Construction sites are often a risk to many security risks such as construction site crime, and health hazards, so it is essential that they have good security in place. One thing that both site managers and security companies will do to ensure the safety of a site is to conduct a construction risk assessment to access the safety of the site. But what does a construction risk assessment entail? In this article, we will be discussing what a risk assessment in construction is and how you can write one.
What Is The Purpose Of A Risk Assessment In Construction?
The main purpose of site risk assessments will be accessing the safety of a construction site, and many site owners will use them as an extra layer of protection. Construction risk assessments are important for businesses who work in construction, as it allows them to analyse how secure their site is, and help them think about the different places on their site that may be vulnerable. Construction risk assessment also allows site owners to review the different security measures they already have in place and brainstorm new action plans that they can take to defeat potential risks.
What Is A Risk Assessment In Construction?
Construction risk assessments are simply risk assessments that are specially designed for construction sites, and they can be an excellent way to improve safety on a construction site. Risk assessment for construction sites allows owners to access the different risks and potential hazards that they could be facing, and they allow them to review the different security measures that they already have in place and see how effective these measures are at reducing security risks.
How To Write A Construction Risk Assessment?
When you are writing a risk assessment for your construction site there are a variety of different sections that should be included. Below, we have listed these sections.
1. What Hazards Threaten The Site?
The first section that will be written in a construction risk assessment will be about which hazards threaten the safety of the site. In this section, you should consider which potential risks or hazards can threaten the safety of your workers. Some of these risks could be injuries, falling objects, working at height, and moving objects.
2. How Likely Is This Hazard?
After you have considered and written about each potential hazard, you should then think about how likely it is that each hazard will happen. Some of the different categories you can include in this section could be:
- The risk is very likely.
- The risk is possible.
- The risk is unlikely.
- It is impossible that this risk could happen.
3. Who Is At Risk Because Of This Hazard?
Next, you should think and write about who will be at harm or risk because of the hazard. This could be anyone visiting the site, machinery, and any employees who are working at the site.
4. How Serious Is This Hazard?
The fourth section that will be included within a site risk assessment is how serious each hazard is. Every potential hazard or security risk will have a different scale of seriousness so it is important to consider how serious each one will be. Some categories that can be included in this section are:
- Minimal Risk.
- No Risk.
- High Risk.
- Low Risk.
- Maximum Risk.
5. How Can The Hazard Be Stopped?
After you have analysed the seriousness of any potential hazard, you should then consider how each hazard could be stopped. In this section, you should write about the different things that you can do to stop these risks from happening. You can also review the different security measures you already have in place at your construction site, and effective these will be at preventing this hazard.
6. Has The Hazard Been Fixed?
The last section you write in a construction risk assessment is whether the hazard or issue has been fixed or not. In this section, you can also include if the risk has been auditioned and if so by who.
What Should Be Included In A Site-Specific Risk Assessment?
A site-specific risk assessment is a risk assessment that has been written for a specific site or construction project. Site-specific risk assessments, like construction risk assessments, will normally be a document that is one or two pages only.
However, while a construction risk assessment may include general questions and can be used for many sites, specific site risk assessments will only contain information that is relevant to one particular project or site. A site-specific risk assessment will include information like specific details about a project such as a date or time the project is taking place, who is at risk during the project, and any potential hazards that particularly threaten the site during this project.
Who Carries Out Risk Assessments In Construction?
According to the government website, site risk assessment can be carried out by both employers and security companies. Construction site owners will tend to conduct general risk assessments where they will access the health and safety of the site, and review which areas of their site expose their employees to security risk.
While security companies who supply construction security can conduct more advanced and specific risk assessments where they will review what potential hazards a site may have and which areas of the site are the most vulnerable to safety issues and crime. Security companies will typically send out a security guard or a security manager to conduct a risk assessment on sites.
How To Carry Out A Site Risk Assessment?
When construction site owners are carrying out a site risk assessment there are a few things that they may need to do and consider. Below, we have provided a quick step-by-step guide on how to conduct a risk assessment.
1. Identify The Risk.
The first thing you should do is review the different areas on your site that could be vulnerable to potential security risks. The best ways to do this would be by going around your site, and considering:
- Which areas could be unsafe?
- Which areas need more protection?
- Which areas have had accidents happen in them?
- If there is any dangerous machinery within these areas.
- If dangerous substances are used within these areas.
- How people work in this area.
- And what is the general state of this area on your site?
2. Access The Risk.
After you have reviewed different areas on your site, you should then consider the different risks and hazards that could potentially happen within these areas. When you are accessing the risk of each area, you should think about:
- If there are any specific hazards or risks that could happen.
- How likely it is that a risk could happen?
- How serious the risk is?
- Who would be in danger because of this risk?
- And what would be the consequences of this risk?
3. Consider How You Can Control The Risk.
The third thing you should do is consider how you can control or stop the risk from happening. When you are doing this, you should ask yourself if the hazard can be stopped completely, and if it can’t you should then think about the different ways you can reduce the chances of this risk from happening. When you are completing this step, you should also consider the different security measures that you already have in place and how they could help you.
4. Record Your Findings
After, you have finished considering the different ways that you can control each risk you should make sure to record your findings. The best way to record your findings would be by writing them down in a risk assessment.
5. Review.
The final step you should take when conducting a risk assessment on a construction site is reviewing the different safety measures and methods you have used to reduce risks. It is important to review them so that you can check that they are working correctly. It is extremely important to conduct regular reviews around your site, especially when new staff have been hired or there have been changes within the workplace.
To keep up to date with the latest construction news check out our blog, where you can find articles about why construction sites need security and how people can stay safe on a construction site.
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