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risk assessment
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- 2. What is aRisk Assessment? A Risk Assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. (Source – Health and Safety Executive HSE)
- 3. Why should wedo Risk Assessments ? Legal – requirement by law - under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and individual organisations health and safety policies required under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Financial – less chance of claims and prosecutions Moral – Duty of care owed to all Employees and others affected by our work
- 4. What information shoulda Risk Assessment include ? 1. Hazards (what could go wrong) 2. People at Risk (who might be harmed) 3. Control measures at present (have enough precautions been taken) 4. Further action required (should more be done) 5. Record details and keep the assessment under review Source – HSE ‘5 steps to risk assessment’ guidance.
- 5. Who is responsiblefor doing the risk assessments ? Your Organisations health and Safety policy will outline who is responsible for completing the risk assessments. In a school the overall responsibility for ensuring risk assessments are completed is that of the Headteacher and Governing Body. However Heads of individual departments will most likely be responsible for ensuring that all reasonably foreseeable significant risks are assessed and managed effectively. There will also be a line of accountability to the Headteacher and Governing Body outlined in the policy.
- 6. Are there anystandard Risk Assessments available to use ? Yes – there are lots of examples and models available to get you started or assist the process. CYPS provides models for schools on the RGFL portal page and RMBC intranet site. There are also specialist models available from CLEAPSS covering science, Art and D & T, AfPE covering sport and PE risks, EVOLVE covering educational visits risks etc
- 7. What risks existin and around school ? Examples include: Safeguarding, supervision of pupils and site security Educational visits Use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances eg COSHH / equipment etc Use of equipment eg PE apparatus Use of substances and solutions eg Science, Art etc Use of machinery eg D & T
- 8. Risk Assessments Attitudes torisk vary greatly between individuals so a group or team approach as opposed to an individual approach is a better practice when assessing risk and establishing safe working practices.
- 9. Reduce not eliminate Acommon misperception to risk is that it should be eliminated. We should be taking well managed and planned risks, not eliminating all of them wherever possible ! However in extreme cases elimination is the only solution or answer.
- 10. What if weget it wrong ? There is no such thing as a perfect risk assessment. We all make mistakes and have errors of judgement, once you discover that something isn’t right, rectify it. Risk assessments are living documents and should be amended to move with progress and change.
- 11. How often shouldrisk assessments be reviewed ? The law requires that risk assessments should be reviewed periodically, it is up to the employer to decide on frequency (most risk assessments are reviewed annually at least). Risk assessments must also be reviewed if there is a significant incident or major injury eg person is sent to hospital, has time off, or the circumstances / setting etc have changed.
- 12. Where can weget advice from ? Colleagues in school Local Authority advisors Expert bodies eg CLEAPSS, AfPE etc
- 13. Reference Model risk assessmentsavailable from RMBC intranet / RGFL Guidance such as CLEAPSS, AfPE etc HSE guidance School policies and procedures