EduCare Advent Care-ndar – Day eighteen

Christmas can be one of the most dangerous times of the year. From hanging decorations to letting strange men come down your chimney, you are increasing your exposure to risk. On day 18 of our advent care-ndar we are sharing 5 steps to risk assessment.

5 steps to risk assessment

Risk assessment is not new. We do it every day, from locking our cars to picking up an umbrella if we think it might rain. Taking precautions to protect yourself needn’t be complicated or expensive, simple precautions can be just as effective.

There are 5 clear steps to assessing risk.

1. Identify the hazard

That means occurrences that would have a negative impact on yourself, your home or your workplace. For example, discarded packaging could enable a thief to climb into a window, it could also be a fire risk or could present a data protection infringement if private documents are left in the open.

2. Think who or what could be harmed

Who is likely to be affected by the hazard or incident and by how much (called risk exposure).

3. Work out how serious the damage or harm could be

Would it be minor or would it have a significant effect on the organisation or an individual? For example, a refused business loan would impact the business and the individuals employed there, as well as its customers.

4. Think about ways of reducing the risk

In health and safety, there is a level of risk reduction called the ‘hierarchy of risk’, but it can be modified for other scenarios. It ranges from, removing the health and safety hazard altogether to, working out what to do when the hazard or occurrence has taken place.

The hierarchy of risk

Starting at the top

• Can the hazard be removed altogether?
• Can the way of doing the task or carrying out the duty be changed, for example, varying the route to the bank every day?
• Can the hazard be replaced by something less hazardous (e.g. taking cash to the bank could be replaced with BACS transfer)?
• Can people be kept apart from the hazard so they are not in contact with it?
• Can the hazard be controlled or reduced?
• In health and safety, can you minimise the exposure of people to the hazard?
• Again in health and safety, can personal protective equipment and/or specific training reduce risk?
• Are there remedial measures that can be taken if a hazard has occurred?
  
  

5. Write down the significant risks.

Write down the significant risks you have identified and exactly what you are going to do to control them. These are called ‘control measures’.

For example, if you are conducting an organisational crime or health and safety risk assessment, tell the people who may be affected by the risks what needs to be done to control them and review your assessment in the light of any changes or new information.

Set ongoing, regular dates to monitor and review your assessment remembering to update any new occurrences or hazards that occurred since the last review. Put in precautions to safeguard against the occurrence or hazard happening and communicate the results of the review to those with whom you work.

Charity begins at home EduCare.

Following the Charity Commission’s updated strategy document on safeguarding in charities, come back tomorrow to donate one of 20 of our 'Child Protection Essentials' course to the charity of your choice when it is live in the new year.

Return to news