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Legislations Required to Control Specified Hazards

The personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1992 states that a risk assessment must be
carried out when risks to health and safety cannot be avoided by other means. The assessment
must include characteristics which the personal protective equipment must have in order to be
effective and comparison of the characteristics of PPE available with the required characteristics
to control risks.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 states that assessments must take
place before the event.

Applying Controls to Specified Hazards

Controls measures must be applied for specific hazards such as confined space, work at height,
manual handling, electrical etc., methods for reducing the level of hazard may vary in accordance
with the type of hazard.

For example, fall from height can be eliminated by working from the ground level or by using
suitable equipment such as ladder, MEWP, whereas the reduction of hazards created by noise
can be reduced by change in the work methods, job rotation or by providing sound proofed
enclosures.

Residual, Acceptable and Tolerable Risk

The risk that remains after introducing all control measures is referred as residual risk.
For example, the use of seat belts while driving a car reduces the probability and severity of injury
from the road accidents, however in the event of accident there is probability of injury remains,
this is referred as residual risk.

If the residual risk is low, then it is considered as acceptable risk – the existing control measures
are adequate.

If the residual risk is high, then a decision has to be made whether the risk is tolerable or
unacceptable. Tolerable implies that the risk is acceptable for short period of time, however
further controls needs to be implemented to bring the risk to acceptable level. Unacceptable
implies that the risk level is too high to continue the work.

Priorities and Timescales

Priority is based on the level of risk, higher the risk, higher the priority.

A low risk may be simple to rectify and it may have low cost solutions as well as, but it is
unacceptable to keep a long timescale to rectify the simple problems, it should be rectified
immediately because it can be done immediately.

ENSIGN| Unit IG1 – Element 3 – Managing Risks – Understanding People and Processes 39