Does the hazard give rise to an imminent and significant risk to health or safety?
For most businesses in the commercial, service and light industrial sectors the hazards and controls are generally well recognised, and checking on them is largely a matter of common sense. Therefore it may not be necessary to engage a “health and safety expert”. Effective risk assessments might be carried out in-house, by either the employer or by competent employees who understand what is involved and have the confidence and qualities necessary for the task. The person carrying out the assessment needs to be familiar with the workplace, the activities carried out and the organisation. They must have the knowledge, skills and experience to collect information and be able to make sound judgements about how to minimise identified risks. Importantly they must understand their own limitations and when and how to seek additional information and advice. Most importantly they must be given adequate time to carry out the assessments properly.
