How To Carry Out A Risk Assessment In A Public Place.

Accidents can occur at any time and under any circumstances. The sort of accidents that can be the most traumatic are ones that are completely unexpected. For example, when things go wrong in public places where you would expect to be protected; victims may suffer from a feeling of injustice and vulnerability that can add a psychological suffering to any physical injuries. It is the responsibility of the owner of a business to carry out a risk assessment in order to decrease any potential risks. Sadly, lots of accidents that occur in public places could have been avoided if the appropriate measures would have been put in place to eliminate risks.

If a company fails to carry out a duty of care that is expected of them, then this is when accidents are bound to happen. The idea that accidents could have been avoided if more care was to be taken adds to the injustice of the situation for the victims. And all the more reason for a victim to make a claim.

All places that are open to the public must be covered by public liability cover by law. Places like swimming pools, gyms, supermarkets, shops, public footpaths and restaurants are all included. The list is endless. Common accidents include tripping on uneven pavement, slipping on a wet floor in a supermarket or stepping in a pothole. Again the list is endless. You cannot predict the exact place that an incident may occur but you can be aware of any potential risks. You can do this by carrying out a risk assessment on your premises.

A risk assessment is not difficult to do but it may be time-consuming if done thoroughly and correctly. It may be wise to seek additional professional help if you are not entirely competent in the field of risk assessment. Alternatively, if you are attempting to carry out a risk assessment on a company that is visited by members of the public; it may be a good idea to ask different member of staff to focus on their own areas of expertise to spread the load a little.

A successful risk assessment would follow a systematic process that focuses on each area individually and as part of a whole. You should use a checklist of common hazards to help you to identify potential risk areas. These risks should then be recorded and you should also record a solution to the hazard. But you should also be on the look out for any additional risks that are not present on the checklist and record these. By now you will have a better idea of the risks associated with your company and how to avoid them on a day to day basis.

Tags: accidents, circumstances, duty of care, injustice, measures, nbsp, physical injuries, pothole, premises, public liability, risk assessment, supermarket, swimming pools, uneven pavement, vulnerability, wet floor