A Useful Assessment Starts With The Work
A health and safety risk assessment should describe the activity your people actually carry out. We scope assessments for offices, warehouses, workshops, schools, commercial premises and contractor operations in London, taking account of access, equipment, working patterns and the people exposed. The starting point is observation and discussion, rather than a completed form looking for a site to fit.
An assessment distinguishes a hazard from the risk it creates. A loading bay has different implications when deliveries arrive during staff changeover, when a pedestrian route crosses it or when visiting drivers do not know the site. Those details help determine which controls deserve attention first and who needs to act.
When An Assessment Needs Attention
Ask for a review when you introduce equipment, change a process, move premises or take on an unfamiliar activity. An incident, near miss or concern raised by staff can also reveal that an existing assessment no longer reflects the work. A document with a recent date still needs checking against actual conditions.
Shared London buildings can create gaps between an occupier’s assessment and a managing agent’s arrangements. We clarify which areas you control, which are shared and which need another party’s input. Cleaning outside normal office hours, maintenance access and deliveries should be considered alongside the main business activity.
The Legal Framework In England
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require suitable and sufficient risk assessment. Employers must assess risks to employees and people affected by their undertaking, with significant findings recorded when they employ five or more people. HSE guidance explains how to identify hazards, evaluate risk and select controls.
Different activities can require more detailed assessment. Chemical exposure needs a COSHH assessment, while a construction project needs consideration under CDM. A general workplace assessment does not replace specialist inspection, testing or another dutyholder’s assessment. We flag those boundaries in the agreed scope.
How The Assessment Works
We begin by agreeing the activities and locations to review, including normal work and foreseeable non-routine tasks. Existing assessments, incident records, equipment information and working instructions help establish the context. During a visit, managers and staff explain what happens when conditions change or the usual person is absent.
We then examine existing controls and recommend improvements, favouring removal of the hazard or changes to the task before relying on individual behaviour. Findings should identify the people exposed, the controls already present, outstanding actions and responsible managers. A closing discussion gives you the opportunity to challenge assumptions before the assessment is finalised.
What You Receive And How To Use It
The agreed output is a written assessment and action record that managers can use during briefings and supervision. Actions should be specific enough to allocate, with priorities linked to the potential harm and the effectiveness of existing controls. A vague instruction to take care gives a supervisor little to check.
Keep the assessment accessible to the people doing the work. Explain changes before the next task, check that the equipment and arrangements are available, and record why an action has been closed. Our health and safety audits can review whether those controls are working after implementation.
What Affects The Cost
The cost of risk assessment depends on the number of activities, the complexity of the hazards, the size and spread of the premises and the quality of existing information. Observing night work, covering several locations or reviewing unusual processes changes the time required. Specialist measurements or technical reports need separate agreement.
For a useful quotation, describe your business activity, location, staffing pattern and the reason for the assessment. Tell us about contractors, shared areas and any deadline attached to a tender or planned change. Photographs and a list of current documents can help define the scope, but avoid sending personal medical information in the enquiry.
Your Service Questions
Is A Risk Assessment Required For A Small Business?
A risk assessment is required where your business activities expose people to risks, even if your workforce is small. The level of detail should reflect the work and the hazards involved. Employers with five or more employees must record significant findings, but smaller businesses can also benefit from a clear written record of the controls they use.
How Often Should A Risk Assessment Be Reviewed?
A risk assessment should be reviewed when there is reason to think it is no longer valid or when a significant change affects the work. Agree a review arrangement that suits your activities rather than relying only on a calendar date. An incident, new substance, changed layout or staff concern can all justify an earlier check.
Reference: HSE guidance relevant to this service.
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