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• Understanding relevant regulations, standards associated with the tasks; understand
human factors, for instance why worker may make mistakes or not follow procedures.

It is always not required to set a team for carrying out risk assessment, typically, if the hazard or
the activity is not complex, the hazards is simple to understand and risk is not high.

Competence

The size of the team is defined by the size of the organisation. The risk assessment must be
carried out by a competent person.

The competent assessor must be able to demonstrate health and safety knowledge and
experience that is relevant to the organisation and have the ability to apply these qualities to
practical situations.
The assessors must have the ability to interpret technical information and standards, be
systematic in their approach and be capable of communicating the findings in a comprehensible
and relevant manner.

The content of a training course to assist with competence of people who are to carrying out risk
assessments should include:

• Legal requirements with respect to risk assessment.
• Process of identifying hazards and evaluating risks.
• Identification and selection of appropriate control measures.
• Awareness of the individual's own limitations and the occasions when specialist assistance
might be required.
• Accessing sources of information, such as legal guidelines and in-‐house information
including accident, ill-health records.
• Report-‐writing skills.
• Interpretation of regulations and standards.
• Means available for disseminating the outcomes of the assessment.

Criteria for a ‘Suitable and Sufficient’ Risk Assessment

The term suitable and sufficient is not defined in the regulations, however the risk assessment
must be appropriate the nature of the work. The more complex the hazards the more
sophisticated the risk assessment will be.

The aim of the risk assessment is to reduce ill health and accidents caused by work activities and
a measure of whether it is suitable and sufficient is surely the absence or low rate of accidents
and ill health, with good controls in place understood and followed by all.

ENSIGN| Unit IG1 – Element 3 – Managing Risks – Understanding People and Processes 25