Risk Assessment
Risk assessments are a legal documents required under Health and Safety law. They are a demonstration that you have considered all the possible risks pertaining to your activity and have been proactive in putting controls in place to minimise the risk to the health and safety of all participants in the activity. As an activity group there will be risks and you need to consider how you will manage these.
There are two parts to your Risk Assessment Form: the Hazard Checklist, and the Risk Assessment. The Hazard Checklist you just need to complete with your main details and check the boxes for the hazard areas that apply to your club. The Risk Assessment is where you analyse each of the risks you have identified and look at how you will control these.
Completing the Hazard Checklist
- Complete the top section of the Hazard Checklist, i.e. your name, your position, date of assessment etc.
- Complete the Hazard Checklist, check the boxes next to all the hazards or potential hazards that may affect your activities – ensure you consider each section and sub-section on the list (add any additional hazards specific to your activity in section 7).
Completing the main Risk Assessment
- For each hazard checked, note the corresponding reference number (e.g. “1.1” = Inappropriate lighting”) in column one, Hazard Ref, on the main Risk Assessment Sheet.
- Assess the type of harm that could potentially be caused by the hazard and make a note of your findings in the second column, Potential Effect.
- Think about how the hazard can be or is reasonably controlled and record this in column three, Existing Controls in Place.
- Considering the activity and the particular hazard in question, score the level of risk in column four based on how likely it is to occur and its severity, ranging low / medium / high risk.
- Establish whether there is anything else anything else you require or could do to control the hazard then record this in column five, Further Controls Required.
- Read the example row and complete each properly to the adequate level of detail.
- Column six and seven, Who by and Target Date, are for office use should it be deemed that some hazards identified require further controls implemented by the Students’ Union.
Ensure that you complete this document in full, having fully considered all the activities which your group undertakes.
Any incomplete or inadequately completed risk assessments will be returned for further consideration until the group has fully established risk to their members and has put the necessary controls in place.
A comprehensive risk assessment must be completed by every group and submitted to Student Activities Coordinator.
