Plicy Title: Risk Assessment Plicy Authr: Schl Business Manager Audience: Staff Reviewed by: Gvernrs Review frequency: Annual Reviewed when: Octber 2016
Risk Assessment Plicy Intrductin Nrthease Manr Schl clearly recgnises that a failure t take reasnable safety precautins in relatin t identified hazards wuld represent a serius risk t staff, visitrs, general public and cntractrs and, in particular, students, and expse the Schl t the pssibility f prsecutin. The aim f this Plicy is t set ut the systematic apprach fr suitable and sufficient risk management thrughut Nrthease Manr Schl. This plicy has particular regard fr ensuring the welfare f students at the Schl is safeguarded and prmted at all times and apprpriate actin is taken t reduce risks and ptential risks that are identified. The purpse f risk assessment is t identify hazards and evaluate any assciated risks. This includes such areas as: Safeguarding Health and Safety Security Fire Safety Site Security Schl Trips Critical incidents Risk assessments d nt have t be cmplicated. The level f detail cntained in them shuld be relevant t the level f the risks invlved with the activity. In many cases a risk assessment will lead t clarificatin and dcumenting f prtcls and prcedures that are ften already in place, fllwing best practice and relevant industry standards where applicable. Risk assessments can als assist in the identificatin f requirements fr levels f instructin, infrmatin, training and supervisin that may be required fr the activity. (See Appendix 1 Risk Assessment and Cntrl Prcess Map) In additin, sme tpic specific risk assessments are required by legislatin fr example thse cncerning fire safety, student supervisin, schl trips, manual handling, display screen assessments, substances hazardus t health, prvisin and use f wrk equipment, asbests, and security assessments. This list is in n way exhaustive. Where relevant these risk assessments will be cmpleted using ur standard assessment template. (See Appendix 2 Risk Assessment Template Dcumentatin Required) 1. Respnsibilities Emplyees are respnsible fr assisting with and participating in the prcess f risk assessment.
Heads f Department (r equivalent line managers) are respnsible fr undertaking risk assessments, identifying and implementing cntrl measures, effectively cmmunicating the utcmes t emplyees and thers as apprpriate. SLT are respnsible fr: allcating resurces in respnse t risk assessments cmpleted within departments and determining a curse f actin shuld it be identified that a risk cannt be suitably cntrlled s far as is reasnably practicable. Setting up framewrks fr decisin making and crprate strategies which incrprate risk assessment principles. This will ensure that decisins made take int accunt relevant risk factrs. Ensuring that thse wh are tasked with cmpleting risk assessments within departments are suitably trained t d s. Ensuring that a suitable mechanism exists t cmmunicate the safe systems f wrk identified as part f the risk assessment prcedures. Typically these are likely t be in the frm f Safe Systems f Wrk (SSOW) r ther guidelines such as thse set ut in plicies, prcedures, handbks and cdes f cnduct. Make suitable representatin t the relevant Health & Safety Cmmittee r SLT if risk assessments identify an utstanding need which cannt be resurced within existing departmental resurces. Mnitring and reviewing any actins f the executive 2. Scpe Fr the purpse f this plicy the fllwing definitins apply: Hazard: Smething with the ptential t cause harm Hazardus Outcme: A descriptin f hw smene culd be hurt r damage culd ccur as a result f interacting with the hazard Risk Rating: The verall judgement f the level f risk which may arise frm the hazard, based upn the likelihd f the event ccurring and the ptential severity f the cnsequence Cntrl Measures: Methd used t reduce r cntrl risks arising frm identified hazards Residual Risk: The level f risk remaining nce cntrl measures have been applied t reduce risks s far as is reasnably practicable. 3. Legal aspects f Risk Assessment There are clear duties fr risk assessment under acts such as the Health & Safety at Wrk Act 1974 and The Management f Health & Safety at Wrk Regulatins. The fllwing requirements are laid dwn in thse regulatins and can be applied t ther areas f risk assessment; The risk assessment shall be suitable and sufficient and cver bth emplyees and nnemplyees affected by the emplyers undertaking (e.g. cntractrs, members f the public, students, etc) The term suitable and sufficient is imprtant as it defines the limits t the risk assessment prcess. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment shuld:
Identify the significant risks and ignre the trivial nes; Identify and priritise the measures required t cmply with any relevant statutry prvisins; Remain apprpriate t the nature f the wrk and valid ver a reasnable perid f time; Identify the risk arising frm r in cnnectin with the wrk. The detail shuld be prprtinate t the risk. The significant findings that shuld be recrded include a detailed statement f the hazards and risks; the preventative, prtective r cntrl measures in place; and any further measures t reduce the risks present. 4. Risk Assessment Nrthease has a respnsibility t ensure that the risk psed t staff, students, prperty, cntractrs and the public are reduced, s far as reasnably practicable. Risk assessment is a subjective but lgical prcess which can be brken dwn int 5 steps: Step 1 Identify the hazard Step 2 Decide wh r what might be harmed and hw Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide n precautins Step 4 Recrd significant findings and implement them Step 5 Review the assessment and update if necessary When cnducting a risk assessment, line managers shuld adpt a team apprach t risk assessment whenever pssible and invlve staff members wh have practical experience (as they ften have the best awareness and understanding f the hazards invlved with the activity and hw the activity is actually carried ut.) 5. Types f Risk Assessment All significant risks shall be assessed. Althugh the principals f assessment remain the same their applicatin can differ. There are 3 recgnised methds f assessment a) Frmal A written methd f evaluating the risk f harm (as described abve). b) b) Generic An evaluatin f risk that can be applied t cmmn tasks. In unusual circumstances, when an unfreseen risk presents itself (a previus Frmal r Generic risk assessment nt having been cmpiled and / r in use) an emplyee may be required t use a dynamic risk assessment. c) Dynamic A mental assessment f risk fr use when any delay wuld increase the risk frm harm. 6. Training Nrthease Manr Schl, as a respnsible emplyer, will prvide apprpriate risk assessment training fr staff as necessary, as identified by their line manager. Thse wh have a respnsibility
fr the cmpletin f risk assessments will initially be prvided with basic (nline and / r internally cached) risk assessment training. This training cvers the prcesses and key stages f risk assessment including the ratinale behind the risk assessment; applicatin f suitable and sufficient cntrl measures t mitigate risk; cmmunicatin f the risk assessment; recrd keeping and incident management. Specialised risk assessment training will be prvided t staff as required ensuring apprpriate expertise, mnitring and supervisin. 7. Cmmunicatin Relevant infrmatin identified in the risk assessment regarding the hazards, their assciated risks t the Schl and the apprpriate cntrl measures must be effectively cmmunicated, and be readily accessible t, emplyees and thers as apprpriate. 8. Mnitring Managers r apprpriate persns shall mnitr the effectiveness f cntrl measures and ensure that physical cntrl measures are used, installed crrectly and suitably maintained where applicable. Likewise checks shuld be made t ensure that agreed cntrl measures and safe systems f wrk are being fllwed crrectly. 9. Recrd Keeping Risk Assessments and assciated dcuments must be kept fr a minimum perid f three years frm the date which they are superseded as they may be required in the event f a litigatin claim fr cmpensatin (nte that claims fr cmpensatin can, generally be made up t 3 years frm the date f the incident ccurring). It shuld be nted that risk assessments which relate t the use f substances may need t be kept fr 40 years, in rder t trace expsure t substances which are knwn t have ill health effects e.g. asbests. 10. Review f Plicy This plicy will be reviewed annually r at an earlier date if changes are required due t risk assessment review r changes in legislatin and/r guidance.