An occupational health risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what could cause harm in the workplace, so that you can decide whether you have taken enough precautions or need to do more to prevent occupational illnesses.

You are legally required to assess the health risks in your workplace. The important things you need to decide are whether a health hazard is significant, and whether you have it sufficiently covered by precautionary measures so that the risk is small.

How to assess the risk in the workplace.

Follow these five steps:

• STEP 1: Look for the hazards.
• STEP 2: Decide who might be harmed and how.
• STEP 3: Evaluate the risks and decide whether the existing precautions are adequate or whether more should be done.
• STEP 4: Record your finding.
• STEP 5: Review your assessment and revise it if necessary for seeing it is adequately done.

How Dangerous is the Hazard?

The number shows you how important it is to do something

1 top priority – do something immediately
6 low priority – do something when possible