Risk Assessments and Method Statements

Risk assessments form a significant part of delivering a safe working environment whether in an office, a construction site or setting up an exhibition stand in a neutral venue. As with anything risk related, it is about identifying and managing the risk.

The provision and communication of a suitable and sufficient written assessment of risk in any workplace activity, is a legal requirement of all employers and the self-employed, where they have 5 employees or more.

Assessing risk is acknowledging the presence of a potential issue that could occur, but like all aspects of health and safety it requires a sensible approach to understand what actually constitutes a real and credible concern.

Whilst every workspace or site is different, there are common themes when assessing risk and having worked with clients of all sizes and in many different sectors we can very quickly identify which common risks are present and what constitutes a more unique level of risk based on the location, type of work being undertaken or the tools and machinery required to complete the job.

So whether you are working in an office, a building site 80 storeys from the ground or in a submarine 100 feet under the sea, we can help you identify and assess risk and work with you to introduce mitigating processes and practices.

We can also help you carry out regular audits of your risk assessments to ascertain whether they still apply, continue to be relevant, are likely to relocate to another site/workspace and also to ensure your proposed management measures remain adequate. Contact our consultants for more information.

Method statements provide a clearly defined execution of a particular process or activity and are written in conjunction with health and safety plans and risk assessments, to ensure work is carried out in the safest and most risk free manner possible.

By planning the activity or process before actually commencing it, it allows the opportunity to walk through the various stages or milestones, and therefore forecast or anticipate where likely issues or risks may appear. Suitable mitigation measures can then be sought, or in certain circumstances and where the method permits, alternative ways of working introduced.

Our clients find that using our consultants to produce method statements offers an objective perspective and avoids the risks posed by repetitive or habitual behaviour. Over the years our method statements have moved bridges, dismantled harbours, built cranes, moved explosives and been instrumental in major commercial developments around the UK.

If your project needs an objective perspective, contact Tennyson Suite today.