can record your findings in the way which you understand and which suits your specific need.

Doesn’t risk assessment just lead to more and more safety measures - most of which aren’t necessary?

No. When done properly, it should identify the measures that are needed to reduce the risk as low as “reasonably practicable” and not further. It is important to remember that risk assessment can show that a process is safe enough with the measures you already have in place, and no more need be done.

I hear the phrase ‘reasonably practicable’ a lot, but what does it mean?

This means that you have to take action to control the health and safety risks in your workplace except where the cost (in terms of time and effort as well as money) of doing so is “grossly disproportionate” to the reduction in the risk.

Our external health and safety consultant recommends that he should complete our risk assessments, is this a valid suggestion?

There are occasions where you may need specialist advice for certain processes, but for most organisations a competent member of staff will be able to successfully complete an assessment.

This seems to be a re-occurring problem, which can add a great deal of expense to a company when in most situations the risk assessments could be completed in house. Are other companies in a similar situation?

For more information on risk assessment, take a look at our new 5 Steps - Risk Assessment in your Workplace DVD or visit www.riskassessor.co.uk

2 comments
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HSAP July 29th, 2008 9:24 am :
Very clever the way this post was done, with questions and answers, apart from been very informative and covering most of the questions people ask about risk management in the workplace.
Hersh Bhardwaj July 31st, 2008 2:13 pm :
Thanks for your comment. We do try to present our content in a very accessible language. Glad you liked. Hope to see a lot more of you on the blog.

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