21311 PROCEDURE - HEALTH AND SAFETY - RISK ASSESSMENT. 2. Risk Assessments/Health and Safety Considerations

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1 Version 13 Last updated 16/03/2017 Review date 16/03/2018 Equality Impact Assessment Low Owning department Health and Safety / Risk 1. About this Procedure 1.1. This procedure explains the Force Procedure for carrying out risk assessments and is aimed at all members of staff. 2. Risk Assessments/Health and Safety Considerations 2.1. This section is not applicable as the procedure is about risk assessment. 3. Procedure 3.1. Legal Requirements Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, employers have a legal requirement to assess the risks to employees and persons not in his employment, who may be affected by those work activities. Such as members of the public and contractors There are also specific legal requirements to assess work activities such as: a) Manual Handling At Work; b) Display Screen Equipment; c) Control of Substances Hazardous To Health; d) Fire Precautions; e) Asbestos; f) Young Persons; g) Pregnant and Nursing Mothers; h) Noise See Force Policies and Procedures for advice on these specific types of risk assessments.

2 3.2. Risk Assessment Explained Risk Assessment is the assessment of an activity to identify the hazards and what the risk of injury or damage is from those hazards. Once established you then have to control those risks to reduce accidents/injuries to the lowest practical level. It s not about being risk adverse Hazard is something, which has the potential to cause harm. Such as a car, or an electric drill. If there is no hazard there is no risk Risk is the likelihood of harm from a hazard such as being hit and killed by the car or cutting yourself with the drill bit Model Risk Assessments can be used where an employer has a number of work activities of a similar nature are carried out by the organisation. A general risk assessment covering the main issues is written as a basic guide. This is then adapted it to reflect the work activity at that location. It is designed to reduce repetitive assessments and assist managers in carrying out assessments. Model risk assessments guides have been prepared and are available on the Health and Safety intranet pages Dynamic Risk Assessment is for circumstances, which could not be foreseen, e.g. chasing a burglar across unknown land and buildings. This type of assessment is something we do each day when driving, asking the question is it safe for me to pull out. However we do not necessary think about it in those terms, it is an automatic reaction. For work purposes we are trying to slow this down and positively stop and think, before we do something. However lessons that are learnt during such activities can be incorporated into the written risk assessments. This should not be used as an excuse for not doing written risk assessments. If it s foreseeable it can be pre risk assessed, if its not it becomes dynamic Note: Risk assessments should only be carried out by staff who have been trained. This code of practice is to assist those people and provide understanding about risk assessment to those who have not been trained Workplace Risk Assessment is for assessing risks for the working environment such as holes in carpets and trailing cables. These assessments should not be completed on the Ra1 risk assessment form. Instead a six monthly inspection completed for each property by Facilities and a copy forwarded to the Force Corporate Safety Adviser (see HS6 in standard forms). For any items or issues spotted in between inspections please inform your local Business Services Officer.

3 Force Risk Assessments these are risk assessments written by the Force Corporate Health and Safety Adviser inconjuction with the area of business. These are loaded to the Health and Safety Web pages and will have Force in the title. These are signed off by Tactical Health and Safety Committee and do not require modifying like model assessments and cover most areas of policing. If however you are aware of any changes to that area of business or you think something needs adding to them, please the Corporate Health and Safety Adviser Risk Assessment Process Using the Ra1 Risk Assessment Form or Operational Order with Links to the Force Risk Assessment, in standard forms: Step 1: Identify the work activity to be assessed Step 2: Identify the hazards associated with the work activity. This includes operation police activities Step 3: Identify who might be harmed. Include everyone who might be harmed or affected: staff; visitors; contractors; and members of the public. Take care to remember those staff who are not always around during normal working hours such as cleaners. Take care to identify persons/groups who may be at particular risk such as disabled, new or expectant mothers, young people (under 18 years), those who work alone and home workers. It should be noted that those members of staff returning to work from ill health or injury should be risk assessed using the return to work risk assessment form (HS18) in Standard Forms Step 4: Identify the risks. Establish what the risk will be, i.e. the likely injury Step 5: Establish what control measures you currently have in place that will reduce the risks. Such as safe working practices and training. The best control measure is to remove the hazard or, if not possible, substitute with a less hazardous alternative. The use of personal protective (PPE) clothing should normally be regarded as the last resort, however in the special circumstances applying to operational police activities, personal protective equipment frequently forms an essential element of protection. If you decide that PPE is required you must give specific details of what PPE is required in the risk assessment, such as make, BSEN number and what it gives protection against it. When recording this on the assessment you must specify the training and personal protective equipment, rather than

