Risk Assessment

Safety Management
Standard

Issue 1
October 2015

Page 1 of 4/AU/SMS Risk V1 10/2015

Introduction

This SMS provides the minimum legal standards that Schools and Support Areas must keep
to. It gives guidance but does not limit Schools and Support Areas in how they achieve the
standard. Responsibility for implementing this standard and developing local arrangements
rests with local managers.

Definition

A risk assessment is a careful examination of what can cause harm to people at work,
determining if enough precautions have been taken or if more should be done to prevent
harm.

Standards

1. Nominated risk assessors will have completed the in house risk assessment training as
a minimum. Book on via Staff Development.

2. You must make sure that a risk assessment has been carried out to cover all work,
locations and activities BEFORE they commence. Example risk assessment

3. Risk assessments may be based on either the work activities carried out or on an
individual job, as long as all health and safety risks for all staff have been assessed.

4. All risk assessments will be completed on the template form found on the HSU
website. Template Form

5. Calculating risk will be based on working out how severe a risk is and how likely it is to
happen using the University risk management matrix. Risk rating

6. Schools and Support Areas will appoint a risk champion who will maintain a local
database of risk assessments, which will clearly identify the date of the risk
assessment and when it needs to be reviewed.

7. If risks are not adequately controlled then you must produce an action plan. This will
detail the action deemed appropriate dependent on the risk rating, person responsible
for implementing the actions and timescales.

8. Ensure risks are reduced to as low as is reasonably practicable and consider the
hierarchy of control HSE – 5 steps

9. For significant hazards where the risk remains as a means to manage and reduce the
risk consider the use of a Permit to Work

10. You must review the risk assessment annually or at a frequency appropriate to the risk
rating

11. Risk assessments must be kept for a period of 5 years

12. You must publish your own local arrangements relating to risk assessment

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Relevant national legislation

Health and Safety at Work Act

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations

There may be other guidance notes which relate to risk assessments, such as Permit to Work.
Contact the Health and Safety Unit - Safety@aston.ac.uk

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Appendix 1: Risk Assessment SMS audit form

School/Support Area: Location:

Auditee: Date:

Question Y N Comments
1 Topic included in your
School/Support Area health and
safety plan.
2 Local management system and
arrangements in place.
3 Evidence that risk assessments are
available, suitable and adequate.
4 Evidence of risk assessment action
planning.
5 Evidence of suitable information
instruction and training.
6 Nominated assessors have
completed the necessary training
7 All risk assessments have been
completed using the HSU template
forms
8 Demonstration that risk assessments
have been reviewed appropriately

Priorities for action

Date for review

Auditor Signature Date

Auditee Signature Date

Scrutiny by Manager Signature Date

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