FAQ
What is a Hazard
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm e.g. working at height on scaffolding.
What is risk?
A risk is the likelihood that a hazard will cause a specified harm to someone or something, eg if there are no guard rails on the scaffolding it is likely that a construction worker will fall and break a bone.
What is risk management?
Risk management is a process that involves assessing the risks that arise in your workplace, putting sensible health and safety measures in place to control them and then making sure they work in practice.
What is risk assessment?
A risk assessment is nothing more than 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.
What do 'ALARP' and 'SFAIRP' mean?
You may come across these abbreviations. ALARP stands for 'as low as reasonably practicable' and SFAIRP stands for 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. In essence, these are the same; however, SFAIRP is the term most often used in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and in Regulations, and; ALARP is the term used by risk practitioners.
What does 'reasonably practicable' mean?
This means that you have to take action to control the health and safety risks in your workplace except where the cost (in terms of time and effort as well as money) of doing so is 'grossly disproportionate' to the reduction in the risk. You can work this out for yourself, or you can simply apply accepted good practice.
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