Risk Assessment for the Swiss Market
PREREQUISITE FOR THE SAFE DESIGN OF WORKPLACES
In Switzerland, every employer is legally required to take all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of employees. Preparing a Risk Assessment for all workplaces and activities is a key component of HSE systems and must be updated regularly.
The main objective is to identify hazards that could lead to accidents or health issues for employees or third parties, and to derive suitable preventive measures. Risks should be eliminated wherever possible, or—if elimination is not feasible—reduced to an acceptable and controllable level.
what is a risk assessment?
A Risk Assessment analyses all safety‑relevant aspects of work, including:
- workplace design
- selection and suitability of work equipment
- training and competencies of personnel
- operational and organisational procedures.
The process begins with the systematic identification of hazards, followed by the evaluation of the likelihood of occurrence, duration of exposure, and severity of potential consequences. Improvement measures are then defined based on predetermined risk criteria.
A comprehensive Risk Assessment is essential for designing safe working environments, ensuring legal compliance, and protecting the company from liability risks.
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What does a well‑structured Risk Assessment provide?
A professional Risk Assessment supports the company in all areas of occupational safety. In particular, it enables:
- demonstrating the need for risk‑mitigation measures
- defining targeted and appropriate actions
- supporting the selection of suitable equipment, installations and PPE
- identifying safety‑critical processes and resources
- determining the most cost‑effective methods for risk reduction
- establishing criteria for fire and explosion protection
- improving emergency planning and training measures
- correctly designing workplaces and operational procedures
- defining personnel requirements and competencies
- structuring specific training programmes.
Our Approach to Risk Assessment
Our approach is based on a thorough technical and document‑based analysis. The assessment includes:
- analysis of hazard potential
- review of safety documentation (fire protection plans, evacuation and rescue route plans, etc.)
- development of a hazard overview
- probability and frequency analyses
- evaluation of potential impacts
- detailed recommendations for risk reduction
- a complete report and compliant documentation.
Upon request, we also conduct HAZID or HAZOP workshops, during which our experts work together with the client to identify risks associated with relevant incident scenarios.
