Tolley's Practical Risk Assessment Handbook, 5th Edition
Containing numerous checklists, forms and worked examples for a variety of hazards and industries, this book demystifies the risk assessment process and how it relates to UK legislation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Tolley's Practical Risk Assessment Handbook, 5th Edition
Chapter 17: Risk Assessment Related Concepts
17.1 Introduction
Risk assessment techniques are at the heart of the effective management of health and safety. This chapter examines several important concepts which involve risk assessment. These are:
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Safe systems of work
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Dynamic risk assessments
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Permits to work
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CDM Health and Safety plans
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Method statements.
Safe systems of work
17.2 What is a safe system of work?
Under section 2(2)(a) of HSWA 1974 employers have a duty to ensure
the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health.
Safe systems of work are also required directly or indirectly under several codes of Regulations including those applying to asbestos, carcinogens (COSHH), confined spaces, electricity and lifting operations. Employers also have duties under common law to establish safe systems of work.
A safe system of work can be defined as:
the work method resulting from an assessment of the risks associated with a task and the identification of the precautions necessary to carry out the task in a safe and healthy way.
The risk assessment may result in the elimination of risks or in the identification and application of controls at source, e.g. guarding, enclosure, the use of local exhaust ventilation. However, a safe system of work will be necessary to ensure that those controls are properly applied and that any residual risks are adequately controlled.
The degree of formality necessary in identifying and defining a safe system of work will depend on factors...
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