Example Risk Assessment - Kleenology

EXAMPLE RISK ASSESSMENT

Company name: XXXXX Date of risk assessment: 03//02/2010

What are the hazards?	Who might be harmed and how?	What are you already doing?	What further action is necessary?	Action by who?
Slips, trips and falls	Staff and others, including the public, risk injuries such as fractures and bruising if they trip over objects, or slip on spillages or on wet floors, and fall.	■ The right cleaning equipment is used for the right job, and staff follow safe systems of work. ■ Anti-slip matting at entrances. ■ Staff monitor entrances for wet floor surfaces walked in. ■ Spillages cleared up immediately, according to agreed procedures, and the floor left dry. Caution Wet Floor. ■ Staff do not leave cleaning materials/equipment unattended. ■ For machines with cables, cleaners use socket nearest to where they are working and use hazard cones to warn others.	■ Periodic toolbox talks from supervisor to raise awareness of risk of slips and trips.	Shift supervisors – at least once every 8 weeks
			■ Remind staff that, if appropriate, small spillages can be cleaned dry using absorbent paper towels.	Shift supervisors
			■ Cleaners reminded to wear sensible shoes, eg flat shoes with a good grip.	Shift supervisors
			■ Remind cleaners to report any uneven floor surfaces, inside or out, to their supervisor (who reports it to the supermarket for repair).	Shift supervisors
Contact with bleach and other cleaning chemicals	Staff risk getting skin problems such as dermatitis, and eye damage, from direct contact with bleach and other cleaning chemicals, eg solvents and detergents. Vapour may cause breathing problems.	■ Long-handled mops/brushes, and appropriate gloves, provided and staff trained in their use. ■ All staff trained in the risks, use and storage of cleaning chemicals and wear personal protective equipment as instructed. ■ Cleaning chemicals marked ‘irritant’ substituted, where possible, for milder alternatives. ■ Cleaning machines designed to minimise handling of cleaning chemicals.	■ Staff reminded to report any health problems they think may come from cleaning, and to check for dry, red or itchy skin on their hands.	Supervisors
Contact with bleach and other cleaning chemicals			■ Staff reminded to wash gloves and aprons after use.	Supervisors

What are the hazards?	Who might be harmed and how?	What are you already doing?	What further action is necessary?	Action by who?
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and injuries	Staff risk problems such as back pain if they try to lift objects that are heavy and/ or awkward to carry, such as cleaning machines or heavy waste bags, or if they are required to often work in awkward postures.	■ All staff trained in lifting safely. ■ Staff using cleaning machines fully trained in their use. ■ Trolleys provided for moving bags of waste and staff use them. ■ Staff do not overfill bags and buckets. ■ Rubbish skip emptied by sub-contractors meaning waste bags are not stacked high. ■ Mopping systems have a long-handled wringer, and a bucket on wheels to reduce lifting and carrying. ■ Long-handled mops, brushes and litter pickers provided to reduce need to stretch and stoop. ■ Cleaning machines stored near point of use.	■ Remind staff to tell supervisor if machinery is defective so it can be taken out of use.	Supervisors
Work at height, eg high cleaning of windows and fascias	Staff risk bruising and fracture injuries if they fall from any height.	■ ‘No ladders’ policy. ■ All high-level cleaning done by trained staff working from floor level, using telescopic poles with cleaning tools attached.	■ No further action needed at this stage.
Verbal abuse or assault	Zero Tolerance Policy.	■ Staff trained to provide a good, polite service that takes account of customers and others needs. ■ Staff trained in dealing with difficult and/or confrontational situations. ■ Staff report all instances of abuse.	■ Supervisors reminded to investigate all instances of abuse and inform contract manager of findings and action taken.	Manager
Electrical	Staff risk electric shocks or burns from faulty electrical equipment or installation, or from misuse of electrical appliances.	■ Staff trained to perform pre-use checks on cables, switches and sockets before using electrical appliances. ■ Electrical installation tested and maintained by competent people according to a planned schedule. ■ Staff trained in basic electrical safety, eg not to splash water near sockets.	■ Remind staff to do pre-use checks before using electrical appliances.	Supervisors
Charging and storage of batteries	Staff risk burns from contact with battery acid when charging batteries.	■ Only authorised, trained staff do this job, wearing suitable personal protective equipment and following a safe system of work. ■ Well-ventilated area provided for charging. ■ Safe storage area for spare motive power batteries.	■ Put up a sign setting out the charging procedure at the charging point.	Manager

What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed and how?

What are you already doing?

What further action is necessary?

Action by who?

Lack of awareness of risk by staff

Staff, particularly temporary staff from an agency, are at risk if they are not aware of the risks on site and how those risks are controlled.

■ Risk assessment discussed with all staff and a copy pinned up in staff room.

■ Temps are briefed on safety by supervisor before beginning work.

■ Temporary staff agency provides only staff who speak good English.

■ No further action needed at this stage.

Fire

If trapped, staff could suffer fatal injuries from smoke inhalation/burns.

■ Supermarket company has done a fire risk assessment (www.fire.gov.uk/Workplace+safety) and taken necessary action.

■ Continue to co-operate with supermarket to ensure that all the actions identified as necessary are done.