Evaluate and decide on precautions in risk assessment
When looking at each hazard you should assess:
- the likelihood of it occurring
- how severe its consequences might be
This will allow you to prioritise your actions and ensure that your resources are being used where they are most needed.
When considering precautions you should do so in the following order, without jumping to the easiest solution.
Personal protective equipment should be your last choice and priority should be given to measures that will protect more than just one person.
- Elimination – for example, redesign the job to eliminate the need of manual handling or working at height.
- Substitution – such as changing a hazardous substances for a less hazardous one.
- Engineering controls – you could use guarding on equipment or machinery to separate the employee from the hazard.
- Administrative controls – such as rotating your employees around tasks to reduce the time they work in that environment.
- Personal protective equipment – if all the above methods are ineffective, then you should consider the use of personal protective equipment.
You should consult with your employees to see if they can suggest any control measures you may not have considered.
It is also a good idea to check with them that any you are suggesting will not introduce new hazards.