ExampleriskassessmentforaWarehouse

Thisexampleriskassessmentappliestoawarehousewhichemployeesbothadultsandyoungpersons.Itcanbeusedasaguidetohelpyouthinkthrough someofthehazardsinyourbusinessandstepsyouneedtotaketoeliminateorreduceriskstoaslowaspossible.Pleasenotethatitisnotageneric assessmentthatyoucanjustputyourcompanynameonandadoptwholesalewithoutanythought.Thiswouldnotsatisfythelawandwouldnotbe effectiveinprotectingpeople. Howwastheriskassessmentdone? 1. Toidentifythehazardsandtherisksthemanager: Lookatsmallbusinessguidanceonwww.hse.gov.uktoseewherehazardscanoccur,andlookedatinformationontheemploymentofyoung persons Walkedaroundthewarehousenotingwhatmightposearisk,takingintoconsiderationHSEguidance.Themanageralsoconsideredoccasional activities,suchaschanginglightbulbs. Talktostafftolearnfromtheirknowledgeandexperience,andtolistentotheirconcernsandopinionsabouthealthandsafetyissues Lookedattheaccidentbooktogainanunderstandingofwhatparticularriskshaveresultedininjury.
Decided that, on an apprentices first day at work, the manager would go through the risk assessment with him/her & decide what additional risk control measures were necessary, taking account of the apprentices lack of both experience & awareness of risk, in particular if apprentice under 18.

2. Themanagerwrotedownwhocouldbeharmedandhow 3. Themanagerthenwrotedownwhatcontrolswerealreadyinplacetoeliminateorreducethelikelihoodofinjury.Themanagerthenconsidered whetherfurthercontrolswerenecessaryandassessedthelevelofriskthelackofcontrolspresentedaseitherlow,mediumorhigh.Thisapproach helpeddecidewhetherfurthercontrolswerenecessaryandifso,bywhenthesecontrolsshouldbeinplace.Theaimofthefurtheractionwasto furtherreducetheriskstoaslowasreasonablypracticable*. 4. Afterthemanagerputinplacefurtheridentifiedcontrols,thefindingswerediscussedwithstaffandplacedtheassessmentsinthestaffroom.The guardiansofanyyoungpersonwereinformedofthefindingsoftheriskassessmentandhowtheriskstothatyoungpersonwouldbecontrolled.Any workerswhohaddifficultyinunderstandingEnglishhadthesafetyarrangementsexplainedtothemintheirownlanguage 5. Itwasdecidedthattheriskassessmentwouldbereviewedonayearlybasisoriftherewereanymajorchangesintheworkplac

Hazards Slips&trips

Whoharmed&how Staff/customersrisk sprains,fracturesor bruisingiftheytrip overobjects,suchas stock,orslipon spillages,e.g.from fatbuildup.

Manual handling (shouldbe taskspecific ifvarious manual handling tasks undertaken)

Staffriskstrainsor otherinjuries,to their backorelsewhere, fromhandlingheavy items

Controlmeasuresalreadyinplace Flooringkeptdryandquality maintained Allstafftrainedtomaintaingood housekeepingstandardsand ensurestockdoesnotproject intogangways Cleaneremptiesbinsand removesloosedebrisdaily Palletsstoredsafelyin designatedareas Protectivenonslipfootwear providedandworn Allstaffaretrainedhowtolift properly. Highshelvesareforlightgoods only. Walkwayskeptclear. Porterstrolleyavailable. Conveyorsystemusedtoreduce manualhandlingmaterialsin andoutofdeliverytrucks (separateriskassessment available) Lifttrucksavailable

Furtheraction Suitableabsorberprovided incaseofspillage Stafftobetrainedtoclean anddryanyspillages immediately Extrabinstobeprovided forwastematerialnear loadingbays Remindstaffthatwhere possiblestockshouldbe movedusingthetrolley Assessindividualcapability ofstaffinparticularfor youngpersons Ensureadequaterest periodsinplaceinparticular foryoungpersons Buddyupyoungpersonto ensureadequate supervision

Risklevel Medium Medium Medium Low Medium Medium Medium

Actiondate 3months 1month Immediate Immediate Immediate Immediate Immediate

Residualrisk Low Low Low

Low Low Low Low

Hazards Fallsfrom height

Whoharmed&how Staffcouldsuffer severeoreven fatalinjuriesif theyfellwhilst climbingracking. Staffcouldsuffer severeoreven fatalinjuriesif theyfellwhilst changinglight bulbsetcinthe highceiling. Staffor contractorcould suffersevereor fatalinjuries fallingthrough fragilerooflights whenlooking for/repairing leaks. Workerfalling fromroofof internal warehouseoffice usedforstorage.

