| Step 4. Record your findings. | | | | eye on any particular hazards and precautions. |
| If you have less than 5 employees then you do | | | | You should also make sure that any new |
| not need to write anything down. Although you | | | | employees read the documentation so that they |
| will find it useful to keep a written record of what | | | | are aware of what is being done. |
| you have done. | | | | To make things easier, you could refer to other |
| If you have five or more employees, then you | | | | documents, such as manuals, the arrangements in |
| must put in writing the significant findings of your | | | | your health and safety policy statement, |
| risk assessment. This means writing down the | | | | company rules and regulations, working |
| significant hazards and your conclusions. | | | | instructions, health and safety procedures, and |
| Examples might be something like: | | | | your arrangements for general fire safety. |
| Electrical installations: insulation and earthing | | | | You may already list these procedures elsewhere. |
| checked and found OK.or | | | | You do not need to repeat all of them, but it is |
| Fumes from welding: local exhaust ventilation | | | | up to you how you wish to present the |
| provided and regularly checked. | | | | documents. You could keep them seperately or |
| You must also tell your employees about your | | | | combine them all into one document. |
| findings. | | | | Step 5. Review your assessment and revise it if |
| Suitable and sufficient, not perfect. | | | | necessary. |
| Risk assessment must be suitable and sufficient. | | | | Sooner or later you are going to bring in new |
| You need to be able to show that:a proper check | | | | machinery, substances or procedures which may |
| was made,you asked who might be affected (at | | | | lead to new hazards. If there is any significant |
| risk),you dealt with all the obvious significant | | | | change, add this new hazard to your assessment. |
| hazards, taking into account the number of people | | | | You do not need to amend your assessment for |
| who could be involved,the precautions are | | | | every trivial change, or for each new job. |
| reasonable, and the remaining risk is low. | | | | But if any change, or new job, brings in significant |
| Keep your written record for reference in the | | | | new hazards, then you should consider them in |
| future. It will help you if a Health and Safety | | | | their own right and do whatever is necessary to |
| Inspector decides to pay you a visit and asks | | | | keep the risks down. |
| what precautions you have already taken. Or if | | | | And finally, it is a good working practice to review |
| you become involved in any legal action for civil | | | | your assessment from time to time, to ensure |
| liability. | | | | that the precautions are still working effectively. |
| It can also act as a reminder for you to keep an | | | | |