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#1 Posted : 05 August 2003 10:00:00(UTC)
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Posted By Rod McGovern
Can anyone direct me to information/book on risk assessment of high risk activities? For example stunt men, film crews, servicemen etc. I am particularly interested in how levels of acceptable risk are set. Is it more acceptable to put some people at risk than others? Presumably the individuals acceptance of risk for the particular circumstance becomes more of a factor, and in some situations the employer ultimately has to rely on the individual to do his/her own assessment. Any comments?
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#2 Posted : 06 August 2003 16:41:00(UTC)
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Posted By Des Daly
Rod,
I work in the scaffolding industry and we daily have upwards of 100 men working at high risk. However, as you rightly say the degree of risk can vary and controls measures can only be devised after a risk assessment and can therefore vary also. Our approach starts from the basic premise that our employees can never voluntarily accept risk. They may choose to work unsafe but that is much different from a tacit understanding between us, as the employer, and them, as the employee, that the risk is wholly theirs. We cannot delegate our general duty of care to our employees in both criminal and civil law.
In the scaffolding industry we think of the task to be carried out ( nature of the work, environment, rescue), the people who will do the work ( training, aptitude, attitude and experience, co-workers). The PPE required ( identified as the means to control the hazard through qualitative Risk Assessment) and any other factors that may impact on the work. It is not a simple exercise - I suggest that you may try to use the bottom upwards method i.e. Man has fallen, Why did he fall? What factors contributed to the accident etc. etc.- quite a useful way of analysing work processes.
Let me know if I can be of more help.

Des Daly
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#3 Posted : 07 August 2003 10:34:00(UTC)
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Posted By Raymond Rapp
Rod,

It is an interesting question that you pose. Risk, and risk perception is a complicated subject (I have no expertise)and is covered by numerous forms of literature. The only high risk industries covered by RAs that I know are those in the nuclear, gas/oil, railway etc which are covered by a 'safety case'.

There is an HSE document entitled - Reducing risks, protecting people. This may give you some insight into the processes needed to identify a 'balanced' decision.

Ray



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