HOW TO CUT PREMIUMS: RISK ASSESSMENT One of the most
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obvious ways to reduce insurance premiums is to cut claims through effective risk assessment. The Health and Safety Executive says there are five simple steps to achieving this.
1. Identify hazards in the workplace. A hazard is anything that could cause harm, such as chemicals and electricity.
2. Decide who might be harmed by the hazard. Some employees, such as trainees, may be at particular risk. Visitors, contractors and people who may not be in the workplace the whole time also need to be considered.
3. Evaluate the risk that somebody will be harmed by the hazard, then decide whether existing precautions are adequate or whether more needs to be done. Employers must do what is reasonably practicable to keep their workplaces safe.
4. Record any significant findings of the assessment if there are at least five employees. Employers need lobe able to show that a proper check was made, that all the obvious hazards were taken into account and that the remaining risks are low following remedial action.
5. Review risk assessments regularly to ensure the precautions are working effectively, particularly when a change in business activity introduces a significant new hazard.