What is a risk assessment? - Overview for employers

The management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999 requires all employees and self-employed persons to assess the risk to employees and anyone else who may be affected by their activity.

The Health & Safety Executive website provides advice, guidance and worked examples of how to undertake risk assessments.

 

Risk Assessment - An Overview for Employers

As an employer, you must assess and manage health and safety risks - whether you are a big business, a small business or just a one-person operation. Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and damage your business. You are not expected to eliminate all risk, but you are required to protect people as far as 'reasonably practicable'.

A risk assessment is an important tool in protecting your workers and your business. It helps you focus on those risks that have the potential to cause harm. Most of these can be readily controlled by straightforward measures.

Once you have completed the assessment it is important to put your results into practice.

If you need to make a number of improvements, you should produce an action plan to deal with the most important first. You should review your assessment on an ongoing basis to make sure that it remains up to date and effective.

This guide details the risk assessment you're required to carry out under health and safety law.

 

 


Last Updated on Wednesday, May 17, 2023