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Health and Safety Risk Assessment Methodology Overview Employees must be safeguarded form Occupational Health and Safety risks that they may be exposed to in the workplace. This can be achieved through risk management processes that involves risk analysis, risk assessment, and effective risk control practices. TO carry out an effective risk management process, it is crucial to understand the legal context, concepts, risk analysis, and health and safety risk assessment methodology, and control processes, along with the roles played by all involved.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment for Working from Home Overview The past year, with the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2, the classification of it as a pandemic, and the subsequent lockdown and quarantine regulations that followed to curb the spread of the virus, has changed the way in which a lot of businesses operate. Employees were forced to work remotely, where possible, for long durations of time and it became imperative to include health and safety risk assessments for working from home, as the home environment, much like any other, also presents its own unique hazards and risks. Health and Safety Implications of working from home The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 85 of 1993, requires that employers provide and maintain a work environment.

Types of Health and Safety Risk Assessment Methods Overview The types of health and safety risk assessment methods depend on the type of risk assessment that is being carried out. There are three main types that can be identified, which will be discussed in the article in detail, they are: Baseline Risk Assessment Issue-Based Risk Assessment Continuous Risk Assessment However, before exploring these, there are important concepts that must be explored namely: Hazard – which can simply be defined as a source or an exposure to danger. It can either be a condition, activity, object, substance, or a person, which could cause harm. Risk – which is the chance or the likelihood of a hazard causing harm to a person, property, or the environment. Baseline Risk Assessments

Health and Safety Risk Assessment for Employees Overview Employers have a legal obligation to consult with employees, or Health and Safety Representatives, on matters relating to health and safety. It is imperative that employers make provision for health and safety risk assessment for employees as health and safety is the responsibility of employees as well and they have legal obligations as well. However, in the following sections, how employers must consult with their employees, over what, and why, will be discussed in detail.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment Questions Overview Health and safety risk assessments involve a thorough examination of the work environment to ensure that there are no health or safety hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, visitors, or to members of the public. During the process, there may be certain health and safety risk assessment questions that employers may be faced with, and these will be addressed in the sections below.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment Process A health and safety risk assessment process is a systematic process that includes the following steps: Identification of hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm to employees. An analysis and evaluation of the risks that are associated with the hazards identified. A determination of the appropriate ways in which the hazards can be eliminated or controlled where the hazard cannot be eliminated. A risk assessment involves a thorough examination of the working environment to identify the objects, situations, or processes that may cause harm to employees. After they have been identified, the employer can analyse them and evaluate how likely and severe the risk is. When this has been determined, the next step involves deciding on control measures to effectively eliminate or control the harm.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment Procedure Overview Risk assessments are not a new concept, despite the organisation’s industry, sector, or nature of business. When they are conducted effectively, they serve as a crucial management tool to ensure that employees, and others, are safeguarded. Employers are legally required to ensure that employees are provided with a healthy and safe work environment, and one of the ways to do this is by conducting an effective health and safety risk assessment. The health and safety risk assessment procedure is one that is easy to follow with a few basic steps. Following these steps can help employers provide a healthy and safe work environment and ensure that they comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 85 of 1993.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment Cost When employers consider the implementation and maintenance of an effective health and safety management programme, it is imperative to look further than what it will cost to implement and maintain a system to see the health and safety, and financial benefits that can be derived from ensuring a healthy and safe work environment. Apart from saving on costs associated with penalties and fees to COID, medical expenses of treatment for injured or ill employees, there is also the health and safety risk assessment costs which are reduced as the system starts working for the employer, instead of the employer working for the system. When a risk assessment has been completed, hazards have been identified, risks evaluated, and control measures are being implemented, there are certain costs that need to be considered. However, the costs of implementation of health and safety interventions must also be weighed against the benefits that they bring once implemented, especially considering long-term.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment Checklist Overview All employers, whether they are self-employed workers, contractors, or owners and CEOs of larger organisations, are legally required to assess the hazards and risks to the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees, and anyone else who may be affected by their work activities. Self-employed people who carry out any activity that may pose a risk or threat to the health, safety, and wellbeing of others, or is of a ‘prescribed description’ which includes agriculture, construction, quarrying, mining, and other activities, must protect themselves and others from risk. Employers must consider all their employees, but pay special attention to risks to: Young employees. Trainees Expectant mothers Employees who have chronic conditions and/or disabilities. Visitors Contractors Members of the public, and others who may be vulnerable. All health and safety risk assessments must cover all work activities and there must be a health and safety risk assessment checklist to ensure that the risk assessment is carried out effectively, ensuring that everything and everyone relevant is covered.