Hi

I am in the process of compiling a presentation on basic Risk Assessment training for some production operatives who will then compile new ones.

Do any of you folk know of any links to "fun" stuff that I can include as I don't want to drone on talking about the legal, methodology, suitable & sufficient etc side - I want and need to keep it interesting and them awake!

Thank You

SW

Ron - surely they can be part of the process. You may find a hidden star within the ranks and they may also be pretty damn good at it. Employee involvement and all that.

Thank You for your comments - they are appreciated.

KAJ safe - You are bang on the mark! It is a new Site I am looking after and there is very little involvement from the warehouse / production operatives - they have been stifled by previous Management but we have a new Management Team there now and drastically want to increase their involvement and improve culture. And, yes I think there are a few stars there waiting to shine.

They will produce an initial draft version and it will be looked over by myself and the Supervisor to ensure it is the best it can be - I could miss things if I attempted to go it alone, hence their involvement.

Thanks again

SW

I find your comment amazing Ron ,in the distant past as a Production Operator I carried out many Risk Assessments on a top tire COMAH site which on a number of occasion were scrutinised by the Factory Inspector without problems.
I had received extensive H/S training from my company and union and knew more about the task being assessed than any of my Managers.
These were then discussed with and reviewed by the relevant Managers before being signed off !
Perhaps you would like to qualify your comment ?

Good responses at #3, #4 and especially #5 with its extra information about new management wanting a positive culture and improved involvment of employees.

The making and revision of risk assessments should always involve the employees (or at least a representative sample of them) who they are intended to protect. Also, employees doing tasks which are being risk assessed are often the best experts about the tasks, including what can go wrong and how improvements can be made. However, sadly, it seems that some senior managers and line managers in organisations overlook this aspect and regard employees as semi-mechanical entities with no worthwhile thoughts or suggestions about their work.

Also, the best way for an enforcement inspector or anyone else to gauge whether or not the significant risks of work activities and situations have been assessed and, crucially, are being managed effectively is to talk to relevant employees. It's far better than looking at risk assessment records which by themselves are simply pieces of paper or collections of electrons represented on a screen!

SW - No doubt some forum users like myself are intrigued as to what explains the difference between the previous stifling management and the new management team. For instance has there been a takeover by a company with a senior management which wants the new site to involve its employees and have a positive enlightened culture? Also, has anything been done about the previous lacklustre managers at presumably one or more of the existing sites?

In addition, if you are willing, it would be useful for you in due course to share with forum users how things progress regarding the involvement of employees. It's possible that some employees, long accustomed to not being involved, will be suspicious at first. However, in the longer term, it's likely to be of benefit in various ways.

MY comment #2 was a first response in the context of the OP.
I wholeheartedly support employee involvement in developing, implementing and reviewing safe systems of work. Employee input is invaluable. Responsibility to ensure suitable and sufficient assessment of all significant risks in the undertaking (i.e. "produce" Risk Assessment) is however a statutory responsibility of the employer.
From an engagement and culture improvement perspective, I'd be very wary of giving employees too much scope in producing an initial draft. I'd suggest that the management do that task and then engage the employees, gathering opinions and perhaps suggestions on hazards that might have been missed, or alternative controls.
Things can backfire badly when the carefully crafted work or the suggestions of the operatives have to be binned because they don't pass muster. There are pitfalls in taking democracy in the workplace too far.

10mark: No disrespect intended.

Thanks ron

My plan was to do a training session on RA and Safe Systems of Work with a small group and then all of us carry out a specific RA and compile a SSofW on a new task.

All comments taken on board.

Thanks

SW