Risk Assessment

A risk is the volume of the hazard involved or expected to occur at a particular period of time at work place. Accidents can happen at any time if enough control measures are not put in place.

The risks involved at the workplace should be identified and defined in a Risk Assessment Matrix.

This Risk Assessment Matrix is used to define the various risk levels which are identified at the work place. The matrix is further categorized as a probability to occur or the severity of occurrence. It is a simple mechanism which enables to foresee the risk and assist the management to identify the control measures and take corrective actions to avoid the risk to an extent.

Once the risk is assessed, the appropriate control measures should be kept in place.

The various steps in assessing the risk is to

• Identify the hazards involved at the workplace.
• Identify who might get harmed or injured and how
• Evaluate the risks and decide on the appropriate control measures which
  should be put in place
• Record the risk assessment
• Review and update the risk assessment as and when required (like when any changes occur to the normal system, when any new system is introduced, etc.,)

The risk assessment should cover all groups of people of an organization.

Educate the employees on the potential risks and the control measures to be taken at work place in order to be safe.

Risk assessment has become a legal requirement for every employer and self-employed person to make an assessment of the health and safety risks arising at the workplace. The purpose of this is to identify what needs to be done to control the risks and the preventive measures that need to be taken at work place to be safe from the potential hazards.