Revisiting your risk assessments could reduce accidents in the workplace by up to 75% and lead to lower business insurance premiums.I have always stated that the most important part of any health and safety regime is the correct identification of risk and highlighting methods of control, then documenting this in the form of an easily understood risk assessment that is properly communicated to staff.
When you then pass this message on enthusiasm seems to wane, eyes roll and people seem to lose the will to live. I could talk about how risk assessments lie at the heart of all health and safety legislation and practice or about how they are a legal requirement, but instead to highlight their importance I will share with you some details of research from a major UK insurer.
Aviva took a detailed look at around 7,500 employers' liability insurance claims - incidents where someone was killed or injured at work.
In particular they wanted to know what was behind most of these cases. The thing most employers hadn't done to stop these incidents happening was “failure to carry out a proper risk assessment." This finding was attributed to 38% of all business insurance liability claims.
The next two most common failings after risk assessments were "lack of training" - found in 27% of cases - and "poor housekeeping" – found in 11% of cases.
So as you can see, despite the apparent lack of interest the words risk assessment conjure up, they are very important.
When next asked what's really important when it comes to health and safety, I'm going to say "risk assessment, training and housekeeping".
Because by Aviva’s reckoning that should cover just over three-quarters of all incidents where someone ends up losing their life or suffering an injury at work.
So probably the best piece of health and safety advice anyone can give is make sure you do your risk assessments.
For more information and advice on business insurance and risk management, please visit: http://www.alanboswell.com/business_insurance/
