With more and more emphasis being put on workplace safety, we decided to speak with our safety expert David Halford about Risk Assessments. Not only is it important to provide a safe work environment for your employees it also gives them peace of mind while carrying out their tasks. We work very closely with David across many of our projects and he has shed some light on all things risky. We asked him to break down a few key points about risk assessments:
What is a risk assessment?
An assessment of the risks/hazards that exist, how to eliminate those risks/hazards, and if they cannot be eliminated how to work safely around those risks/hazards to minimize the impact risk from the hazards. It is important to carry out a detailed and accurate assessment, not only for the legal aspects of having a safe workspace and procedures in place but also for your staff to feel safe in their office or warehouse.
How do you structure your assessments?
When looking at an initial Risk Assessment I first consider the following points:
- Activity/Hazard
- Potential Risk
- Who may be affected
- Control Measures in place by Client
- Control Measures to be put in place by Total
- Action date
- Person Responsible
- Risk Factor after Control
What are the key points most people miss when performing a risk assessment?
The most common thing people miss is the simple everyday things, you should look at items in your kitchen, electrical devices, etc. Look at everything.
Do you have any last tips for clients?
Consider everything no matter how irrelevant or mundane it may seem.
For many people returning to their office within the next few weeks, it is important to consider the safety of your work environment. A detailed risk assessment will get you started. Health & Safety is at the heart of everything we do, nothing is more important than a safe working environment. During the lockdown, Team Total was able to continue to provide their services and work safely, because of this we have been able to use our knowledge of safe working environments and create safe workspaces for our clients. See how we made our own workspace safe.
