3.5 Principles And Practice Of Risk Assessment

Question 1

Nebosh Learning Outcome 2016

3.5 Explain the principles and practice of risk assessment

Answer 1

3.5 Principles and practice of risk assessment
With reference to legal requirements (Element 1)
Meaning of hazard and risk and risk assessment:
- hazard: ‘something with the potential to cause harm (this can include articles, substances, plant or machines, methods of work, the working environment and other aspects of work organisation)’
- risk: ‘the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard being realised’
- risk assessment: ‘identifying preventive and protective measures by evaluating the risk(s) arising from a hazard(s), taking into account the adequacy of any existing controls, and deciding whether or not the risk(s) is
acceptable’
Objectives of risk assessment; prevention of workplace accidents
Risk assessors:
- composition of risk assessment team - competence
Criteria for a ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessment
Identification of hazards
- sources and form of harm; task analysis, legislation, manufacturers’ information, incident data
Identifying population at risk:
- employees, operators, maintenance staff, cleaners, contractors, visitors,
public, etc
Evaluating risk and adequacy of current controls:
- likelihood of harm and probable severity
- risk rating
- apply the general hierarchy of control with reference to OHSAS 18001 (links
with 3.6)
- application based on prioritisation of risk
- use of guidance; sources and examples of legislation
- applying controls to specified hazards
- residual risk; acceptable / tolerable risk levels
- distinction between priorities and timescales
Recording significant findings:
- format; information to be recorded
Reviewing: reasons for review (eg incidents, process/equipment/staff/legislative changes; passage of time)
Special case applications to young persons, expectant and nursing mothers also consideration of disabled workers and lone workers.

Question 2

What are the legal aspects of risk a assessment?

Answer 2

The GENERAL duties of employers to their employees in section 2 of the HSW Act 1974 imply the need for a risk assessment.
This duty was also extended by section 3 of the 1974 Act to include - anybody else affected by activities of the employer.

Question 3

Name 3 Specific requirements laid down by the MHSWR, regarding risk assessments

Answer 3

1) Suitable and sufficient
2) review if there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or if a significant change has taken place.
3) If five or more employees, recorded the significant findings in writing.

Question 4

Name the three forms of risk assessment?

Answer 4

1) Quantitative - attempts to measure risk by relating the PROBABILITY of the risk occurring to the possible severity of its outcome.
2) Qualitative is based purely on personal judgement (i.e. high, medium, low)
3) a Generic risk assessment covers similar activities or work equipment in different sites, departments, etc.

Question 5

Explain the key stages of a workplace risk assessment

Answer 5

1) Identification the hazards associated with the workplace tasks being undertaken.
2) identify who may be harmed and how when undertaking those activities.
3) evaluate the likelihood and probable consequences of the harm that may be caused, assess whether the control measures in place are sufficient to reduce the level of risk or whether additional controls measures are required.
4) record the significant findings from the assessment
5) review in light of new information

Question 6

Define HAZARD

Answer 6

A hazard is something with the POTENTIAL to cause harm (i.e. articles, substances, plant or machines, methods of work, the working environment etc).

Question 7

Define RISK

Answer 7

A risk is the LIKELIHOOD of potential harm from that hazard being realised.
The (level of risk) is linked to the severity of its consequences.

Question 8

Occupational or work-related I’ll-health

Answer 8

This is concerned with those ACUTE and CHRONIC illnesses or physical and mental disorders that are either caused or triggered by workplace activities. (exposure and onset) of illness

Question 9

Define Accident

Answer 9

Any unplanned event that results in
Injury or I’ll-health of people,
damage or loss to property, plant, materials or the environment or loss of a business opportunity.

Question 10

What is a Dangerous Occurrence?

Answer 10

An near-miss that could have led to

Serious Injury
Or
Loss of Life

(RIDDOR)

Question 11

State the purpose and objectives of a risk assessment

Answer 11

The aim of a risk assessment is to eliminate hazards or reduce risks to an acceptable level.

The Objectives are to prevent personal injuries and ill-health; to achieve legal compliance and to reduce the costs associated with losses.

Question 12

Describe the criteria for a
(Suitable and Sufficient) risk assessment.

It is important as it defines the limits of the risk assessment

Answer 12

1) Identity the “Significant Risks” and ignore the trivial ones.
2) Identify and “Prioritise the Measures” required to comply with any relevant statutory provisions.
3) The assessment must remain appropriate to the nature of the work and valid over a reasonable period of time.
4) identify the risk arising from or in connection with the work. The level of detail should be proportionate to the risk.

