RISK

ASSESSMENT
Dean Fenton
Dean.fenton@rotherham.gov.uk
What is a Risk Assessment?
 A Risk Assessment is simply a careful
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.

 (Source – Health and Safety Executive

HSE)
 Why should we do Risk
Assessments ?
 Legal – requirement by law - under the
Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999 and individual organisations
health and safety policies required under the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

 Financial – less chance of claims and prosecutions

 Moral – Duty of care owed to all Employees and

others affected by our work
What information should a Risk
Assessment include ?

1. Hazards (what could go wrong)

2. People at Risk (who might be harmed)
3. Control measures at present (have enough precautions
been taken)
4. Further action required (should more be done)
5. Record details and keep the assessment under review

Source – HSE ‘5 steps to risk assessment’ guidance.

Who is responsible for doing
the risk assessments ?

Your Organisations health and Safety policy will outline

who is responsible for completing the risk assessments.
In a school the overall responsibility for ensuring risk
assessments are completed is that of the Headteacher
and Governing Body. However Heads of individual
departments will most likely be responsible for ensuring
that all reasonably foreseeable significant risks are
assessed and managed effectively. There will also be a
line of accountability to the Headteacher and Governing
Body outlined in the policy.
Are there any standard Risk
Assessments available to use ?

Yes – there are lots of examples and models

available to get you started or assist the
process.
CYPS provides models for schools on the
RGFL portal page and RMBC intranet site.
There are also specialist models available from
CLEAPSS covering science, Art and D & T,
AfPE covering sport and PE risks, EVOLVE
covering educational visits risks etc
What risks exist in and around
school ?

Examples include:

Safeguarding, supervision of pupils and site security

Educational visits
Use, handling, storage and transport of articles and
substances eg COSHH / equipment etc
Use of equipment eg PE apparatus
Use of substances and solutions eg Science, Art etc
Use of machinery eg D & T
Risk Assessments

Attitudes to risk vary greatly between

individuals so a group or team approach
as opposed to an individual approach is a
better practice when assessing risk and
establishing safe working practices.
Reduce not eliminate

A common misperception to risk is that it should be

eliminated.

We should be taking well managed and planned risks, not

eliminating all of them wherever possible !

However in extreme cases elimination is the only solution

or answer.
What if we get it wrong ?

There is no such thing as a perfect risk

assessment. We all make mistakes and
have errors of judgement, once you
discover that something isn’t right, rectify
it.
Risk assessments are living documents
and should be amended to move with
progress and change.
How often should risk
assessments be reviewed ?

The law requires that risk assessments should

be reviewed periodically, it is up to the
employer to decide on frequency (most risk
assessments are reviewed annually at least).

Risk assessments must also be reviewed if

there is a significant incident or major injury eg
person is sent to hospital, has time off, or the
circumstances / setting etc have changed.
Where can we get advice from ?

Colleagues in school
Local Authority advisors
Expert bodies eg CLEAPSS, AfPE etc
Reference
Model risk assessments available from
RMBC intranet / RGFL
Guidance such as CLEAPSS, AfPE
etc
HSE guidance
School policies and procedures