There are some fundamental aspects of Risk Assessment that will ensure that you have a document that meets the needs of legal compliance, and cover you in the case of an accident or incident.
A RA must be fit for purpose, and not over complicated for the job you’re doing.
It must never be generic, off the shelf like you get with some RAs I’ve seen. It must be specific for the company and the job
It must involve consultation with the people doing the job because they know what the job involves.
You must communicate the results of the RA, be it in a Method Statement, Work Instruction or whatever, and you must confirm understanding.
It must be reviewed annually and if there is a change in the job.
If you don’t communicate it and check understanding, you’ve wasted your time, and you are not legally compliant.
I have stood next to an HSE Inspector,doing an accident investigation, and an operative who denied any knowledge of the RAMS. If we hadn’t got the proof and their signature, the company would have been in deep trouble.
Never underestimate Risk. Never put off RAMS.
Whether you believe the risk to be great or small, never ignore it. Protect yourself. Protect your employees. Protect your customers and the public. Protect the company.
If you want to discuss Risk Assessments and Method Statements give me a call or drop me a line