Task
Assessment
3
2
1
Tasks
Individual
Task Risk Assessment is a procedure of reviewing workplace tasks and
activities to consider what could negatively affect employees and decide on
suitable control measures for preventing harm or performance loss.
Wellbeing
The 5-step HWA process
Identifying
the need
REACTIVE
PROACTIVE
management
of health
risks
management
of health
risks
Effects of Work on Health
Make yourself aware of the types of health hazards that
might be found in your workplace
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ac
Interf
V
Ba iral
dis
c
Fu terial ease
disease,
Pa ngal
ras disease,
itic
d i s e a se
1
What are
the Health
issues?
The routes to entry
The diagram below shows how
hazards to health can enter the
body and cause harm
2
Who
does this
apply to?
Assessing
the risk
3
Ingestion
Skin
How
serious
is it?
Inhalation
4
What
needs to
be done?
Injection
Monitoring
& reviewing
5
Are the
controls
working?
Trai
ning type &
D e si
g
ork.
Wor n of w on
k organisati
Hierarchy of controls
Start at the top and work down
Most effective control
• Elimination e.g Discontinue use
of product, equipment, cease
work process, automation
• Substitution e.g. Replace with a
similar item that does the same
job but with a lower hazard level
• Isolation e.g Put a barrier
between the person and the
hazard
• Engineering/Organisational
Controls e.g. Change the
process, procedures, rosters,
training etc. to minimise the risk
• Personal protective equipment
e.g. Equipment worn to provide a
temporary barrier
Least effective control
This hierarchy of controls aims to help
managers understand the order in which to
consider controlling health issues
Risk assessment:
In risk assessment we look at:
• Hazards - which are
situations with the potential
to cause harm
• Risk - which is defined as
the probability that a specific
adverse event will occur in a
specific time period or as a
result of a specific situation.
For each hazard identified it is
important to decide whether
it is significant and whether
appropriate and sufficient
controls are in place to
manage the risk.
5
points to be
aware of...
1 Recognise the
hazards to health
2 Understand the
routes of entry
3 Collect information until
you understand the issues
4 Use organisational
support in your task
5 Only use PPE as a
last resort. Use the
hierarchy of controls
Where possible,
use you own
organisation’s
risk assessments
as information to
help you
Use support
within your
organisation
to help make
decisions
The Workforce Health and Wellbeing Project is
facilitated by RSSB.If you have any questions about
this resource, please contact whwp@rssb.co.uk