Health and Safety Risk Assessment – Exeter, Devon and the Southwest

Health and Safety Risk Assessment

What is a Risk Assessment?

A Risk Assessment is systematic review of the work activities you undertake as part of your business, looking at what could cause harm, and deciding on suitable control measures to prevent accidents or serious incidents occurring.

Conducting Risk Assessment is known as ‘Plan and Predict’ Strategy. In other words it is a proactive activity where you implement measures to prevent accidents and near misses occurring in the first place. This is the opposite of Accident Investigation which is known as ‘React and Rectify’, in which you react to an incident and take action to prevent it recurring.

Is Risk Assessment a legal duty?

Yes. This is an explicit requirement under Regulation 3 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.  Organisations with 5 or more employees are required by UK law to have documented risk assessments for all significant hazards posed by the organisation’s work activities. Organisations with less than 5 employees still have a duty to undertake risk assessments, however, there is no legal requirement to record the findings, although it is strongly recommended that you do.

Is there a right or wrong way to write a Risk Assessment?

No. There is no set way to write a risk assessment, but it is important to include the following:

• What is the Hazard?
• Who could be harmed and how?
• What existing controls measures are in place?
• Are any additional controls required?

Does Amarisk write Risk Assessments?

Yes. We can advise you on what type of risk assessments are required and can work with you to develop those assessments. This will provide you with a clear understanding of your risks, your current compliance, and areas that require further controls.

If you’d like us to train your staff to conduct risk assessments in house, we can do that too.

What Risk Assessments can Amarisk provide?

• Premises Risk Assessment
• Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessment
• Homeworking Risk Assessment
• Work Equipment Risk Assessments
• COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Risk Assessment
• Fire Risk Assessment
• Vibration Risk Assessment
• Traffic Management Risk Assessment
• Pregnancy Risk Assessment
• Lone Working Risk Assessment
• Manual Handling Risk Assessment
• DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations)

There may be occasion where the involvement of an industry specialist may be required, e.g. noise assessment, and we can advise you on this where necessary.

Our support can be provided either as a one-off intervention, or alternatively through our Retained Health and Safety Advisor Service.