Question 13

(Step 1) in any risk assessment is to seek out and identify the hazards.

What are the relevant sources of information?

Answer 13

• Legislation and supporting ACoP, which give practical guidance and minimum requirements.
• Accidents, I’ll-health and incident data.
• Personal knowledge and experience.
• Relevant British and International Standards.
• Process and Production Information, Section 6 of the HSW Act.

Question 14

Risk assessment (step 2)
Decide who might be harmed and how.

Answer 14

Employees, Operators, Maintenance Staff, Cleaners, Contractors, Visitors, Public, etc.

Question 15

Step four:

Record the significant findings and implement them.

Answer 15

• if five or more employees it’s a legal requirement.
• a “suitable and sufficient” assessment requires the significant hazards and conclusions to be recorded.
• groups affected by hazards and existing control measures and their effectiveness need recording
• evidence to inspectors of compliance with the law.

Question 16

Step five: Review and update as necessary

Explain why should risk assessments should be reviewed periodically.

Answer 16

• Conditions change with the introduction of new processes,systems,machinery or hazards.
• New legislation or information on hazardous substances.
• Changes in the workforce (i.e. trainees etc).
• Accidents, incidents or a serious of near misses
• A significant period of time has elapsed.

Question 17

(Step 3) of a risk assessment is to -

Evaluate the risk and decide on precautions

Ask yourself:
Is the level of risk acceptable or does more need to be done to reduce the risk further.

Answer 17

• Evaluate the likelihood of harm and probable severity also look at residual risk.
• Rate the risk severity (high, medium, low).
• Apply the (ISO 45001), hierarchy of control
• Apply based on your prioritisation of the risk
• use guidance in legislation and HSE ACoP etc
• Apply controls to specific hazards
  Assess residual risk, are they acceptable or tolerable risk levels.
• Distinguish between priorities and timescales

Question 18

Name the five elements of the general hierarchy of control, based on the
(ISO 45001) model.

Answer 18

1) Eliminate.
2) Substitute
3) Engineering controls.
4) Administrative controls.
5) Personal protective equipment.

Question 19

Identify the groups who require specific risk assessment, due perhaps, to inexperience or age.

Answer 19

• Young workers because of (lack of experience, awareness of risks, peer pressure).
• Expectant and nursing mothers.
• Disabled workers.
• Lone workers.

Question 20

A risk assessment might be considered suitable and sufficient when:

Answer 20

• it is proportion to the level of risk and nature of the risk and used all the available information
• all relevant employees have been involved with the assessment in some way
• all the persons at risk have been identified
• all the significant hazards have been identified
• the significant findings have been recorded
• the precautions are reasonable
• it allows precautions to be prioritised
• the residual risk is low
• it will remain valid for a reasonable period of time
• it will be reviewed on a regular basis

Question 21

Give a definition of (SFARP)

So Far As Reasonably Practicable

Answer 21

• The degree of risk must be assessed against the cost/sacrifice involved in introducing control measures needed to eliminate or control the risk.
• Sacrifice being that of cost, time and effort.
• If this is gross disproportionality between the two then the sacrifice does not necessarily have to be made.

Question 22

Name four methods of hazard identification:

Answer 22

Task analysis:
Breaks a job down into its component steps

Legislation:
Knowledge of the law and guidance documents spell out hazards that exist in particular workplaces

Manufacturers information:
Like instruction books and labels contain information of related hazards and safe use

Incident data:
Near misses (internal data) and statistics (external data) provide information of potential areas of concern.

Question 23

Task analysis breaks down a job into its component steps in order to identify the hazard associated with each step.

Name the six steps of the task analysis method 
the acronym (S.R.E.D.I.M) should help.

Answer 23

S elect the task
R ecord the steps of the task
E valuate the risks associated with each step
D evelop the safe working method
I mplement the safe working method
M onitor to ensure it is effective

If prefer (REDMISt) and rearrange the letters to suit

Question 24

The MHSW section 4 details

General Principles of Prevention

Name these eight principles

Answer 24

(a) avoiding risks (where possible)
(b) evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided by carrying out a risk assessment
(c) combating the risks at source;
(d) adapting the work to the individual
(e) adapting to technical progress
(f) replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous;
(g) developing a coherent overall prevention policy
(h) giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures
(i) giving appropriate instructions to employees.