Health and Safety Risk Assessment For Ground Investigation (AGS, 2010)

HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT FOR GROUND INVESTIGATION
Modern health and safety practice identifies Risk Assessment as the basis for risk management.
Managers are required to identify the threats to their workers (and others) health and safety, and
then to take appropriate steps to ensure protection. That is what is meant by doing everything
reasonably practicable to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees and anyone else who
may be affected by the work being carried out as detailed in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974. The method employed to identify the risks and suitable controls is a risk assessment.
Many individual Regulations require risk assessments to be carried out including those covering
noise, ionising radiation, hazardous substances and manual handling. The Management of Health
and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended ) act as a catch all by requiring for all other
significant risks that suitable and sufficient assessment of health and safety risks shall be
made to enable appropriate control measures to be put in place.
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that the risk assessment system is understood and
utilised to a suitable and sufficient standard in all operations.
How to Complete the Risk Assessment Form

Ideally the risk assessment will be produced concurrently with the relevant method statements. The
Risk Assessment is more likely to be activity based and may apply to more than one method
statement. The Risk Assessment consists of three parts: A, B & C.
Part A: Front Page Information

Instruction
The Contractor must carry out risk assessments.
Ensure that all boxes on the front sheet are completed. This is essential to ensure that all revisions
to the document can be tracked, that there is an auditable trail for each task that has been assessed
and that competent staff have been involved in the assessment process.
Complete the scope of the operation, its location and likely duration, and ensure that other pertinent
factors are described. This can be continued on subsequent sheets if necessary and can refer to
other documents.
Specific control measures to be considered (as required by law) should be identified in the tick boxes.
These areas will require specific assessments of their own to be completed. The boxes left blank
are for additional controls required over and above those stated. Complete the titles alongside the
box so that these additions can be identified.
Guidance
It is important that the information given within the Scope section is adequate and accurate in
relation to the task and the associated requirements. This ensures that there is no ambiguity with
regard to the extent of the assessment and what it does or does not cover.
Part B: The Assessment

Instruction
Identify hazards, those who could be affected and the possible outcome (severity) and, where
possible, eliminate them. For those remaining hazards the risks are identified as acceptable or
unacceptable in terms of their potential for harm. Use your own competent judgement, knowledge
and information to hand to decide whether a risk is acceptable or unacceptable. For unacceptable
risks specify the control measures necessary to eliminate the hazard or render it an acceptable risk.
AGS Safety Working Group July 2010
Guidance
There are six categories of risk to consider:
Accident Risks which can lead to physical injuries
Physical Risks such as noise, vibration, excessive heat, radiation
Chemical Risks the wide range of hazardous substances
Biological Risks such as the organism which causes Weils Disease
Ergonomic Risks such as from manual handling
Work Organisation Risks such as stress or excessive working hours
If the risk can be alleviated further with relatively little effort, then control measures should also be
implemented for these risks.

Control Measures and the General Principles of Prevention
Guidance
When risks have been assessed, the output is the selection of appropriate control measures. In
addition to meeting specific legal requirements (such as restricting noise exposure to below the
Second Action Level, or installing an intermediate rail on a scaffold lift), the measures should follow
the following general principles:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Avoid risks (e.g. design out the use of a hazardous material)

Combat risks at source (e.g. wet cutting reduces dust)
Adapt the work to the individual (design of the workplace, choice of equipment, of work
methods, etc.)
Keep up-to-date (e.g. some new tools generate lower vibration)
Use less hazardous substitutes (e.g. water-based paint)
Consider overall policy with good design, procurement, site planning and specific method
statements
Protect everyone with the controls, rather than individuals with PPE
Consult, instruct and train employees
The priority for all risks is to identify them as early as possible, seek to design them out or
lower, and address the residual risks as early as possible in the development of the health
and safety plan.
Apply control measures to each initial risk requiring action and the residual potential for harm so as to
reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
The listing of control measures should be carried out in parallel with Method Statement production
until the initial risks have been reduced to acceptable levels. At the end of this process, risks with
any residual potential for harm are the Site Risks to be transferred to the Site Safety Plan (SSP)
The various sheets should be sequentially numbered as appropriate. Use as many sheets as are
necessary to record all the hazards, risks and controls.
Part C: The Site Safety Plan (SSP)

Instruction
Once the Risk Assessment for a particular activity has been completed out and approved, prepare
the SSP
The SSP must be used to identify the key site risks (derived from Part B), their potential for harm
(taken from the Initial Risk column), necessary site Control Measures, Training / Certification
required, Permits required and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) deemed necessary (all to be
listed). This is an essential summary of the information needed by operational staff to appreciate the
residual risks involved in their task and the associated controls in place to ensure their health and
safety.
The SSP MUST NOT be used to re-issue / re-write the risk assessment or associated method
statement in detail it should summarise the most important key issues that are essential to the
operatives completing the works.
It is imperative that any Permits which have been drawn up as a part of the process (e.g. Permit to
Dig) and as a result have become part of the operation control measures, are clearly identified and
their contents discussed during the briefing to ensure that the operatives are aware of specific risk
controls.
Prior to issue, the completed SSP must be signed off by the author and the person(s) designated to
approve the document.
It must then be available and if possible displayed at the workplace (and protected from the weather)
having been utilised as the focus for a tool box talk on the task at hand prior to work starting. It is
imperative that those briefing the SSP (i.e. the Responsible Manager) ensure that the information
and detail contained within the document is understood by those operatives completing the works
and that a copy of the SSP is displayed at all times with regular reviews and amendments taking
place as necessary.
Once the whole Risk Assessment document is complete and signed off for use, the RAMS Register
should be updated as necessary to indicate that the process is complete.
Guidance
The SSP should only contain the most important aspects of the task and should not therefore be a
complete copy of the initial risk assessment itself. Other pertinent information may be added such
as:
References to the applicable Risk Assessment(s) and Method Statement(s) (RAMS)

