It’s important to understand that workplace hazard identification is a legal requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, so be sure to read this guide to understand the types of hazards to look out for, who is responsible for identifying hazards and what you should do after identifying one.
What is hazard identification in the workplace?
Hazard identification in the workplace is a process which involves identifying and documenting potential points of danger or harm on your work premises. This is important to carry out even in workplaces which you might deem to be safer, as sometimes hazards can come in forms you might not expect.
Hazard identification should be a proactive process, meaning that you identify problems before they lead to accidents through correct and regular risk assessments. Doing this correctly is beneficial in multiple ways, as it means that you and your employees are less likely to be harmed in the workplace, and it also means that you are covered for accidents and/or injuries which may occur.
Hazard identification can come in the form of a comprehensive health and safety audit which is carried out by a professional with a depth of experience in the industry.
Types of workplace hazards
Workplace hazards come in a number of forms, some of which are more common than others. It’s important to consider all possibilities in order to keep your entire workplace safe.
Who is responsible for identifying workplace hazards?
Generally, each employer should be responsible for identifying hazards in the workplace, as well as taking measures to remove or reduce this risk. This is based on the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which outlines the general duties of employers towards employees and members of the public.
Businesses often have a designated ‘competent person’ who takes responsibility for the health and safety of the workplace. However, this person needs to have adequate experience and sufficient training to fill this role.
If you’re not sure that your business has somebody capable of filling this role, or you don’t have time to do it yourself, you can consider appointing an external competent person, such as one of our members here at Lanahan Risk Management Services.
Our team has extensive knowledge of the law, as well as being able to offer tailored advice to you, so consider getting in touch.
What to do once workplace hazards have been identified
Once identified, workplace hazards should be assessed to determine the exact risk that they pose. From here, you can work to outline and implement exactly what safety measures are needed to minimise the chance of harm.
It’s important to note that in some cases, risk is unavoidable. When working with heavy machinery, in adverse weather conditions, or even in environments like hospitals, you can’t eliminate the risk of hazards entirely.
What you can (and must) do is do your due diligence to ensure that every possible safety measure has been taken. This reduces the risk of accidents, increases the safety of your employees, and gives you peace of mind that in the unfortunate event of a workplace accident, you’re covered legally.
Speak with Our Expert Team About Hazard Identification
How often should workplace hazards be reviewed?
Legally, there is no specific timeframe which states how regularly you should be auditing your workplace for safety hazards. This may vary in specific industries, so we’d recommend doing a bit of extra research if you work in a particularly dangerous environment to check if there are any additional requirements.
How to keep your workplace free of hazards
To keep your workplace free of hazards, you need to clearly set out responsibilities and who they belong to. For example, if you’re an employer, you need to make sure you’ve conducted a proper risk assessment, or that you’ve nominated someone who is sufficiently trained and experienced to keep your workplace safe.
Alternatively, consider using a third party provider like us here at Lanahan Risk Management Services. We offer no nonsense health, safety and fire services for businesses who want to rest easy that their employees and best interests are in safe hands. Get in touch with us to find out more.