A simple guideto risk assessments and method statements

1 4A simple guideto risk assessments andmethod statementsRisk management is an essential element of creating and maintaining asafe working environment, whether it be in the officeor on site. The risk management processes arethe steps the organisation takes toidentify and control risk. Accidentscan devastate lives and have adamaging effect on your simple guide explains how toapproach carrying out risk assessmentsand writing method risk assessmentThe process of identifying hazardsand characterising them, analysingthe risks , reducing their impact asfar as possible and establishing ameans of controlling risks that carrying out a risk assessmentyou must include all foreseeablerisks arising from, or in conjunctionwith, the activity being assessed. Theassessment should be carried outbefore any work is started andshould be reviewed as needed. A review should be carried out whenstarting on a new site or whenintroducing new machinery orprocedures into a process, whichmay mean new hazards and/or achange in risk.

2 !HazardA Hazard is anything with thepotential to cause Risk is the likelihood that ahazard will cause a specifiedharm to someone or a record of the riskassessment, so that you cancheck to see if anything haschanged when you come to review it.!!The method statement This should be the logical outcomeof the risk assessment risks identified throughcarrying out the risk assessmentand the precautions necessary tocontrol them will need to beincorporated. The method statementshould contain sufficient detail toenable everyone involved in anoperation to be clear about what hasto be done, where and with hazards arising from the workand the precautions that have to betaken and by whom. For this reasonthe method statement is sometimescalled a safe system of work . A comprehensive method statementwill attempt to address themajority if not all of the following:The details of the job to be undertakenA formal risk sssessment for the jobClear identification of the area inwhich the job will be undertakenClear identification of the supervisoryresponsibilities for the job includingcontact detailsA list of plant and equipment that willbe used detailing their power sourcesand authorised usersDetails of any permit to work systemthat will be implementedA clear statement of the identifiedhazards and the controls in place.

3 This should include: hazardous substances noise exposure electrical hazards interaction with other contractor sactivities and protection of the public emergency plans first aid provision any other hazards created bythe job or present on matter how well the riskassessment and method statementhas been prepared, it will all bewasted time if the results are notcommunicated to the operativeswho will carry it out. When briefedon a safe system of work operativesshould be instructed to wear theappropriate personal protectiveequipment and questioned tocheck that they have understoodwhat they have been told. Theyshould also be encouraged to askquestions if unclear on any aspectof the information they have been , the person who preparesthe method statement should havea monitoring role to ensure thatthe requirements of the methodstatement are being properly courseFor more information or tobook your place please contact Leah O Donnell on 0870 241 quoting ref.

4 SAFE all personnelwho carryout risk assessments andeither draft or review methodstatements,NHBC arerunning a one-day coursecovering all thekey aspects. The course runsnationwide throughout Juneand is workshop based. Cut out and k