Risk Assessment and Method Statement

Risk Assessment in the Design Phase

The purpose of a risk assessment in this case is to indicate to designers the potential effect of their design on the health and safety of workers.  As a consequence, designers will be able to judge the weight they should give to health and safety and whether, on balance, the design can be left unchanged or should be altered to reduce the health and safety risk.  What is ‘reasonably practicable’ (which also involves cost and other design goals) becomes part of this judgement.

There is a variety of risk assessment methods, ranging from the crudely qualitative to the relatively sophisticated quantitative.  Any method chosen will, to some degree, be subjective and arbitrary but, nevertheless, can prove useful provided it is appropriate for its purpose and its limitations are recognised.

Risk Assessment and Method Statement in the Construction Phase

There are two types of risk assessment firstly the generic risk assessment which is related to carrying out a specific operation and secondly the risks related to carrying out that operation on site, the site specific risk assessment.  The generic risk assessment will, in general, be the subject of amendment whereas the site specific risk assessment will be the subject of change and should be reviewed at least daily as the work on site progresses and the site conditions change.

Risk assessments generate method statements, both generic and site specific, which define the manner in which such risks are to be addressed and also the training which is required to implement the method statements on site.

Our Construction Health and Safety consultants are able to produce, all health and Safety related documents including, project specific Method Statements and Risk Assessments and Pre- Tender Health and Safety Plans.  Oldham Associates also have in house specialist expertise of Contract Management and Contract Law.