Posted By Kenneth Patrick
The new HSE resource Risk Assessment Template is very far removed from classical risk assessment. It has no mention of assessment, apart from in the heading, no mention of evaluation and not a scoring matrix in sight.

Do we think think that this is welcome and will it become the standard method of complying with the Management Regulations?

Posted By Ron Hunter
For me, a key question in any Risk Assessment is "Am I doing enough, or should I be doing more?".
If this issue isn't explored, answered and recorded, is the R/A 'suitable and sufficient' in the eyes of the law?
I think not.

Posted By tdunbar
I think that Fire RA business was presented as a process which would be well within the capability of the average employer. This however, I believe has long gone and it has grown horns and teeth and turned in to a monster which if it gets any bigger will never be brought back under any form of control.

Posted By Pete48
Day to day risk assessment is about managing risk not deciding whether it is high medium or low. We need to remember, I think, that in 99% of cases the exercise is about reviewing what happens now and reflecting on what more if anything can/needs to be done.
There are two blocks to achieving that in a suitable and sufficient manner. Lack of any real knowledge on what type of control measures are required and confusion over scoring systems which if you don't have the required knowledge/experience will simply skew any outcome. Fussing around with scoring systems and risk ratings does nothing to improve the technical knowledge/experience required to properly risk rate anything.
On the other hand, an example that not only gives readable examples of typical risk controls and focuses more on achieving a thought through action plan to reduce risks, is much more likely to have a real effect on reducing risks in the many, many, workplaces. Then if there is lot to do, one can explore the risk rating approach to ensure timely action commensurate with the risk is taken. However, in practice most will simply assess based on their view of life regardless of whether they use a matrix system to justify it or not.
This approach may not suit all sectors or situations but I can say that every SME that I have ever shown this approach welcomes it. Not because it is easy, not because they can just download it and put it in a file. It is because it matches a common sense approach to risk management that they can accept and understand. I had an example today where a friend who runs a small bakery asked for help and I showed her the examples approach and the info on the HSE website. Within a minute, she was automatically adding items to one of the control measures box and then went on to say that when finished it would make a great training/discussion document for her staff! It also would help to get them to understand why some things needed more control and get input from them on whether "we" are doing what I think we are doing!
She had been puzzling and worrying over getting her risk matrix results right for two months and had produced nothing up to that point. Why? Because the course she had attended focused on the scoring system, the importance of high. medium etc and really pushed the "suitable and sufficient".
Q.E.D.?

In an ideal world we would all have access to guidance on a range of matters. Qualified engineers for all the disciplines that affect our businesses, safety practitioners, occ health, HR managers, transport specialist and so on. It ain't like that and never will be so systems have to be able to promote improvement and survive in way that works for the target audience, not the specialists.

Posted By Simon Marshall
To me it looks like a glorified action plan instead of a typical RA. I dont like the ommision of a risk ranking (high, med, low).
Difficult to priortise your risks and actions to close off such risks etc if they have no defined level

Posted By Gus
Good discussion

I 100% agree that over fixation on complex scoring matrix is counter productive, but i can't see how deciding high/ medium /low is difficult and at least it lets you discount the low risk and focus on the significant.

I also believe that using a simple form that follows the five steps is best and i 100% agree that the whole purpose of the exerxise is to improve safety!!

Weaknesses I have noted during audits etc...apart from over complex documents

1. People note all trivial hazards
2. People don't list existing controls
3. People don't ID simple additional controls
4. People don't create an action plan
5. Managers don't take responsibility for the RA actions
6. Nobody communicates the RA to the workforce
7. Action plans are never closed out
8. RA's are never reviewed

Apart from that they are usually perfect!!