The five steps to risk assessment. Whether you run a school, pub or operate a building business, you require risk assessments. This blog is an introduction to the subject and we have some free give aways to help you to prepare yours.
JCH Safety are expert safety consultants based in Warwickshire and who work across the midlands. If you need any help with safety, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We carry out all types of risk assessments and fire safety assessments.
What is the purpose of a risk assessment?
Risk assessments are required by law. Their purpose is to help to mitigate risk through identifying hazards and putting control measures in place to make the activity, process and / or property safer.
Who needs a risk assessment?
Risk assessments are required to be formally written down for organisations who employ 5 or more people. They are still required for smaller organisations, as all risks must be managed, but the requirements for smaller firms are less formal.
Risk assessments are needed in all industries and across all professions. Whether you run a restaurant, building firm, solicitors or a hairdressers, risk assessments are needed. The same applies to charity bodies, religious organisations such as churches and for public bodies such as schools and colleges.
How to carry out a risk assessment?
With formal risk assessments it is important to follow the 5 Steps. This process is known as the ‘five steps to risk assessment’:
- Identify the hazards
- Decide who might be harmed and how
- Evaluate the risk and take action to prevent them
- Record your findings
- Review the risk assessment
When carrying out a risk assessment, it is important to think the process through, consider who could be hurt, including children and disabled persons, and then to consider what can be done to suitably manage the risk.
It is always a good idea to have some formal risk assessment training or to consult an expert. We provide online risk assessment training though our online training platform. To experience the first module of our online Introduction to risk assessment training free of charge, please click here.
Are templates required?
There are many templates available for producing a risk assessment. They are helpful to use as they provide structure when recording the findings required, as set out in the five steps to risk assessment.
To help you to prepare your risk assessments we are happy to provide a free risk assessment template. To access it please click here
We hope this introduction to risk assessment is helpful. If you need further help, why not drop us a note and we will come back to you.
JCH Safety serving Coventry, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Leicester and the surrounding areas.
Our clients include schools, colleges, churches, online firms, office based businesses, warehousing and factory based businesses and healthcare providers.
