JSP 375 Vol 2 

MoD Health & Safety Handbook 

THE ASSESSMENT 

The Assessor 

3 

As a line manager with responsibility for a process you are ideally placed to carry out risk 

assessments because: 

3.1 

You know what is involved in your process, how long it takes and how the job is actually 

done;  

3.2 

You and your staff are aware of what happens day to day basis and you should know of 

any changes that could alter the risks; and  

3.3 

You have a responsibility to protect your staff. 

4 

Carrying out risk assessments of the use of potentially hazardous substances is a preventative 

approach to managing risks to health, and the assessment should increase your awareness of the risks 

associated with your department s work. 

5 

The application of risk assessments and the consequent measures taken to protect personnel are 

clear responsibilities of line managers. 

The aim of a Risk Assessment 

6 

Risk assessment   Estimating the significance of a particular item, action or condition." The 

regulations are about preventing, or where this is not reasonably practicable, controlling exposure to 

substances hazardous to health, and in order to establish the action required to prevent or adequately 

control exposure the employer must assess the exposure to risk. 

7 

To complete a risk assessment three questions must be answered: 

7.1 

What is the potential of the substance to cause harm? (What is the 

HAZARD

?) 

7.2 

How likely is it that significant exposure will occur? (What is the

 RISK

?) 

7.3 

What additional control measures, if any, are required? 

8 

Providing answers to these questions allows risk assessment within the meaning of the COSHH, 

Lead and Asbestos Regulations to be made.  At the bottom line, the  Employer  must decide, where 

possible, whether a process is adequately controlled or not. If control is inadequate the  employer  must 

identify the failings and must impose additional or alternative controls to make the process safe. 

9 

There will be times when the line manager immediately responsible for a process can be delegated 

the whole task of the  Employer , i.e. make the risk assessment and action the recommendations. But 

there will also be times when the recommendations require action or expenditure beyond the authority of 

the assessor or when specialist help is required. In these cases, the responsibility of the  Employer  is 

delegated to various levels of management: the Assessor for evaluation of the hazard and risk, more 

senior management for decisions on expenditure and control and specialists for support and advice. The 

object of the risk assessment, however, remains the same. 

Identifying Processes 

10  The first task is to decide what has to be assessed. Make a list of all the processes in your work 

area that involve hazardous substances. Make sure that your list includes all the processes, which use 

or consume hazardous substances and all those that generate them. Sanding wood, running a diesel 

generator or even welding are good examples of processes that generate substances hazardous to 

health. 

11  A "substance hazardous to health" means any substance (including any preparation) which is: 

Leaflet 5 Annex F 

Page 2 

 April 

2003