Health and Safety Risk Assessments
Understanding risks at your organisation is a vital task for compliance with UK laws. Enquire today for support with fixed-fee business risk assessments.
Expert health and safety risk assessments
When it comes to health and safety, adopting a proactive approach is key. But where do you start with a health and safety risk assessment? What are the elements employers need to cover? And what should happen next?
A risk assessment is a careful examination of what, in your workplace, has the potential to cause harm to people – whether that's employees, volunteers, or customers.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA), you have a legal duty as an employer to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their employees and anybody else who might be affected by their activities. To fulfil this duty, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states you must conduct a risk assessment of your premises to identify potential causes of harm and take steps to reduce risks.
The importance of workplace risk assessments
The importance of workplace risk assessments
The importance of workplace risk assessments
Outsourcing to a specialist risk assessment expert ensures your business can remain compliant with UK laws. The professional process will:
Identify possible causes of harm within the workplace and who may be harmed;
Evaluate the likelihood of that harm occurring given the safeguards you have in place; and
Put in place further safeguarding measures where necessary to reduce the risk to as low a level as reasonably practicable.
The aim is to decide what steps are needed to reduce injury and ill health and comply with health and safety law. With rising health and safety fines and the HSE more rigorously pursuing enforcement action against those found to be in material breach of health and safety law, it’s more important than ever to ensure risk is appropriately managed to avoid significant financial penalties and damage to your reputation.
Who should carry out workplace risk assessments?
Risk assessments can be carried out externally by experienced health and safety consultants or you can assess the risks yourself with the help of standard Risk Assessment guide. While you may be tempted to tackle the process internally, you should only conduct them yourself if you confidently understand what’s involved.
Management regulations state you must have health and safety assistance from competent persons. In other words, whoever does the risk assessment must be able to make sure you’re complying with health and safety laws in the UK.
For each hazard identified, you must implement suitable control measures to eliminate the risk of harm occurring or, where this isn’t possible, reduce the risk to as low a level as is “reasonably practicable”.
If you employ five or more members of staff, it is a legal requirement to keep a written record of the the main findings of your risk assessment. Even if you have fewer than five members of staff, it’s good practice to document your risk assessments, as this will help you to demonstrate the steps you have taken to create a safe and compliant working environment.
Good legal advice, on the other hand, helps employers avoid these pitfalls. It enables them to handle risks effectively, streamline their operations, and make informed decisions. This not only ensures compliance with the law but also contributes to a healthier work environment and a stronger, more resilient business.
How our risk assessment specialists support your business
Admin and correspondence
Offer a constant source of practical health and safety advice on a full spectrum of workplace issues, from the seemingly simple to the most complex.
Strategy and risk negotiation
Guide you every step of the way through difficult situations, advising on the correct process to follow and the legal pitfalls to avoid, alongside reasonable workplace adjustments to make.
Seamless representation
Draft your essential documentation, including your Contracts of Employment and Employee Handbook, to ensure they are legally-compliant and provide the best possible protection for your organisation.
The importance of risk assessments
Whether you’re facing an imminent crisis, have a quick query, or just want a second opinion, with direct access to a qualified health and safety adviser who understands your organisation inside and out, you can be sure you’re receiving advice ideally suited to your business needs.
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You’re taking a reactive, rather than proactive, approach to employee relations matters, allowing problems to occur then paying to fix them;
You’re without day-to-day support and therefore have to find the answers to your queries yourself or resort to guesswork; and
You pay by the hour, meaning you can expect a significant bill whenever professional help is needed, especially if the issue is complex.
Request a risk assessment today to UK legal compliance
Request a risk assessment today to UK legal compliance
Request a risk assessment today to UK legal compliance
Our team of specialists understands the value of having access to a dedicated professional for pragmatic support when you need it. That’s why, as part of our unlimited, fixed-fee service, you have access to a named Health & Safety Consultant who will:
General and fire risk assessments
Register of your statutory compliance certification
Automatic alerts when your certificates need renweing
Access a comprehensive library of vital health and safety materials
Audits across any industry and sector
Our team of specialists understands the value of having access to a dedicated professional for pragmatic support when you need it. That’s why, as part of our unlimited, fixed-fee service, you have access to a named Health & Safety Consultant who will:
General and fire risk assessments
Register of your statutory compliance certification
Automatic alerts when your certificates need renweing
Access a comprehensive library of vital health and safety materials
Audits across any industry and sector
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