Risk assessment – principles and practice (CIEH certificate)

Overview

A properly implemented programme of risk assessments can assist in the prevention of injuries, fatalities, property damage incidents and other losses. This not only helps to prevent human loss and suffering but also assists the effective management and finance of any business or organisation.

Apart from the corporate and personal benefits arising from risk assessment, employers have a legal duty to make suitable and sufficient assessments of the risks to the health and safety of employees, non-employees and the self-employed.

This programme is designed for anyone with a responsibility to conduct risk assessments. It is particularly useful for managers and supervisors but it will be equally beneficial to individual workers, team leaders, technicians, engineers or any other personnel contributing to the risk assessment process.

Employers need to ensure that individuals carrying out risk assessments are competent to do so. Competency does not necessarily require particular qualifications but involves a combination of knowledge, experience, skills and personal qualities. Assessors must have an understanding of the workplace and work activities, knowledge of the best practicable means to reduce risks and an ability to make informed judgements. A necessary precursor is that they have adequate knowledge and understanding of the principles of, and procedures for, carrying out risk assessments; this is the subject of this qualification.

Training objectives

The overall aim is for participants to acquire knowledge and practical skills to improve their competency in carrying out general risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992. It is anticipated that by the end of a course participants will be able to:

• State the purposes for, and benefits of, using a risk assessment approach to the management of health and safety
• State the basic principles of risk assessment and stages involved in carrying out risk assessments in practice
• State the key legislative requirements on risk assessment
• Carry out, record, monitor and review risk assessments within their own working environment, (subject to possession of the necessary technical knowledge and skills)

Additionally, participants will become aware of the limitations of their personal knowledge and experience and will know where to seek further information, guidance and assistance. This will help them become competent risk assessors using their existing knowledge, experience and skills and will provide a foundation for further learning.

Audience

This course is designed for supervisors or managers who are responsible for conducting risk assessments. Participants should have good standards of written and oral communication, the ability to analyse workplaces and work activities, the confidence and ability to seek additional advice and information and the capability to work as part of a team.

Format

An intensive one-day course with a self-evaluated assignment.

Special features – CIEH Certificate

This course follows the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health’s syllabus for its Level 2 Certificate, Risk assessment principles and practice. Award of the certificate is dependent on successful completion of the assignment.

Note that the syllabus is concerned with general risk assessment requirements rather than specialisms such as those required for hazardous substances or manual handling. If you are concerned with such issues we can extend and tailor this programme to meet your specific requirements.

The expert trainer

Frances is a highly qualified (MA, BSc, FRSH, MRIPH, Chartered MCIPD, ACIEH) independent consultant and trainer in the health and safety/food safety field. Formerly a training manager in a large London hospital, Frances is also a registered CIEH trainer, a qualified food inspector and currently a senior lecturer at a London college. She has extensive practical management experience and is a very popular trainer generally but particularly in the hospitality and care sectors as well as with local and central government departments.

‘Having used Frances's services for three years I am very happy to recommend her. She is reliable and self-sufficient as a supplier of training; and the feedback from delegates has always been that her sessions are valuable, informative and enjoyable.’
Training Manager, Red Carnation Hotel Group

‘Frances offers a very wide range of workshops in the health and safety field. Her in-depth knowledge and easy manner made her an ideal choice to deliver this training programme to our employees.’
OD Consultant, London Borough of Havering

Course outline

1. General introduction
   • The main causes of injuries and ill health and the need for their prevention
   • The main costs of accidents and ill health to employers, employees and society
   • ‘Accident’ and ‘occupational health and safety’
   • The ‘accident triangle’ and the need to report, investigate and prevent near misses / minor accidents as part of an overall accident prevention strategy
   • Examples of occupational, environmental and human factors affecting health and safety
2. Principles of risk assessment
   • Reasons for using risk assessment
   • ‘Risk assessment’
   • ‘Hazard’, ‘risk’ and ‘control measure’
   • Quantification, rating and prioritizing of risk
   • Risk assessment skills
3. Legislation
   • General requirement to assess risks with reference to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
   • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
   • Other Regulations with specific requirements for risk assessment
   • Enforcement and penalties for non-compliance
4. Risk assessment in practice
   • Stages involved in a risk assessment
   • Identification of hazards in various working environments
   • Identification of people or items at risk
   • Identification of common risks which require specialised assessment
   • Control measures
   • The need for research / specialist advice
   • Necessity of, and procedures for, recording, monitoring and revising risk assessments
   • Practical exercise: participants carry out a risk assessment, demonstrating the ability to analyse a situation, collect information and make appropriate judgements and records
5. Summary
   • Costs and benefits of implementing a risk assessment programme
   • How risk assessments can link with the related management issues of quality and training
   • Self-evaluation, identifying areas where skill, technical knowledge and / or experience are lacking
   • Sources of further advice and information