Revitalising CoSHH risk assessment – what does it really mean?
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This page is concerned with the subject of COSHH risk assessment for hazards within a workplace that might cause damage to the health of the workforce, or of others who might suffer such damage as a result of the activities of the workforce. This page does not attempt to address the special issues of financial or commercial risk assessment. Much has been written and spoken about "risk assessment" for workplace hazards. Unfortunately, some of it has been confusing and some even misleading. Here we attempt to present an objective view of what risk assessment is really about and where it fits into a health and safety system.
Why risk assessment?
In many countries risk assessment is a legal duty for an employer. For example in the U.K. section 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations states: [view notes]
There are additional provisions, for example concerning the employment of young
people, but the basic requirement is as shown.
Note that the risk assessment is merely part of a process and not, as some
documentation and systems seem to suggest, a stand-alone activity. Risk
assessment is for a purpose, that of identifying what the employer is required to do
to comply with his duties to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. The diagram below
attempts to illustrate where risk assessment fits within the whole health and safety
system.
However, this is only one aspect of risk assessment. The main aim of COSHH risk
assessment should be to form part of a process that ensures no person suffers any
adverse effect to their health as a result of the activities of the organisation.
Obviously this is a very generalised statement and there will be a very few
examples, such as the armed forces, where this might, on occasions, not apply!
However, as a general rule, for both moral and economic reasons, it makes sense to
ensure that an organisation’s activities achieve this aim. Employees who have been
made ill or suffered an accident due to conditions in the workplace cost money and
cannot be as productive and healthy as uninjured workers. Compensation claims,
fines for the organisation and all the associated legal, administrative and social
costs will be significant for none compliance.
COSHH Risk assessment within an organisation [back to top]
The diagram indicates where risk assessment fits within an organisation and the various inputs and outputs that surround this process. It should be clear that risk assessment is not an end in itself, but merely part of a process to help ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
Note that there are several ‘inputs’ to the CoSHH risk assessment process. In the first place we need to take account of the nature of the organisation and its structure. Risk assessment – and the associated risk management – require the support of senior management. Only they can ensure that there is commitment to a high standard of health and safety, that there are sufficient resources available in terms of manpower, expertise, time and budget, and provide the necessary support to ensure that those entrusted with developing and maintaining the procedure are not hindered in their work by others within the organisation.
Risk assessment has to be task based. Unless we are actually doing something, then there will be little or no risk. “Doing something” need not be active. Merely the storage of a chemical product can be described as ‘doing something’ and could present certain risks which would need addressing and managing. Since the prevention of damage to health to the workforce is a primary aim, it follows that the workforce is an intrinsic element in any risk assessment, as are the hazards present in the workplace.
From the risk assessment will arise the need with certain tasks to take action to reduce the consequences of any untoward event to an acceptable level. Note that no workplace can be made entirely risk free, but we need to ensure that risks are reduced to a level that both fits with our legal duties and is compatible with our aim to keep the workforce (and others) in a safe and healthy condition.
Any risk assessment and management activities will need regular review to ensure that they remain up to date. We will also need some system that ensures that any changes, whether in materials, processes or other conditions, are identified and a check made that the risk assessment and management procedures are still valid. If not, then a new COSHH risk assessment will be needed and this may then lead to a change in the procedures for risk management.
Of course, it would be foolish to assume that we will eliminate all incidents that could, or do, result in damage to the health of someone within the workplace. What is important is that any such event is identified at the earliest possible stage, appropriate action taken to minimise any consequences, and investigated to ascertain where our system failed. Action can then be taken to reassess the risk and make the necessary improvements in the risk management procedures to prevent a repeat incident.
Next: The process of risk assessment and risk management
With special thanks to Chris Packham of EnviroDerm Services (UK) Ltd for providing this risk assessment and risk management strategy.
(February, 2009) ©EnviroDerm Services (UK) Ltd.