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carolturnbull  
#1 Posted : 26 May 2020 09:46:10(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
carolturnbull

I work for a company that is UK based but have small offices in Hong Kong, Ireland, China, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and USA. The vast majority of their staff are UK based

It apperars regardless of country that all our policies and forms are the same, UK focused with a variation depending onlocation as appropriate. I am reviewing their risk assessment form and  aliging it to to the HSEs guidance but wondered if this form would work for all other countries or is there something else i should thin about?

thank you in advance

Wailes900134  
#2 Posted : 26 May 2020 10:24:06(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Wailes900134

Having also worked extensively abroad the situation you describe is not unusual. I would however say that the U.K. interpretation and application of the Framework Directive requirements have left us in a very strong position. If your processes mean you enable everyone to do a suitable and sufficient RA (including the application of proportionate control measures) you won’t go far wrong.
stevedm  
#3 Posted : 26 May 2020 12:22:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

...I think you will find the form itself is pretty similar across most countries...how the enforcement authorities deal with suitability can vary from country to country and region to region...for instance some countries do not have a formal qualification for Occupational Hygiene...and local authorities in one region (and I do have Poland, german and France in mind here) can conflict with another region in the same country...in essence the framework is the same the suitability question is always a harder one to ensure...

A Kurdziel  
#4 Posted : 26 May 2020 13:33:25(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Re-reading your original post the question you asked was specifically about ‘forms’. In the UK as you are aware there is no specified format for a risk assessment. All that is required is that you record the ‘findings’ of the process (risk assessment is, of course, a process to be followed not a form to be competed) in any form that is relevant to you and your employees. The risk assessment process itself should be the same anywhere but in some of the countries that you mentioned there might be an officially approved format for use with risk assessment and if this is not used that then the risk assessment is not regarded as legally valid.

And in the US there is no requirement to do any sort of risk assessment as their approach to Health and Safety is about 50 years behind the rest of the world.

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