Controlmeasuresalreadyinplace Allstaffaregivenstrict instructionsnevertoclimb rackingmonitoredby supervisors. Proprietaryforkliftcageusedby maintenanceworkerfor changingbulbs.Cagesuppliers informationshowsitis manufacturedtostandard. No controls in place Theinternalwarehouseroofis loadbearing,hasfullrailsand boardsarounditsedge, adequatelightingandaccessis bypermanentstepswitha handrail.

Furtheraction Trainmaintenanceworker tocheckFLTcageisingood conditionandproperly securedbeforeeachuse. Putupfragileroofsigns, oneoneachsideofthe buildingandataccess pointstoroof. Agreewithmaintenance workerthatacontractor willbeusedforanyaccess totheroof. Requirecontractorto provideanassessment beforeaccessisallowedif anyroofworkisrequired.

Risklevel High High High High

Actiondate Immediate Immediate Immediate Immediate

Residualrisk Low Low Low Low

Hazards Hazardous substances (Vehicle exhaust fumes)

Whoharmed&how Thefumesmay causestaffeye irritationand respiratoryproblems

Falling objects (fromracking andduring movement)

Staffmaysuffer seriousinjuryif struckfromafalling object

Controlmeasuresalreadyinplace Driversnotallowedtoleave vehiclerunninginwarehouse Rollershutterdoorsand windowsopenwherepossibleto assistinventilation Numberofvehiclesin warehouseislowandasaresult fumebuildupislow Rackingisdesignedtobe suitablefortheloadscarried Staffreportanyrackingdamage immediately Systeminplacetoensure defectivepalletswithdrawn fromuseimmediately Protectivefootwearissuedtoall staffandmonitoringinplaceto ensureworn Kickboardsinplaceon mezzaninestoragefloor

Furtheraction None

Risklevel

Actiondate

Residualrisk

Signfixedtorackingstating maximumloadconfiguration

Medium

1month

Low

Hazards Machinery (Stretch wrap machine)

Whoharmed&how Staffcouldsuffer seriousinjuryfrom contactwith dangerousparts.The wholebodycould alsogettrapped betweenmoving palletloadandfixed structure Staffcanalsocut themselvesonsharp edgesorscald themselvesonhot parts

Controlmeasuresalreadyinplace Youngpersonsprohibitedfrom usingdangerousmachinery Stafftrainedinoperating procedures Dailychecksofmachineguards beforeuse Machinesservicedand maintained Warningsignsdisplayedat machine Onlystandardisedpalletloads wrapped
Floor and traffic routes suitable for vehicles Vehicle routes kept free from obstructions Parking of cars and vans only allowed in marked spaces well away from external delivery/dispatch area Outside area gritted when frosty or snow 5mph speed limit imposed Reversing only carried out when necessary and use of competent trained banks person with safety shoes and high visibility jacket Adequate signage

Furtheraction Remindstaffnottodistract colleagueswhoareusing machinery. Areaaroundmachinetobe keptclearatalltimes Areaaroundmachinetobe indicatedbyuseof markingsinfluorescent orangered
Anyone working or in vicinity of delivery vehicles should be given training and high visibility clothing Walkways required through visitor and employee car park

Risklevel Medium Medium Medium

Actiondate Immediate Immediate 1month

Residualrisk Low Low Low

Traffic movement (deliveries)

Seriousinjuriescan occurfrom: Staffandvisitors beinghitbyvehicle Peoplefallfroma vehicle Objectsfallingfrom vehicleontopeople

High Medium

Immediate 2months

Low Low

Hazards
Operation of lift trucks

Whoharmed&how Seriousinjuriescan occurfrom: Thevehicle crashinginto othervehicles and/orother objects Staffandvisitors beinghitbylift trucks Objectsfalling fromlifttrucks Lifttrucktipping over Lifttruck operatorsfalling fromthevehicle Lifttruck operators crushedbythe mast

