Do I need a risk assesment??

[Riggerbear]

I might be wrong but I thought if you had 5 or less employees you didn't need a written h&s policy but regardless of company size you need to complete site specific RA's. Is this where the number 5 has come into it ?

You need to comply with PPE and loler regardless of size.

[slack ma girdle]

When you say "legal" who is enforcing/punishing that?

If your self employed is it not just up to you.

 

Don't get me wrong I'm all for it just don't understand it.

 

99% of the time nobody is enforcing it, it is up to you.

[Andymacp9]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is confused???

[Kev Stephenson]

you still have to do a risk assessment, more than 5 people means written risk assessment. It's that simple

[Andymacp9]

Like I said there's only ever 4 of us.

[WoodED]

That will depend on what your insurer specified in your policy.

 

There is no requirement for a written R.A. for small numbers of staff (cant remember how many) but thats just not recorded, it doesn’t men you dont need a R.A.

 

no written risk assesment for under 5 people unless your company policy states otherwise, loler still applies. and so does full ppe. tho things like chainsaw gloves will depend on your company policy

[HCR]

If you have less than 4 people working for you, then you do not have to but a risk assessment. BUT if something goes wrong you have to prove what steps you have taken to minimise the risks:

How do you do that......... A risk assessment

 

Good answer.

 

For the horse's mouth info http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/faq.htm#q7

[dumper]

In my option no but with a blank template a risk assessment and method statement should only take a few minutes as most of the risks stay the same from site to site as would the method statement .ppe is what separates us from the cowboys . everybody on site has a duty of care to each other so 5 to 10 minutes at the beginning of the day I feel is worthwhile get everyone on site to sign that they understand and have received the assessment and statement it takes a bit of time to begin with then when you have built up templates for the jobs you do all you have to do is change the name of the site and the date then your covered you can't be to careful with today's no win no fee lawyers

[Andymacp9]

Cheers HCR spot on what I was looking for. Just needed ammo to take to the boss.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hi

I'm looking for some advice please.

 

I worked previously contracting for SSE powerlines work, where you have to do risk assessments, ppe, method statements and paperwork for everything. I've moved to a new company where I'm still self employed but basically running the day to day manual work. The owner is a bit old school and reckons I don't need to do risks assessment, loler or full ppe.

What exactly is the law and consequences of not doing them.

Cheers

Andy

 

Hi there, you've probably got good replies already so apologies if I'm repeating stuff.

 

Firstly, when you mention "ppe" presumably you mean 'PPE checks', for condition and serviceability etc., rather than actually using PPE...which I hope / am sure you do. These are more 'good practice' issues than a direct legal requirement and should be done periodically.

 

The legal requirement for Risk Assessment, specifically although obvioulsy method statements are part of the same risk management process, is contained within the Management of H&S at Work Regs. 1999 (Reg.3) and it basically requires that where you employ (or engage on a 'labour-only sub contractor basis' = employees, effectively) 5 or more people you have to record the 'significant findings' of the RA process = write it down.

 

However, as others have said, it's much easier to prove you did a RA if something is written down anyway (other than the most simple, straight forward small jobs maybe.)

 

Method Statements (MSs) are 'over requested' in my opinion (shared by HSE too) and should be confined to complex / unusual jobs or works where you need to coordinate with others, i.e. construction sites.

 

Hope this helps...a little

 

Cheers..

Paul

 

PS This is the 'H&S' legal requirement, or rather my interpretation of, contractually and insurance wise it might be different so you need to check.