6.3 Risk assessment
Risk assessments can sound daunting, but they are very important to assess what might cause harm to staff or members of the public and to find ways of reducing any risks to a minimum. Risk assessment simply provides a systematic way to go about this.
Risk assessments should be undertaken for regular activities in the building and may also need to be completed for one-off events.
Community Development Officers have received training in risk assessment or have access to training and will be able to help you. They can work with Management Committees to identify what risk assessments should be undertaken and to carry these out. This will demonstrate that the Committee is adhering to its Health and Safety responsibilities and, even more importantly, will reduce the possibility of anyone being harmed or injured.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have produced a free leaflet guide to completing risk assessments. We recommend that organisations should visit the HSE website and download a copy.
Samples of risk assessments and other information can be found on the HSE website can be accessed at www.hse.gov.uk