Risk assessment is the process of identifying what could cause harm (injury or ill health), deciding how likely it is that people could be harmed and how seriously, then taking action to eliminate the hazard, or if this isn't possible, control the risk. It is management tool, to help you determine whether more needs to be done to control or reduce the risk of harm.
In most cases you will be considering foreseeable hazards against existing legal standards (see HSE.gov.uk for guidance) and industry good practice.
Risk assessments look at how you manage the risk in the workplace. For example how you ensure:
Instructions for employees on what they need to do to say safe should be recorded in Safe Operating Procedures (see below) not the risk asessessment.
The Head of Department / School has ultimate responsibility for ensuring risk assessments are undertaken, this may of course be delegated to a Manager, Supervisor or other member of Staff as appropriate. All assessors should receive specific training. Courses will be available on the Staff Development Hub.
All significant risks must be formally assessed using UoB risk assessment form (See below)
The detail in a risk assessment should be proportionate to the level of risk. You can ignore minor issues and everyday risks unless the work activity makes them worse (e.g. a slip in a kitchen will be more hazardous than an office environment).
The Hazard List and Work Tasks form (below) will help you determine what to include in your risk assessment.
For guidance on carrying out a risk assessment see the HSE guidance on risk assessment
When determining controls consider the Hierarchy of Controls:
The completed assessments must then be filed and stored locally for future reference or inspections. Generic health and safety assessments are acceptable, as long as the details are bespoke to the area or activity being assessed.
Don't forget to periodically review all formal assessments (typically every 1-3 years) dependent on the rating, environment, the task itself, the competency of those involved. Also review following an accident or introduction of new equipment, or if any other changes that may affect its validity.
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Risk assessment [DOTX] | Use to record general risk assessments |
| Safe system of work [DOTX] | Use to set out what those doing the task need to do and how to do it safely. |
| Risk Matrix [DOC] | Use to assist with scoring and prioritising risk based on likelihood of hazardous event and likely severity of injury |
| COSHH risk assessment form [DOC] | To assist with assessing risks from hazardous substances |
| Manual handling assessment form [DOC] | To assist with identifying hazards from the task, load, environment and individual capability, that may contribute to manual handling injuries. See also Manual Handling Risk Assessment. |
| Work Task List [DOC] | Use to help plan your risk assessment |
| Hazard list [PDF] | To assist in identifying hazards for inclusion in workplace or work activity risk assessment |