How to carry out a risk assessment

At EU-level there are not fixed rules about how risk assessments should be undertaken (you should check the specific legislation relating to risk assessment in your country). However, there are two principles which should always be borne in mind when approaching a risk assessment:

• to structure the assessment to ensure that all relevant hazards and risks are addressed (e.g. not to overlook tasks, such as cleaning, that might take place out of normal working hours, or ancillary departments such as waste compacting);

• when a risk is identified, to begin assessment from first principles by asking whether the risk can be eliminated.

A stepwise approach to risk assessment

proposes an approach based on a number of different steps. This is not the only method of carrying out a risk assessment, there are a variety of methodologies for achieving the same objective. There is no single “right” way to do a risk assessment and different approaches can work in different circumstances.

The risk assessment procedure (incorporating elements of risk management) can be broken down into a series of steps.

1. Establish a programme of risk assessment at work
2. Structure the assessment (decide on the approach: geographical/functional/process/flow)
3. Collect information
4. Identify hazards
5. Identify those at risk
6. Identify patterns of exposure among those at risk
7. Evaluate the risks (the probability of harm/severity of harm in actual circumstances)
8. Investigate options for eliminating or controlling risks
9. Prioritise action and decide on control measures
10. Implement controls
11. Record the assessment
12. Measure the effectiveness of action
13. Review (if changes are introduced, or periodically)
14. Monitor the programme of risk assessment
    

For most businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, a straightforward five-step approach (incorporating elements of risk management) such as the one presented below should work well.

Looking for those things at work that have the potential to cause harm, and identifying workers who may be exposed to the hazards.

Estimating the existing risks (the severity and probability of possible harm…) and prioritising them in order of importance.

Identifying the appropriate measures to eliminate or control the risks.

Putting in place the preventive and protective measures through a prioritisation plan.

The assessment should be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that it remains up to date.

However, it is important to know that there are other methods that work equally well, particularly for more complex risks and circumstances. Which approach to assessment is applied will depend upon:

• the nature of the workplace (e.g. a fixed establishment, or a transitory one)
• the type of process (e.g. repeated operations, developing/changing processes, work on demand)

• the task performed (e.g. repetitive, occasional or high risk)

• technical complexity.

In some cases a single exercise covering all risks in a workplace or activity may be appropriate. In other cases, different approaches may be appropriate to different parts of a workplace.