As an employer, you are required by law to protect your employees, and other relevant persons, from harm. Risk assessment is a part of the overall process used to control risks in your workplace. It involves analyzing the environment, activities, or operations within your workplace, in order to identify potential hazards that could cause harm to people, property, or the environment. Appropriate measures can then be taken to mitigate or manage the risks. 

There are several steps involved in a risk assessment: 

1. Identify hazards: Identify potential hazards that could pose a risk to people, property, or the environment. This could include physical, chemical, biological, or environmental hazards. 
2. Assess the likelihood: Assess the likelihood of the hazards occurring. This involves analyzing the frequency and probability of the hazard occurring. 
3. Assess the impact: Assess the potential impact of the hazard if it were to occur. This involves analyzing the severity of the consequences that could result from the hazard. 
4. Evaluate the risk: The risk associated with each hazard is then evaluated. This involves determining the level of risk i.e. is this low, moderate, or high? 
5. Mitigate or manage risk: Implementing controls to prevent the hazard from occurring, reducing the likelihood of the hazard occurring, or minimizing the impact of the hazard if it does occur. 
6. Review and revise: The risk assessment should be reviewed and revised periodically to ensure that it remains current and relevant, for example if there are work activity / workplace changes. 

Risk Assessment Template 

You can use a risk assessment template to help you keep a simple record of: 

• Who might be harmed and how 
• The control measures already in place 
• Any further action needed to control the risks 

• Who the further action should be carried out by 
• The target completion date for any further action 

Remember not to simply copy an example risk assessment and put your company name to it, as this would not satisfy the law and is unlikely to adequately protect your employees. You must think about the specific hazards and controls your business needs. 

The iProtectU software is a user-friendly, intuitive one-stop system for your organisation’s risk assessment needs. The software system contains a structured risk assessment form based on regulatory requirements and houses a wide array of risk assessment templates to get you started. It is a location for you to store your risk assessments in one online register, ready for you and designated staff to view, edit and amend the assessments as required.