Be Pro-active - Assess to Eliminate Injuries
Every company or business is under a statutory duty to carry out an assessment of risks present in its workplace. If your company employs five people or more, the risk assessment must be in writing. Legislation requires that the assessment must be carried out by a "competent person" and examine all activities within the company to identify hazards which in likelihood would lead to harm and the steps necessary to eliminate or control the risks.
Risk assessments should be reviewed periodically (normally annually) or when there are significant changes in the work practises or surroundings.
The more common areas that give rise to an assessment duty are:-
- General Risks
- Management of H&S at Work Regulations
- Exposure to hazardous substances
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
- Workstations where VDU's are used
- Display Screen Equipment Regulations
- Hazardous lifting or carrying tasks
- Manual Handling Operations Regulations
- Noisy Environments
- Noise at Work Regulations
- Fire Safety
- A fire risk assessment should consider the means of raising the alarm, safe evacuation, fire safety equipment and appropriate signage.
DM would take into account all the above when carrying out a full risk assessment of the premises.