COMPANY NAME: MENTOR
TOOLBOX TALK: RISK ASSESSMENT
Script
Hazard - Something with the potential to cause harm, e.g. electricity, chemicals, falling from
height, noise, moving vehicles, etc. Not all hazards are easy to spot, e.g. gas, biological (viruses).
Risk – An evaluation of the likelihood and consequences of a hazard actually causing harm.
Risk assessment - A careful examination of what, in your work and environment, could cause harm
to people. It enables us to decide whether we have taken enough precautions or should do more
to prevent harm. It is an important step in protecting employees and our businesses, as well as
complying with the law. In consultation and communication with interested parties, risk
assessments help us focus on the risks that really matter in the workplace. In many instances risks
can be easily controlled.
The law does not expect the elimination of all risk, but we are required to protect people as far as
is reasonably practicable. Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and affect businesses if output is
lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase and/or we have to go to court.
There is a legal requirement to carry out ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments of all hazardous
activities undertaken by a business. If there are five or more employees, the risk assessment must
be recorded and communicated to all those affected.
Key Points to consider:
We will identify all hazardous activities where there is a risk of accidents, incidents, injury or ill
health.
We will carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments on those hazardous activities.
We will provide risk assessors with adequate information, instruction and training.
We will review risk assessments:
oAt least annually
oWhen significant changes occur
oFollowing accidents/incidents; or
oWhen we have any reason to believe the risk assessment to be invalid.
There are 5 steps-
Step 1 - Identify the activity and hazards
Step 2 - Decide who might be harmed and how
Step 3 - Evaluate the risks and determine the controls required
Step 4 - Record the findings and implement
Step 5 - Review and revise
Issue: 4 2021-03-03 Page 1 of 2 Last Reviewed: 2021-03-03
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