Risk Assessment Policy¶
| Document Reference | POL_HSQE_21 |
|---|---|
| Revision | 3 |
| Issue Date | 1st July 2025 |
| Next Review | 1st July 2026 |
| Status | Uncontrolled when printed |
Purpose¶
This policy ensures systematic identification and control of hazards across all A M Water Services Ltd operations, protecting our workforce and others affected by our activities. We recognize that effective risk assessment is fundamental to our #TEAM philosophy, preventing accidents before they occur.
Scope¶
This policy applies to all employees, directors, contractors, and visitors to A M Water Services Ltd premises and sites, covering all water infrastructure work, grab operations, and office-based activities.
Legal Requirements¶
This policy ensures compliance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which requires employers to assess and control workplace risks systematically.
Policy Statement¶
At A M Water Services Ltd, we assess risks before any work begins, whether we're laying water mains, operating grab lorries, or managing excavations near underground services. Our approach follows the hierarchy of control, always seeking to eliminate hazards where possible, and if not, reducing risks to acceptable levels through engineering controls, safe systems of work, and as a last resort, personal protective equipment.
All our risk assessments are undertaken by competent persons who understand both the hazards involved and the practical controls needed. Aaron Mason as Director leads this process, supported by our external health and safety consultant and trained supervisors who make generic assessments site-specific. We document every assessment in writing, ensuring they identify hazards, evaluate risks, and specify control measures that protect not just our team but also members of the public, other contractors, and anyone else who might be affected by our work.
Our water industry operations require particular attention to risks like deep excavations, contaminated ground, chlorination chemicals, and working in highways. Similarly, our grab activities involve vehicle movements, overhead cables, and unstable loads. We address these through comprehensive assessments that consider the task, the individual, the load, and the environment. When assessments identify high-risk activities, we develop detailed method statements and ensure work is properly supervised with permits to work where necessary.
Implementation¶
We implement this policy through regular training, ensuring all employees understand the risk assessments relevant to their work. Supervisors explain assessments during toolbox talks, giving workers the opportunity to contribute their practical experience and raise concerns. We review assessments whenever circumstances change, after incidents, or at least annually, updating them based on new equipment, procedures, or lessons learned from near misses and accidents.
Responsibilities¶
Directors hold overall responsibility for ensuring adequate risk assessment arrangements are in place and properly resourced. Management and supervisors conduct assessments for their areas, monitor compliance, and ensure control measures are implemented effectively. All employees must follow the control measures identified in risk assessments, report new hazards immediately, and contribute their knowledge during assessment reviews. Everyone has the right to stop work if they believe risks haven't been properly assessed or controlled.
Review¶
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Directors to ensure it remains effective and continues to prevent workplace accidents through comprehensive risk identification and control across all company operations.
Signed:
Aaron Mason Director A M Water Services Ltd 1st July 2025
Local controlled copy
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