Risk Assessment
Ensuring staff and students can effectively assess and control risk in the workplace.
Introduction
Risk assessments are an important step in protecting the University and its employees, as well as complying with the law. The process involves identifying the risks in the workplace with the potential to cause real harm, to evaluate whether enough precautions have been taken to prevent this harm, or whether more needs to be done.
Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and affect the University as well if output is lost, equipment is damaged, insurance costs increase, or the University is taken to court. It is a legal requirement to assess risks in the workplace to protect staff, students and others that can be affected, from the work undertaken by the University.
Template and Guidance
The Health, Safety and Compliance Team have created the following risk assessment template and guidance to help with the risk assessment process:
Risk Assessment Template Risk Assessment Guidance
For More Information
New and expectant mothers are defined as those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have given birth in the previous 6 months. Under regulation 16 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, a specific risk assessment may be required to ensure the safety of new and expectant mothers whilst at work.
Consider the following:
- Review existing risk assessments and controls
- Consult with the individual to identify specific conditions and circumstances
- If further controls are required, a risk assessment will need to be created
Young persons are defined as those under the age of 18. Under regulation 19 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, a specific risk assessment may be required to ensure the safety of young persons whilst at work.
Consider the following:
- The individual may have a greater lack of experience and awareness of risks
- Young persons may require additional health and safety training for certain activities
- In some cases, it may not be suitable for young persons to take part in work involving particular risks
Everyone involved in the risk assessment process should receive suitable training. To book onto a course, please see our training calendar below for dates, and email hsservicedesk@port.ac.uk to book a space.
It is a legal requirement for the protect employees, students and others from harm. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, the University must:
- Identify hazards in the workplace
- Assess the level of risk the identified hazard can cause
- Take action to eliminate the hazard, or control the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.
If you require further guidance completing a risk assessment from the University's Health, Safety and Compliance Team, please contact hsservicedesk@port.ac.uk.
The Health and Safety Executive has also produced the following guidance documents for risk assessments: