Risk assessments are required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, as well as a part of Section 2 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) when providing a safe place of work and access and egress to it.

 

Section 2 (2) (a) of HASAWA requires Employers to provide and maintain plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health.

 

As a requirement of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 risks need to be sufficiently assessed and published for all company operations.

 

The risks relate to business operations that can affect employees and also any other person who might come into contact with them, i.e. contractors, visitors, casual staff and the general public.

 

Risk Assessments can be Qualitative (i.e. providing descriptions of risks) but this generally doesn’t allow for priorities to be set as regards to any remedial actions taken by Management.

 

Risk Assessments can be most effective when they are Quantitative (i.e. having some for form of ranking/scoring mechanism) so that the most serious risks can be countered quickly and effectively.