Risk Assessment | Bureau Veritas
Prerequisite for the safe design of workplaces
Every entrepreneur is legally required to take all the protective measures and provisions to ensure and improve health and safety at work. Preparation of a risk assessment for all workplaces and the associated activities is one of the provision that support the implementation of a Health and Safety system and its regular update is a key process. The aim is to identify accident and health hazards for employees or uninvolved third parties that may occur with the work to be performed and to initiate appropriate countermeasures. In doing so, hazards should be avoided as far as possible or, if this is not completely achievable, reduced to an acceptable and controllable level.
WHAT IS RISK ASSESSMENT?
Risk assessment must consider aspects of workplace design, choice of work equipment, preventive training and much more. A structured approach linking the different subject areas is therefore essential.
The assessment starts with an inventory of potential hazards, followed by an assessment of exposure duration and likelihood and possible consequences (risks) based on predefined risk criteria. The necessary measures are then derived from the hazards. On the basis of the risk criteria, the urgency (sequence) of the implementation of the measures is then determined.
A comprehensive risk assessment is a basic prerequisite for the design of safe workplaces and procedures, as well as for the creation of legal certainty for the entrepreneur with regard to occupational safety in his company.
WHAT DOES A RISK ASSESSMENT PROVIDE?
The risk assessment provides support in all aspects of occupational safety throughout the company. In addition, a risk assessment offers a systematic decision-making aid for the implementation of the resulting measures, e.g:
- Demonstration of the necessity of risk minimisation
- Formulation of targeted measures
- Assistance in the selection of suitable plant equipment/ operating resources / PPE
- Identification of safety-critical procedures/equipment
- Identification of the most cost-effective methods for risk minimization
- Assessment basis for fire and explosion protection as well as emergency planning and training
- Definition of health protection measures
- Assistance in setting up workplaces and defining working procedures
- Definition of requirements for personnel with regard to their deployment possibilities
- Definition of training scope and content
OUR APPROACH TO RISK ASSESSMENT
The valuation includes:
- Analysis of the hazard potential
- Examination of security documents (fire protection and security plans, analysis of plans for escape, evacuation and rescue routes, etc.)
- Development of a hazard picture
- Probability/frequency analysis
- Impact assessment
- Recommendations for risk reduction measures
- Report and documentation
In addition, HAZID or HAZOP meetings can be held at which Bureau Veritas identifies the risks associated with major accident situations together with the client.