Pitfalls in risk assessment: examples from the UK

摘要

Risk assessment is an implicit requirement of the UK Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (HSW, 1974) and is also explicitly required by other general and industry-specific regulations. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment, with effective use made of the findings, is seen as an integral part of successful health and safety management. However, there are a number of common mistakes or 'pitfalls' that are often made or encountered when carrying out a risk assessment. This paper sets out to illustrate some of the most commonly encountered pitfalls through a series of case studies taken from a range of UK industry sectors. A discussion of good practice is also presented in each case.