Risk AssessmentIntroduction for Stonemasons

Stonemasonry Department 2012

Introduction

The contents of this presentation

have been taken from the HSE

publication “Five Steps to Risk

Assessment” and have been

contextualised for those working in

the stonemasonry industry.

To access the original document visit

the following website:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg

163.pdf

Hazard or Risk?

Before considering risk assessments it is important to be able to

identify the difference between a hazard and a risk.

A hazard is anything that may cause harm such as chemicals,

electricity, working from height or machinery

A risk is the chance, high or low that someone could be harmed by a

hazard together with an indication of how serious the harm

could be.

Activity 1:Hazard or Risk

Can you tell the difference between a hazard and a risk? Place each of

the following items into the correct column:

Hazard Risk•Angle Grinder

•Loss of Hearing

•Death

•Pallet of Stone

•Ladder

•Electrocution

•Pile of debris/rubble

•Wet floor

What is Risk Assessment?

A risk assessment is a careful

examination of what, in your work,

could cause harm to people, so that

you can weigh up whether you have

taken enough precautions or should

do more to prevent harm.

Workers and others have a right to

be protected from harm caused by

a failure to take reasonable control

measures.Image from http://www.las-asbestos.co.uk/assets/images/survey_construction.jpg

The Five Steps to Risk Assessment

The Health and Safety Executive propose five steps to effective risk

assessment

Identify the Hazards

The first step is to identify the hazards. There are a number of ways

you can do this. Can you think of any?

•Walk around your workplace and look at what could cause harm.

•Ask your employees or co-workers what they think. They may have noticed things

you haven’t thought about.

•Visit the HSE website or visit stonemasonry related websites, trade associations,

forums and magazines to gather further information.

•Check manufacturers data sheets for chemicals and equipment as they may

identify hazards

•Look over accident books as they may contain information not immediately

obvious to you

Activity 2: Hazards

As a stonemason you can expect to be exposed to a

number of hazards on a daily basis. Spend five minutes

discussing what hazards you have seen whilst on site or

in the workshop.

Activity 3: Hazards

Can you identify the hazards in

this image?

•Loose Debris/Rubbish

•Unsecured Rubble

•Unsecure Ladder

•Working Platform/Scaffold

Who Might be Harmed and How?

The next step is to establish who might be harmed and how they

might be harmed. This does not mean that you have to identify

individual persons but instead you should think about different

groups of people such as operatives, pedestrians, site visitors.

Evaluate and Establish Precautions

Ask yourself if you can get rid of the hazard altogether? If not, how can you

control the risks so that harm is unlikely?

try a less risky option

prevent access to the hazard

organise work to reduce exposure to the hazard

issue personal protective equipment

provide welfare facilities

Improving health and safety need not cost a lot. For instance, placing a padlock

on the power source for a primary cutting saw is a low-cost precaution

considering the risks. Failure to take simple precautions can cost you a lot more

if an accident does happen.

Record Your Findings

Risk assessments are not expected to be perfect. HSE accepts that

unforeseen accidents can and do occur and are very difficult to plan

for. Provided you can prove that you have done the following, you

have met your responsibilities regarding risk assessment.

you asked who might be affected

you dealt with all the significant hazards, taking into account the

number of people who could be involved

the precautions you have suggested are reasonable, and the

remaining risk is low

you involved your staff or their representatives in the process.

Review Your Findings

Few workplaces stay the same. Sooner or later, you will bring in new

equipment, substances and procedures that could lead to new

hazards. It makes sense, therefore, to review what you are doing on

an ongoing basis. Every year or so formally review where you are, to

make sure you are still improving, or at least not sliding back. Look at

your risk assessment again. Have there been any changes? Are there

improvements you still need to make? Have your workers spotted a

problem? Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses?

Make sure your risk assessment stays up to date.

Activity 4: Risk Assessment

Your course tutor will now provide you with a blank risk assessment

for which you are expected to complete for cutting stone. Your

completed risk assessment should be submitted to your course tutor

within three days of this presentation.

Developed by The Stonemasonry DepartmentCity of Glasgow College

2012