Drawing(s) and Sketch(es) which may be applicable
First Aid Contact Details
Manager Responsible / Supervisor / Foreman
The association of any Permits that may be required and operated during the task will help staff
appreciate the level of risk associated with the works. The importance of permit and associated
controls compliance should be reinforced and linked back to the SSP for completeness. Wherever
any doubt is shown, the whole operation (including the RAMS, SSPs and any permits) must be
worked through again with the operation not taking place until full understanding is demonstrated.
As previously stated, each completed SSP must form the basis of a toolbox talk briefing session to all
operatives and supervisors prior to commencing the particular operation. Toolbox talks are part of
training and should be recorded.
Monitoring and Review

Instruction
Once a task is being carried out, it must be monitored to ensure that the assessment, its controls and
associated systems are adequate and fit for purpose. How, when and by whom this is done will
depend upon the nature of the task in hand.
The risk assessment must be reviewed regularly, and immediately if there is any substantive change
in the system of work, environment or personnel. Such a review should also take place following an
accident or incident on site to ensure that the documentation is suitable and sufficient. Review dates
should be recorded, even if the assessment otherwise remains unchanged, and changes recorded
on the RAMS with appropriate revision number.
Guidance
Risk assessments may be reviewed and/or revised whenever the competent person feels it is
necessary. This could be due to an incident, as a result of suggestions from staff for improvement,
following a specified date or owing to changes to procedures, equipment, location, personnel or the
environment. The task itself should also be subject to ongoing monitoring and review arrangements
as significant changes may result in the review of the associated assessment.
All reviews and / or revisions to the document must be logged and any changes made communicated
to the workforce.
Risk Assessment Use and Format

Guidance
The Risk Assessment system and the associated method statement can be used for all scenarios for
which the company must complete assessments. The way in which the system is used remains the
same but the specifics of the content will alter.
Each risk assessment should document the following:
Identification of the hazard, the potential for harm arising

Evaluation of the risk, describing the likelihood and severity of harm
Identification of any Safety Critical workers involved in the activity
Selection of appropriate controls, to prevent or minimise exposure to the risk
Methods for implementing and maintaining the controls selected
Monitoring requirements, to check that the controls are implemented and that they are effective
in protecting against the risk
Record keeping requirements, including maintaining the documented risk assessment itself
and reviewing it periodically
When reviewing assessments completed by third parties such as sub-contractors or suppliers, the
same basic information should be available through their own assessment procedure. Use the form
as a method of cross-checking the level of detail they have provided and consider what elements
would have been included should your company have completed the exercise. In any case the
assessment must be (in the eyes of the writer and reviewer) suitable and sufficient.
Generic (Pro-forma) Assessments

Guidance
The use of generic assessments has become widespread. These assessments are a useful tool if
used as a starting point in the assessment process and may be appropriate for low risk, repetitive
tasks. It is imperative that, before each task takes place, if a generic assessment is being
used in the initial stages, that it is reviewed against the specifics of the task in hand. Should
the review reveal no requirements for amendment or updating, this fact should be recorded and the
assessment signed before use.
If generic assessments are used more than once or appear on a regular basis as a part of a standard
submission from working parties such as contractors, for example, this fact should be brought to the
attention of the management. No work should proceed before the assessment is agreed as being
suitable and sufficient for the task in hand.
Communication
Guidance
Risk Assessments or relevant parts, must be communicated effectively and in a comprehensible
manner to those likely to be affected by the work, including:
Other contractors, or employers, whose employees may be affected by the work

Employees and supervisors engaged in the work
Other employees working in the vicinity of the work
The Principal Contractor (if not your company)
Sub-contractors should be required to demonstrate their arrangements in communicating their own

risk assessments. Each significant risk assessment should be converted into a SSP, which should
be used to communicate to site operatives through a tool box talk. Feedback on risk assessments
and their adequacy should be encouraged from all parties associated with it.
Although every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the information and validity of the guidance given
in this document, neither the members of the Safety Working Group, nor the AGS accept any responsibility for
mis-statements contained herein or misunderstanding arising herefrom.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment For Ground Investigation (AGS, 2010)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Health and Safety Risk Assessment For Ground Investigation (AGS, 2010)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT FOR GROUND INVESTIGATION

How to Complete the Risk Assessment Form

Part A: Front Page Information

Part B: The Assessment

implemented for these risks.

Avoid risks (e.g. design out the use of a hazardous material)

Part C: The Site Safety Plan (SSP)

AGS Safety Working Group July 2010

References to the applicable Risk Assessment(s) and Method Statement(s) (RAMS)

Monitoring and Review

Risk Assessment Use and Format

Identification of the hazard, the potential for harm arising

Generic (Pro-forma) Assessments

Other contractors, or employers, whose employees may be affected by the work

Sub-contractors should be required to demonstrate their arrangements in communicating their own

AGS Safety Working Group July 2010

You might also like