Controlmeasuresalreadyinplace
Operators trained in use of FLT FLT maintained regularly as per LOLER and PUWER Drivers instructed to keep key with them at all times System in place for refresher training of operators Gangways and aisles of sufficient space to enable lift trucks to load and unload from racking safely System in place to keep FLTs and pedestrians separate in particular for young persons Access to warehouse restricted to staff Floor and housekeeping maintained Warning signs located around traffic routes FLTs have roll cages and seat belts No person under the age of 18 allowed to drive FLT

Furtheraction
Young persons within warehouse with competent person at all times Additional awareness training provided to young persons

Atnotimeisyoungperson allowedtobeby themselvesorworkin areaswheretheyarenot separatedfromFLTs

Risklevel High High High

Actiondate Immediate 2weeks Immediate

Residualrisk Low Low Low

 Hazards Workplace temperature Whoharmed&how Allstaffcouldsuffer varieddiscomfortie toohot/cold Controlmeasuresalreadyinplace Fansandextractorsprovidedto controlairtemperature Staffroomprovidedwithhot andcolddrinks PPEprovided Furtheraction Encouragestafftotake regulardrinksofwater Duringextremelyhot periodsmonitoryoung personstoreduceheat exhaustionrisk.Ifheat becomesextreme,the youngpersoncantbe allowedtoworkinsuch conditionsbylaw Risklevel Medium Medium Actiondate 1month Immediate Residualrisk Low Low

Reasonablypracticableexplanation YoumaycomeacrossitasSFAIRP(sofarasisreasonablypracticable)orALARP(aslowasreasonablypracticable).SFAIRPisthetermmostoftenusedin theHealthandSafetyatWorketcActandinRegulations.ALARPisthetermusedbyriskspecialists,anddutyholdersaremorelikelytoknowit.Weuse ALARPinthisguidance.InHSEsview,thetwotermsareinterchangeableexceptifyouaredraftingformallegaldocumentswhenyoumustusethecorrect legalphrase. ThedefinitionsetoutbytheCourtofAppeal(initsjudgmentinEdwardsv.NationalCoalBoard,[1949]1AllER743)is: Reasonablypracticableisanarrowertermthanphysicallypossibleacomputationmustbemadebytheownerinwhichthequantumofriskisplaced ononescaleandthesacrificeinvolvedinthemeasuresnecessaryforavertingtherisk(whetherinmoney,timeortrouble)isplacedintheother,andthat,if itbeshownthatthereisagrossdisproportionbetweenthemtheriskbeinginsignificantinrelationtothesacrificethedefendantsdischargetheonuson them. Inessence,makingsureariskhasbeenreducedALARPisaboutweighingtheriskagainstthesacrificeneededtofurtherreduceit.Thedecisionisweighted infavourofhealthandsafetybecausethepresumptionisthatthedutyholdershouldimplementtheriskreductionmeasure.Toavoidhavingtomakethis sacrifice,thedutyholdermustbeabletoshowthatitwouldbegrosslydisproportionatetothebenefitsofriskreductionthatwouldbeachieved.Thus,the

processisnotoneofbalancingthecostsandbenefitsofmeasuresbut,rather,ofadoptingmeasuresexceptwheretheyareruledoutbecausetheyinvolve grosslydisproportionatesacrifices.Extremeexamplesmightbe:

Tospend1mtopreventfivestaffsufferingbruisedkneesisobviouslygrosslydisproportionate;but Tospend1mtopreventamajorexplosioncapableofkilling150peopleisobviouslyproportionate.

Ofcourse,inrealitymanydecisionsaboutriskandthecontrolsthatachieveALARParenotsoobvious.Factorscomeintoplaysuchasongoingcostsset againstremotechancesofoneoffevents,ordailyexpenseandsupervisiontimerequiredtoensurethat,forexample,employeesweareardefendersset againstachanceofdevelopinghearinglossatsometimeinthefuture.Itrequiresjudgment.ThereisnosimpleformulaforcomputingwhatisALARP. Source:HealthandSafetyExecutive,2008 AmendedbyMidBedsDC