When and why do you need to do Risk assessments? For everyone? For every hazard? Only if you in a high-risk industry? It’s often difficult tell when and why you need to do them and what benefits they bring to the business.
The answer is quite simple – every employer needs to assess the risks to their employees and other that may be affected by their activities and ensure suitable controls are place.
Those with 5 or more employees must have a record of their significant findings – in most cases this would be in the form of written risk assessments.
For those employers with less than 5 employees there is no legal requirement to have written risk assessments but there still needs to be the same assessment of risk and the same level of control. Often this lack of written evidence makes it harder for smaller employers to prove they have done all they can to protect their employees, which is why Avensure always encourage any business however small to complete written risk assessments.
As well as the legal requirement to complete risk assessments they are, if done correctly, one best tools you can have to ensure your workplace is safe and your employees protected.
The theory of them is simple, identify all the hazards in your workplace, consider if they can be eliminated altogether and if not, introduce control measures the ensure the risk is as low as is reasonably practicable.
A risk assessment is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork, but rather about identifying sensible measures to control the risks in your workplace.
