Competency to conduct risk assessments

Employers and responsible persons need to determine who should be part of the risk assessment team. A team approach is often the most effective way to ensure that all the appropriate risks have been identified, this is because  

Perception - individuals perception of risk will be different. Depending upon age, experience, attitude, knowledge of the area, etc., one person may have a completely different view of what constitutes a tolerable (acceptable) or intolerable (unacceptable) risk than another person. Some people are happy to accept risks which another person would not tolerate, and so a different assessment of risk in the same area would be made 

Limits of knowiedge - one person does not have the overall knowledge required of each process, person, activity, machine, area, etc., to be able to adequately identify sufficient hazards. More than one pair of eyes is necessary to ensure that nothing is missed. 

Familiarity - a person carrying out a risk assessment in their own area is likely to miss a number of the present hazards due to familiarity or complacency. They may also be likely to accept certain risks as tolerable either because that it is the way they have always been or because they know they will be the person responsible for implementing any necessary controls. 

Teams - a team approach may be used to involve the people who actually carry out the task or work in the area and thereby gain their input into any likely hazards that could be identified together with any current risk control measures. If the workforce is able to suggest control measures which are later implemented, this not only makes the controls more likely to be complied with but also has positive effects on the whole organisation s safety culture. 

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