This document provides information on risk assessments including: 1. What a risk assessment is and why they should be conducted from both legal and moral perspectives. 2. The key information that should be included in a risk assessment such as hazards, people at risk, existing control measures, and further actions needed. 3. Who is responsible for conducting risk assessments within a school setting according to health and safety policies. Standard risk assessment templates and examples that are available are also mentioned. 4. Common risks that may exist within a school environment and need to be assessed are outlined. The document stresses that risk assessments should be reviewed periodically or when circumstances change. Advice can be sought from colleagues, local authorities, and

1. RISK
ASSESSMENT
Dean Fenton
Dean.fenton@rotherham.gov.uk

2. What is a Risk Assessment?
 A Risk Assessment is simply a careful
examination of what, in your work, could
cause harm to people, so that you can
weigh up whether you have taken
enough precautions or should do more to
prevent harm.
 (Source – Health and Safety Executive
HSE)

3. Why should we do Risk
Assessments ?
 Legal – requirement by law - under the
Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999 and individual organisations
health and safety policies required under the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
 Financial – less chance of claims and prosecutions
 Moral – Duty of care owed to all Employees and
others affected by our work

4. What information should a Risk
Assessment include ?
1. Hazards (what could go wrong)
2. People at Risk (who might be harmed)
3. Control measures at present (have enough precautions
been taken)
4. Further action required (should more be done)
5. Record details and keep the assessment under review
Source – HSE ‘5 steps to risk assessment’ guidance.

5. Who is responsible for doing
the risk assessments ?
Your Organisations health and Safety policy will outline
who is responsible for completing the risk
assessments.
In a school the overall responsibility for ensuring risk
assessments are completed is that of the Headteacher
and Governing Body. However Heads of individual
departments will most likely be responsible for
ensuring that all reasonably foreseeable significant
risks are assessed and managed effectively. There will
also be a line of accountability to the Headteacher and
Governing Body outlined in the policy.

6. Are there any standard Risk
Assessments available to use ?
Yes – there are lots of examples and models
available to get you started or assist the
process.
CYPS provides models for schools on the
RGFL portal page and RMBC intranet site.
There are also specialist models available from
CLEAPSS covering science, Art and D & T,
AfPE covering sport and PE risks, EVOLVE
covering educational visits risks etc

7. What risks exist in and around
school ?
Examples include:
Safeguarding, supervision of pupils and site security
Educational visits
Use, handling, storage and transport of articles and
substances eg COSHH / equipment etc
Use of equipment eg PE apparatus
Use of substances and solutions eg Science, Art etc
Use of machinery eg D & T

8. Risk Assessments
Attitudes to risk vary greatly between
individuals so a group or team approach
as opposed to an individual approach is a
better practice when assessing risk and
establishing safe working practices.

9. Reduce not eliminate
A common misperception to risk is that it
should be eliminated.
We should be taking well managed and
planned risks, not eliminating all of them
wherever possible !
However in extreme cases elimination is the
only solution or answer.

10. What if we get it wrong ?
There is no such thing as a perfect risk
assessment. We all make mistakes and
have errors of judgement, once you
discover that something isn’t right, rectify
it.
Risk assessments are living documents
and should be amended to move with
progress and change.

11. How often should risk
assessments be reviewed ?
The law requires that risk assessments should
be reviewed periodically, it is up to the
employer to decide on frequency (most risk
assessments are reviewed annually at least).
Risk assessments must also be reviewed if
there is a significant incident or major injury eg
person is sent to hospital, has time off, or the
circumstances / setting etc have changed.

12. Where can we get advice from ?
Colleagues in school
Local Authority advisors
Expert bodies eg CLEAPSS, AfPE etc

13. Reference
Model risk assessments available from
RMBC intranet / RGFL
Guidance such as CLEAPSS, AfPE
etc
HSE guidance
School policies and procedures