MoD Health & Safety Handbook 

JSP 375 Vol 2 

46  Note that identification of possible health surveillance and/or atmospheric monitoring requirements 

will dictate the need for specialist involvement at an early stage.  The assessor is not expected to know 

when these are required, but if there is any reason to suspect that they may be necessary, advice 

should be obtained through the Unit or Establishment Safety Adviser.  Clues as to when health 

surveillance may be required may be found in the data sheet or if the substance has a Biological 

Monitoring Guidance Value (BMGV) in EH 40.  Any requirement for routine exposure monitoring will 

normally be included in the advice given by an occupational hygienist or environmental health officer 

when they are asked whether control measures are adequate. 

47  Information on control measures is in Leaflet   Control of Hazardous Substances and on RPE in 

Leaflet   Respiratory Protective Equipment. 

EVALUATING THE INFORMATION 

Risk 

48  There are four apparently simple questions that need to be asked when assessing risk, as shown 

in the flowchart at the end of this guidance.  The answers in each case are either yes, no or do not know 

and, the choice of answer dictates the subsequent question and resulting actions.  The questions are: 

48.1 

Do you have all the information needed to complete this risk assessment? 

48.2 

Would the process present significant risks to health if no controls were in place? 

48.3 

Could the risks to health become significant? and 

48.4 

Are the control measures adequate? 

49  In seeking to answer the questions, it is useful to know the conclusions for which you are heading.  

There are five: 

49.1 Conclusion 

1. Risks insignificant now and not reasonably foreseeable that they could 

increase in future. 

49.2 Conclusion 

2. The risks are high now and not adequately controlled. 

49.3 Conclusion 

3. The risks are controlled now but could foreseeably become higher in the 

future. 

49.4 Conclusion 

4. Uncertain about the risks, nature of the hazard known but uncertain about 

the degree and extent of exposure. 

49.5 Conclusion 

5. Cannot decide about the risks.  Not enough information. 

50  Taking each question in detail. 

(a) 

Do you have all the information needed to complete this risk assessment? 

51  If you have accumulated the information discussed earlier, then in most cases, the answer to this 

question will be yes and you should move to Question (b). 

Leaflet 5 Annex F 

April 2003 

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