Making the most of your occupational health risk assessment

Making the most of your occupational health risk assessment

An occupational health risk assessment is a systematic process for identifying and evaluating health risks in the workplace. It forms the foundation of an effective occupational health programme, helping employers to understand which workers are at risk of work-related ill health and what actions are needed to protect them.

What does an occupational health risk assessment involve?

An occupational health risk assessment typically involves:

• Identifying the hazards present in the workplace that could affect worker health (e.g. noise, dust, chemicals, manual handling, lone working, stress)
• Assessing who is at risk and how
• Evaluating the controls already in place and whether they are adequate
• Identifying further actions needed to reduce the risk
• Documenting the assessment and communicating the findings to workers

Why is an occupational health risk assessment important?

An occupational health risk assessment is important for several reasons:

• Legal compliance: Many regulations require employers to assess and manage specific occupational health risks, including COSHH, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations, and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. Where vibrating tools are in use, you can calculate daily hand-arm vibration exposure against the action and limit values before deciding what controls and surveillance are needed.
• Protecting worker health: Identifying and acting on health risks early can prevent workers from developing serious occupational illnesses.
• Informing health surveillance: The risk assessment helps to identify which workers need health surveillance and what type of surveillance is appropriate.
• Reducing absence and presenteeism: Managing occupational health risks proactively can reduce the incidence of work-related ill health, reducing absence and improving productivity.

Making the most of your occupational health risk assessment

To get the most from your occupational health risk assessment:

• Involve workers in the process – they have valuable knowledge about the hazards they face and the effectiveness of existing controls
• Review the assessment regularly and whenever there are significant changes to the workplace or work activities
• Use the assessment to drive your health surveillance programme – ensure that all workers identified as being at risk are included in appropriate health surveillance
• Communicate the findings to workers and explain the actions being taken to protect their health
• Link the assessment to your wider health and safety management system

How we can help

Our occupational health specialists can carry out a comprehensive occupational health risk assessment for your business, identifying the health risks present and providing practical recommendations to manage them. We can also support the delivery of health surveillance programmes and provide training for managers and employees.

Get in touch today to find out more about how we can support your occupational health programme.