ROSELYN HOUSE SCHOOL / THE RHISE SERVICE  

 

RISK ASSESMENT POLICY 

 

Introduction 

 

Every business is required to make an assessment of the risks that are likely to arise from their business processes. This requirement is generally referred to as risk assessment. 

 

A risk assessment is simply a careful sensible examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm to your workforce or other people who might be affected by your work activities. It is in effect risk management. 

 

Legal Requirements 

 

Health and Safety at Work legislation places key requirements and responsibilities on employers to ensure that their business is properly managed. It requires a competent risk assessment of work activities, processes and tasks so that Managers are aware of workplace hazards and risks and have the opportunity to properly manage them. 

Where a risk assessment identifies the presence of significant hazards and more than 5 people are employed the risk assessment must be recorded. 

 

Action Required 

 

Employers must make arrangements for suitable and sufficient risk assessments to be made for all of their business activities. The process can be delegated to trained and competent managerial staff but Directors, sole traders and Senior Managers still retain the responsibility for ensuring that they are suitable and sufficient. 

 

Employees should always be consulted and involved in the risk assessment process.  

They often understand the process and the day to day risks in greater detail than their Managers. Workforce engagement in completing the risk assessment and developing control measures is likely to result in better compliance and use of the control measures than would otherwise be the case. Sometimes it is also appropriate to involve students, contractors and others in the risk assessment of a process or activity where they might directly be affected. 

 

Where there are less than 5 employees (3 in Ireland) there is no need for risk assessments to be written down or recorded. However if the risks are significant it is advisable to keep a record of the assessment. 

 

Risk assessment should not be a bureaucratic process and not overly complicated. 

 

The purpose of risk assessment is to promote the sensible management of workplace risk.   Sensible risk management is all about:- 

• Ensuring that students, employees and the public are properly protected;  

• Providing overall benefit to by balancing benefits and risks, with a focus on reducing real risks – both those which frequently arise and those with serious consequences; 

• Enabling innovation and learning - not stifling them; 

• Ensuring that those who create risks manage them responsibly and understand that failure to manage real risks responsibly is likely to lead to robust action; 

• Enabling individuals to understand that as well as the right to protection, they also have to exercise responsibility. 

  

Risk assessment is not about: 

• Creating a totally risk free society; 

• Generating useless paperwork mountains; 

• Scaring people by exaggerating or publicising trivial risks; 

• Stopping important recreational and learning activities for individuals where the risks are managed; 

• Reducing protection of people from risks that cause real harm and suffering. 

June 2023