38 . Glasgow Business March/April 2014


Five steps to controlling


risks at work The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggests a five-step approach:


1. Identify the hazards


2. Decide who might be harmed and how


3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution


4. Record your findings and implement them


5. Review your assessment and update if necessary


>


>Continued from page 37 A basic example of this in the workplace


would be bleach which, of course, can cause symptoms including burning on contact with skin. If a botle of bleach is stored in a cupboard, then the risk is low because there is no contact with it. However, once the botle is opened and the bleach is used, the risk increases as there is now the potential for contact. In this situation, the risk would be minimised by storing the bleach in a restricted area and it only being used by those who have been trained in its correct use. Some typical hazards in the workplace include: spillages; obstructions; uneven floor surfaces; hazardous substances; noise; machinery; equipment; vehicles; manual handling operations; display screen equipment; electrical appliances; gas installations; inadequate control of temperature, humidity or lighting; lone working; dealing with the public; and working at height. Hazards and risks in the workplace can be


controlled by risk assessment (see the five steps to controlling risks in the panel above). Omar added: “Tere may be times that


general advice is not sufficient and, on such occasions, a health and safety consultant may be sought to provide a bespoke service. “As an example, Mabbet recently received


“A number of readily accessible resources are available for employers, such as the HSE’s stress-related tools and templates”


a request from a further and higher education college to carry out an air quality investigation in their print room. Tis was following staff concerns regarding the detection of odours in the room when printing/copying equipment was in use. “Although the college had undertaken a risk


assessment for the activities in the room, the requirement for professional external support was identified to investigate and determine whether there was a risk of ill-health due to the workplace atmosphere. “Mabbet subsequently undertook an


air quality investigation and followed this up with recommendations.” Hazards that are not instantly obvious are


equally as dangerous. Mental health problems such as stress, depression and anxiety can lead to decreased


levels of confidence and concentration, which can become a major workplace risk. FQM Limited is a health, safety,


environment and quality consultancy and training organisation. Bill Murdoch, Senior Consultant with


FQM, said: “It is true that a number of employers have at last begun to pay atention to mental health issues, but many find responding to them much more challenging in comparison to other health initiatives. Tis is for a number of reasons. “Most commonly, these issues are


perplexing because of the difficulty in recognising, quantifying and assessing the risk of something that cannot be easily seen or measured.” In 2013, a survey from the Chartered


Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlighted that work-related stress remains the single most important reason for long-term sickness absence. So what is the solution to this problem? Bill added: “A number of readily accessible


resources are available for employers, such as the HSE’s stress-related tools and templates. In addition, consultancy and training services exist to enable employers to develop and implement an individualised strategic response.


Continued on page 40> >


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