Noise is sound that is loud, unpleasant, or undesired. Sound is vibration energy that passes through air (or other media) and is received by the ear, stimulating the auditory nerves and producing the sensation of hearing. The energy produced when something vibrates produces sound waves that have a definite pattern. The wavelength determines the pitch … Read more
Auditing is defined as the structured process of collecting independent information on the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the total health and safety management system and drawing up plans for corrective action. All control systems tend to deteriorate over time or to become obsolete because of change. Auditing supports monitoring by providing managers with information … Read more
Once the level of risk has been assessed, attention now needs to be focused on controlling the risk. This may mean tolerating the level of risk by maintaining current controls, or putting in place additional controls to reduce the level of risk. Legally, there is a requirement to do all that is “reasonably practicable” to protect people … Read more
Risk assessment should not be a once-and-for-all activity. Few workplaces stay the same. Sooner or later, equipment, substances and procedures are updated, often with the introduction of new hazards. Risk assessments should, therefore, be reviewed on an ongoing basis. As the nature of work changes, the appreciation of hazards and risks may develop. Proactive monitoring may … Read more
Make a record of the significant findings – the hazards, how people might be harmed by them and what you have in place to control the risks. Any record produced should be simple and easy to understand. Any paperwork you produce should help you to communicate and manage the risks in your business. This does … Read more
Having identified the hazards, who might be harmed and how you must decide how likely it is that harm will occur and if it does occur, how bad it will be, i.e. the level of risk. Risk is a combination of consequences, in terms of the severity of harm and the likelihood of those consequences occurring. … Read more
Once the significant hazards have been identified, consideration should be given to the people that may be affected, the type of harm that could occur and the situations that might lead up to it (under reasonably foreseeable circumstances). Really think this through, considering both normal, routine operations in addition to situations that are outside of … Read more
Hazards may arise from: acts such as manual handling; situations such as working at height or in a confined space; or sources of energy such as a radiation source, or the moving parts of a machine. Hazards may be categorised as: Mechanical: e.g. moving parts of machinery or moving vehicles. Physical: e.g. noise or vibration … Read more
Hazards may be categorised as: Mechanical: e.g. moving parts of machinery or moving vehicles. Physical: e.g. noise or vibration energy, radiation, or electricity. Biological: e.g. legionella bacteria or blood borne viruses. Chemical: e.g. corrosive or toxic cleaning chemicals. Environmental: e.g. cold or hot environments. Organisational: e.g. lack or resources, poor culture The approaches to hazard … Read more
Before diving into the 5 steps to risk assessment, let’s quickly go through some of the terms that we’ll be using. Don’t worry too much if they seem confusing to begin with as we’ll be covering them in more depth as we go through the 5 steps. Hazard A hazard is something with the potential … Read more