Assessing the risks
to keep your operations running smoothly.
to keep your operations running smoothly.
Introduction
The identification of hazards, the evaluation of their risks and the putting in place of control measures to secure the health and safety of employees, is a major element for managing health and safety under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. A hazard identification and risk assessment process is a proactive one. It is more cost-effective to complete this process and implement a risk management system than to have an incident on-site and then create the risk management systems retrospectively.
By assessing the risks to your business, you can make informed decisions considering what you need to keep your operations running smoothly. But also, to do it in a way that prevents harm to people, the environment and of course, your business!
What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment is a written document that records a three-step process:
- Identifying the hazards in the workplace(s) under your control.
- Assessing the risks presented by these hazards.
- Putting control measures in place to reduce the risk of these hazards causing harm.
Benefits of hazard identification and risk assessment include:
- Recognising and controlling hazards in your workplace
- Creating awareness among your employees
- Setting risk management standards, based on acceptable safe practices and legal requirements
- Reducing incidents in the workplace
- Financial savings by being proactive instead of reactive
Tucil provides the following risk assessment services:
- Site specific health and safety risk assessments
- Visual display unit (VDU) or display screen equipment (DSE) assessments
- Chemical risk assessments or COSHH assessments;
- Sensitive risk groups to include:
- pregnancy risk assessments
- night and shift worker risk assessment
- children and young person’s risk assessment
Section 19 and 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 states that business owners and self-employed workers must have a current up to date safety statement that includes site specific risk assessments for the type of work that is carried out. A common reason for the failure of documents in the assessment process is that risk assessments are too generic. Site specific risk assessments take into account the actual site/workplace conditions, type of project or work processes and address only the relevant hazards.
Site specific health and safety risk assessments help focus on the risks that really matter in the workplace – the ones with the potential to cause real harm. In many instances, straightforward measures can readily control risks.
Employees have a right to be protected from harm caused by a failure to take reasonable control measures. Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and affect your business too if output is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase or you have to go to court.
How can Tucil help?
At Tucil, our service for carrying out site specific health and safety risk assessments includes visiting the workplace and reviewing the work processes. This method allows for reasonably practicable control measures to be identified. Striking the right balance during the workplace risk assessment, Tucil can truly add value for both employees and the business. A risk assessment is an important part of any business strategy. The time and money involved in preparing a risk assessment is an investment which will only benefit your company.
If you require a site-specific health and safety risk assessment or need help in updating a current risk assessment, please contact us.
The risk assessment package includes:
- Site Visit – Observation of the task(s)/process(es) to be risk assessed and consult employees.
- Review documentation relating to the task(s)/process (es).
- Administration –Draft assessment.
- Issuing of the assessment to the client highlighting findings.
Please note – for 10 or more risk assessments – a risk register will be drafted and Tucil will attend site to present findings.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 5 of Part 2 outlines the requirements that must be adhered to in relation to Display Screen Equipment. DSE is commonly referred to as Visual Display Unit (VDU). As an employer, there are a number of duties set down under this Regulation.
The key requirements are to:
- Carry out an analysis or risk assessment of an employee workstation
- Provide information to employees in relation to measures which have been implemented
- Provide training for employees before commencing work with display screen equipment and whenever the organisation of the workstation is modified
- Perform a further analysis or risk assessment where an employee transfers to a new workstation or significant new work equipment has been introduced, change of equipment or new technology is introduced to an individual’s workstation
- Ensure that the provision of an appropriate eye and eyesight test is made available to every employee
These Regulations are applicable:
- If the employee has no choice but to use the VDU to carry out their work
- If the employee normally uses the VDU for continuous periods of more than one hour
- If the VDU is generally used by the employee on a daily basis
The VDU / DSE assessment package includes:
- Initial consultation with the employee
- Observation of the employee working at the computer workstation
- Training in self-assessment
- Drafting of the assessment and action plan
How can Tucil help?
Tucil provides a bespoke VDU/DSE assessment aligned to your business. Please contact us for your bespoke package.
Chemical risk assessments are also commonly referred to as COSHH assessments (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health). Hazardous chemicals are substances that can cause adverse health effects such as poisoning, breathing problems, skin rashes, allergic reactions, allergic sensitisation, cancer, and other health problems from exposure. Many hazardous chemicals are also classified as dangerous goods. These can cause fires, explosions, corrosion and hazardous reactions if not handled safely.
Examples of hazardous chemicals include:
- paints, drugs, cosmetics, cleaning chemicals, degreasers, detergents, gas cylinders, refrigerant gases, pesticides, herbicides, diesel fuel, petrol, liquefied petroleum gas, welding fumes, asbestos, flammable liquids, gases, corrosives and chemically reactive or acutely (highly) toxic substances.
It is noteworthy to remember that hazards and risks are not limited to substances labelled as ‘hazardous’.
The basic steps in the risk assessment process of chemicals are:
- hazard assessment
- exposure assessment
- risk characterisation
How can Tucil help?
Tucil provides a bespoke chemical risk assessment package customised to your business. Please contact us for your bespoke package.
The chemical risk assessment package includes :
- Site Visit – Identification of chemicals and observation of the processes/tasks
- Drafting of a chemical register
- Review of safety data sheets
- Drafting and issuing of assessments
- Present findings and documentation
For 10 or more assessments a risk register will be issued
It is essential that work tasks, working conditions and the work environment do not adversely affect the health of sensitive risk groups such as pregnant employees, night and shift workers and young persons at work. Part 6 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 as amended, contain specific workplace health regulations with regard to specific groups of workers, namely:
- Children and Young Persons
- Pregnant, Post Natal and Breastfeeding Employees
- Night Workers and Shift Workers
Pregnancy Risk Assessment
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Part 6, Chapter 2, Protection of Pregnant, Post Natal and Breastfeeding Employees apply when an employee informs her employer that she is pregnant, has recently given birth or is breastfeeding and provides an appropriate medical certificate.
Once an employer knows an employee is pregnant, they must assess the specific risks from the employment to that employee. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and the Pregnancy Regulations, 2007 require that a risk assessment be conducted as part of the Company safety statement. This Regulation is applicable in all workplaces.
The pregnancy risk assessment looks at hazards surrounding pregnancy. This is assessed by carrying out the pregnancy risk assessment, which aims to identify risks and hazards specific to a pregnant woman.
How Tucil can help?
If you require a pregnancy risk assessment at your place of work, please contact us.
The pregnancy risk assessment package is inclusive of:
- Consultation with the employee
- Assessment of their work environment
- Drafting of assessment
- Communication of assessment findings
- Implementation of action plan
- Review of assessment per trimester
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Part 6 Chapter 3 of Part 6: Night Work and Shift Work apply when a Night Worker works at least 3 hours between 12 midnight and 7.00 am at least 50% of annual working time. Limitations: Average 8 hours per night over two-month period for those not involved in work of special hazard or physical or mental strain, in which case the limit is 8 hours each night.
Risk assessment in this context is the process of identifying the hazards associated with night and shift work in your workplace, assessing those risks, implementing measures to reduce and control them and reviewing the effectiveness of these arrangements.
How can Tucil help ?
At Tucil we provide night and shift work risk assessments addressing the specific risks applicable to your employees. Tucil helps you run your business in a compliant safe manner addressing any specific concerns you or your employees have. We provide advice for employees on what they can do in relation to sleep and rest, health promotion, lifestyle, socialisation and family life in order to ensure a healthy and productive life.
Please contact us.
The night and shift work risk assessment package is inclusive of:
- Consultation with the employee
- Assessment of the work environment
- Drafting of assessment
- Communication of assessment findings
- Implementation of action plan
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