Risk Assessment Control Measures

When carrying out a Risk Assessment the level of risk compared to the reduction of risk measures needed you should consider financial, duration and difficulty of the works as part of the control process.

Risks should be reduced to the lowest possible practical  level by prioritising the elements of the assessment This is also referred to as the hierarchy of control. An example of the hierarchy of control steps:-

Elimination

Can the works be redesigned with alternate or substituted materials or  substances so that the hazard is removed or eliminated.

Substitution

Use an alternative material or  work process with a less hazardous one.

Engineering controls

The use of equipment, can the tools or equipment needed to perform the work be substituted to reduce the work risk, for example use of a scissor lift against use of ladders, or using battery operated tools rather than tools that require mains voltage, its best to determine measures that would would reduce risks for the entire process instead of elimination or reduction of a single risk.

Administrative Controls

You should think about identifying and implementing work procedures to carry out the works safely. This could be reducing the exposure to hazards by reducing the time workers are exposed, carrying out risk assessments and reassessing the risks after doing so, Supervision and experience of workers match the required works, determination if costs for reducing particular risk elements outweigh the costs of the required work, (if so then reassess the works by elimination, substitution and design).

Personal protective  equipment

The UK HSE state “Only after all the previous measures have been tried and found ineffective in controlling risks to a reasonably practicable level, must personal protective equipment (PPE) be used”, therefore if you are unable to fully eliminate a risk, then use work equipment and personal protective equipment an example could be working in a confined space, here equipment would be a gas detector, winch and harness with top man, and ppe would range from protective gloves, clothing to the worker carrying a personal breathing apparatus (escape set), if the use of equipment and PPE is required then persons must be fully trained and certified ie confined spaces training certificate.

Builders Risk Assessment
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