Risk assessments aren’t just a tick box exercise. They’re a vital layer of protection for your people, your service users and your business as a whole. Get them right and you can reduce the chance of injuries and costly claims. But how often do you need to carry one out?
How often should risk assessments be carried out?
What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment is a process where you identify anything that could potentially be a hazard and cause harm to people, and you decide what you’re going to do to reduce that danger.
As part of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, a risk assessment is a core part of what you need to do to protect your people from injury or illness1.
When a risk assessment is done well, it helps you to:
Identify any hazards before they cause harm to anyone
Understand who could be at risk, whether that’s employees, service users, contractors, vulnerable groups (pregnant workers, young people or those with disabilities etc).
Put the right controls in place to either reduce the risk level or alleviate it completely
Keep track of existing risks and spot new ones early
Who needs to follow your risk assessment?
In care environments, risk assessments often carry a bit more weight because you’re not just needing to think about your employees. You also need to consider service users or visitors who rely on your support to stay safe.
That means everyone needs to understand and abide by the procedures set out in the risk assessment. This includes carers, nurses, managers and even volunteers. Clear communication of what’s decided on in the risk assessment is just as important as the assessment itself.
How often should you carry out a risk assessment?
As a care provider, there’s no set timeframe for how often a risk assessment should be carried out. They should be evolving as your business changes, so rather than it necessarily being triggered by a duration of time, it could be to correspond to changes in your business, such as:
If something changes – If you’re planning to introduce any new procedures, activities or services, you will need to complete a risk assessment form before you begin so that you’re prepared for these new risks.
If you have new employees – When new employees join, it’s important to make sure that they’re trained properly. In the care industry, fire drills are key and should be reflected in your risk assessment. We’ll expand on this further in the section below.
If you’ve introduced new equipment or machinery – Any new equipment can pose unfamiliar risks. Ensure all team members have clear guidance on how to use it correctly and are aware of any regulations if applicable.
If insurers ask for it – Some insurers will ask to see evidence that risk assessments are in place and that they get reviewed regularly before they will insure you.
This isn’t a complete list of all the instances where you’ll need to review your risk assessment. The right approach will depend on your individual business, what the environment is like and the people you support.
When to review your fire safety risk assessments
Fire specific risk assessments should be reviewed every time the overall risk assessment is done and whenever the number or needs of the residents change, especially if it impacts mobility.
In care settings, evacuation plans often include employees assisting residents who can’t leave unaided. This should be reflected in your assessment. For any service users who need help to evacuate, a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (also known as a PEEP) should be in place for those individuals.
Government guidance is very clear. The responsible persons within the organisation oversee evacuating everyone in their care. It doesn’t come down to the fire service. Your team needs to be well versed in your evacuation plan and ready to act immediately.
For more information about fire safety risk assessments for residential care homes, check out the government’s guide.
Sources:
The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal or other professional advice and cannot be relied upon as such. Should you have any queries, we recommend that you consult the appropriate professional adviser.
The links provided in this document are for reference only. Please note that we are not responsible for the content of any linked site.
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