Author Topic: Risk Assessments  (Read 4498 times)

Chicken Legs

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Risk Assessments
« on: May 14, 2018, 11:14:44 »
Hello,

Our Committee seem to be risk assessment obsessed and I would like any advice about how many risk assessments are needed throughout the year as it appears now at every meeting for discussion.  The site use doesn't change and I can't make head not tale of the HSE regs.   

Thanks for any help.  :sunny:

Chicken Legs

lezelle

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2018, 11:31:23 »
Hi Ya, I'm intrigued what are they risk assessing? On your plot it's up to the individual to watch what they are doing. If you do something wrong it will hurt and you won't do it again. I have witnessed some using strimmer's and only wearing sandals and not wearing eye protection or ear defence but that is their call if they want to take risks who am I to tell them to stop they would just tell me to go away. Most of it is common sense. I have had people ask how to do things and I have always said I do it this way however each to their own and do what you prefer. Interesting and I must ask our admin if there are any risk assessments. H&S is important but it is getting out of hand with so many sometimes stupid rules.

Beersmith

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2018, 19:20:30 »
If kept at a sensible level I'm fully in favour of some good commonsense safety rules. I don't want to be knocked down by a car being driven at high speed on my site. I don't want the risk and inconvenience of huge out of control and smokey fires. I'm not very keen on people using some of the old fashioned poisons that were commonplace at one time. All dogs on site to be kept on leads at all times etc.

But I'm struggling to understand how these issues should be cropping up again and again.  Once your site has an agreed set of rules that are sensible and proportionate, surely they will only need updating on rare occasions.

I seem to remember a minor issues at our last committee meeting concerning the shop complying with new regulations about maximum pack size for slug pellets. But the shop manager had found out the required information and it was dealt with in a matter of minutes.

What on earth are they assessing that it crops up so often?
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BarriedaleNick

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2018, 19:24:54 »
We, as a committee, try to keep a balanced approach but often things are not as simple as it may seem.
Take strimmers for example - we have a site one which is used for communal areas, mainly on site days.  However recently we have stopped doing so because the guy we charged with looking at our insurance policy with regards to safety issues noted that the instructions stated that they may not be used within 15 m of other people due to flying debris, stones etc.  This is a powerful petrol driven one by the way.  Trying to get people to use it wearing safety kit and then away from everyone else proved impossible.
Generally speaking though if there are H & S policies then they should be reviewed annually and if nothing has changed then nothing needs to be altered. 
Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

ACE

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2018, 21:14:04 »
you would have to risk assess what would happen to a committee member if they tried to tell me what to wear, do or act.

lezelle

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2018, 08:56:36 »
Hi Ya, Surely a bit of common sense comes in to play when using equipment? I use a strimmer and I'm always aware of those around me and I will stop while any people walk past. We have rules but yes I suppose a few idiots ignore them. Where will it all end I wonder.

Tee Gee

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2018, 14:20:22 »
Hi Ya, Surely a bit of common sense comes in to play when using equipment? I use a strimmer and I'm always aware of those around me and I will stop while any people walk past. We have rules but yes I suppose a few idiots ignore them. Where will it all end I wonder.
Here! Here!

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2018, 19:04:08 »
People can still use stimmers - just not on site day as there are too many people around.  Makes prefect sense to me!
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nodig

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2018, 20:41:55 »
I can remember that schools regard cowpats as a trip hazard on risk assessments for planned field trips, so is that a sensible risk assessment or not?  My point is that there is no right or wrong assessment it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Tee Gee

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2018, 20:57:39 »
Quote
My point is that there is no right or wrong assessment it's all in the eye of the beholder.

In other words " Common Sense" !

Chicken Legs

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2018, 16:54:54 »
Thank you all for your common sense replies.  I agree with the majority on here that these risk assessments should only be re-visited once yearly.  Our committee don't seem to realise this and it has been pointed out at every meeting.  Again thank you for all your comments and hopefully this can be put to bed at our next meeting. 

Happy gardening!   :sunny:

Bill Door

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Re: Risk Assessments
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2018, 16:13:30 »
Not sure I am fully aware of all the circumstances.  If the committee meet three times a year then having risk assessment as an item could be appropriate.  Even if there are more meetings and if the discussion goes along the lines of "anyone anything to report/suggest" then I think that that is also appropriate.  Don't foget that some people are concerned that they are "doing it right" and might go over the top for the first year.  I don't think that anyone can be critical of someone doing what is, after all, a "volunteer" job.  If you think they lack the "common sense" to do it properly then perhaps you need to  "walk a mile" in their shoes and do the job for them.

Bill

 

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