4 stating suitable training will be provided. This is not a sufficient statement for a risk assessment Step 5: Decide what further control measures if any are needed. If any specify when they should be implemented Step 6: Recording. If there are 5 or more staff in an organisation then the risk assessment must be recorded. This record should then represent an effective statement of the hazards and risks which enables management to take appropriate action to protect health and safety Step 7: Review and revision. Each risk assessment must be reviewed and revised periodically, if and when circumstances change to make a review necessary, e.g. use of new equipment, and change in operational procedures, new work activities or new substances being used Risk assessments should be made available to all staff affected by the work as well as informing them of any significant changes. A way of enabling this to take place is the team or departmental briefing / meeting under a standing health and safety agenda item. They must also be posted on the OCU/Department web page Note: Copies of operational risk assessments to be sent to the Corporate Health and Safety Adviser for auditing purposes Dynamic Risk Assessment Method 3.5. Dynamic risk assessment is a thought process, something we all do everyday subconsciously. Such as when we cross the road we check it is safe to do so. Dynamic risk assessments should only be used for unforeseeable circumstances. Where it is foreseeable a risk assessment should be undertaken Firstly we assess the task, what it is we are going to do Is there any operational intelligence available, and is it current and reliable? What tasks need to be carried out? What hazards are identified surrounding this situation? What are the hazards that could affect you, i.e. are there violent people with weapons in the building What risks are associated with these hazards - to police, other emergency personnel and residents?

5 What resources do you have available? Decide on a safe method of working Consider procedures that have been agreed in pre-planning and training Ensure that personnel are competent, trained and have the equipment to carry out the tasks Are the risks proportional to the benefits?) If yes proceed with tasks If no then: a) Are there any additional controls to reduce any remaining risks to an acceptable level such as: i. Personnel Protective Equipment; ii. Use of specialist officers; iii. Other public services If any risks remain, does the benefit outweigh the possible consequences? Such as preservation of life where there is a good chance of success If the risks outweigh the benefits DO NOT proceed with the tasks, but consider viable alternatives Finally if anything has been learnt from the issue then this should be added to the normal day to day risk assessments Storage and Retention of Risk Assessments Risk assessments may be called for during investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and lawyers acting in civil claims. It is recommended that they are dated and kept for a period of 6 years including any reviews. Copies of risk assessments should also be kept on your local web page under the title OCU/Department risk assessments and be posted on the front page. A copy should also be sent to the Force Corporate Health and Safety Adviser for auditing purposes.

6 3.7. Training in carrying out Risk Assessment Commanders and Heads of Department will ensure that sufficient numbers of staff are trained as risk assessors for their areas of responsibility. Advice on the availability of suitable training can be obtained from Training Department Training in carrying out dynamic risk assessment will be provided as part of an E-Learning package for Police Officers. 4. Roles and Responsibilities 4.1. The responsibility for ensuring risk assessments are drawn up or reviewed rests with the Commanders or Heads of Department. 5. Administration 5.1. All risk assessments should be completed on the correct risk assessment form in Standard Forms under Occupational Safety and Health: a) RA1 for work activity risk assessments; b) HS10 for Manual Handling; c) HS11 for First Aid; d) HS9 for Fire; e) HS8 for New and Expectant Mothers The model risk assessments must be adapted to meet the work activity. The red warning note, this model risk assessment must be adapted to meet the working activity should also be removed. 6. Monitoring/Evaluation 6.1. This procedure will be monitored by the force Corporate Health and Safety adviser to ensure compliance with current health and safety legislation. 7. Review 7.1. This procedure will be reviewed as and when legislation or Force requirements change or new or amended model risk assessments are produced. It will also be reviewed every three years.

7 8. Related Procedures, Policies and Information Sources 8.1. Related Policies Policy - Health and Safety 8.2. Related Procedures Procedure - Health and Safety - Use of Display Screens Procedure - The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Procedure - Fire Precautions Procedure - Control Of Asbestos Procedure - Employment/Work Experience Of Young Persons Procedure - Expectant And Nursing Mothers 8.3. Information Sources Management of Health and Safety At Work Regulations AD203 Equality Impact Assessment Origin: Health & Safety / Risk