1. Introduction
This Health and Safety Risk Assessment Document aims to provide clear guidelines for identifying, managing, and controlling health and safety risks in the workplace. It is designed to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and to create a safer working environment for all employees.
1.1 Purpose
To outline the steps and procedures taken to identify potential risks, assess risks, and implement effective control measures.
1.2 Scope
This document covers all aspects of workplace health and safety within UrbanChain, including but not limited to employee safety, risk management, and emergency procedures.
UrbanChain is committed to providing a safe working environment for all employees, contractors, and visitors. The company will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation, including:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002
2. Roles and responsibilities
This section outlines the roles and responsibilities of individuals and teams responsible for health and safety within the organisation.
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Health and Safety Officer | Ensure the risk assessments are completed and reviewed regularly. |
| Managers and Supervisors | Oversee implementation of safety procedures in their areas. |
| SLT/EXECs | To ensure the correct and most up-to-date liability insurance. |
| Employees | Follow safety protocols and report any health and safety issues to management. |
| First Aiders | Trained first aid staff to provide immediate first aid. |
| Fire Wardens | Ensure safe evacuation during fire drills and emergencies. |
| Risk department | Responsible for monitoring, reviewing, and managing health and safety processes. |
3. Risk Assessment Process/Procedures and Control Measures
| Health and Safety issues | Who might be harmed and how? | Current controls to mitigate risk | Planned mitigation | Owner of planned mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPE | Employees (e.g., eye strain from screens, minor injuries from office equipment). Litter picking event — PPE to keep staff safe, handling ink cartridges. | Provide anti-glare screens, gloves for handling sharp objects, litter pickers, high vis for outreach work. | Implement a DSE assessment for all staff, provide wrist supports. | People and Culture |
| Accidents at work | Employees (e.g., slips, trips, and falls) | Clear walkways, spill cleanup procedures. | Install additional anti-slip mats in high-traffic areas, wire covers for any trailing wires, additional training in safe work practices. | People and Culture / Office management |
| Pregnant workers | Pregnant employees (e.g., discomfort, fatigue) | Flexible working hours, ergonomic chairs. | DSE | People and Culture |
| Lone workers | Lone workers (e.g., accidents without immediate assistance) | Regular check-ins via phone or email. | Implement a lone worker alarm system. | Companywide / People and Culture |
| Mental Health First Aiders | Employees (e.g., stress, anxiety, burnout) | NA | Train two Mental Health First Aiders. | People and Culture |
| First Aiders | Employees (e.g., minor injuries, medical emergencies) | NA | Train three First Aiders. | People and Culture |
| Safe systems | Employees (e.g., unsafe use of equipment) | Clear operating procedures for office equipment. | Review and update safe systems of work annually. | Office management / Companywide |
| Risk assessments | Employees (e.g., unidentified hazards) | Annual risk assessments conducted, case-by-case risk assessments. | Continue current practice and look to improve risk analysis and assessment process. | Designated Health and Safety representative |
| Manual Handling | Employees (e.g., back injuries from lifting heavy objects) | Training provided on safe lifting techniques. | Provide additional manual handling training for new staff. | Part of onboarding process — People and Culture |
| Fire wardens | Employees (e.g., injury or death in case of fire) | One trained fire warden on-site. | Train two additional fire wardens. | People and Culture |
| Eyesight tests | Employees (e.g., eye strain, headaches) | NA | Free eyesight tests offered annually. | People and Culture |
| Smoking, drugs and alcohol | Employees (e.g., impaired judgment, health risks) | No smoking signage in office. | Conduct awareness sessions on the risks of smoking, drugs, and alcohol. | People and Culture |
| Health and Safety Policy Statement | Employees (e.g., lack of awareness of safety procedures) | Policy created. Policy displayed on intranet and noticeboards. | Update policy to include remote working guidelines. Policy to be reviewed annually. | Risk Department / Office Management |
| Wellbeing and Stress | Employees (e.g., burnout, mental health issues) | Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available — available to SLT. | Introduce EAPs to ALL staff. | People and Culture |
| Workstation assessments | Employees (e.g., musculoskeletal disorders) | NA | Implementation of DSE. | People and Culture |
| Health & Safety committee | Employees (e.g., lack of representation in safety decisions) | NA | Creation of a H&S committee — then quarterly Health and Safety committee meetings. | People and Culture |
| Working Time Regulations | Employees (e.g., fatigue, overwork) | Compliance with Working Time Regulations (e.g., breaks, maximum hours). | Schedule periodic reminders of working time regulations. | People and Culture |
| Disaster contingency plan | Employees (e.g., disruption to work, data loss) | Employees to WFH if there are travel disruptions — data all stored offsite in Microsoft servers. | WFH — Data protection policies established. | TECH |
| Emergency Protocol | Employees (e.g., injury or death in case of emergency) | NA | New Fire wardens to be trained and Fire evacuation drills to be conducted annually. | People and Culture |
4. Training and Awareness
All employees will receive appropriate training relevant to their role, both at induction and periodically thereafter. Ongoing awareness initiatives will ensure staff remain informed about workplace hazards, safe practices, and changes to health and safety procedures.
5. Monitoring and Review
The implementation of this Health and Safety Policy will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure compliance with legal requirements and organisational standards. Regular inspections, audits, and incident reports will be reviewed to assess effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Responsibilities for monitoring will be assigned to [Health and Safety Officer/HR Team], who will ensure that corrective actions are taken where necessary.
This policy will be formally reviewed annually, or sooner if there are significant changes in legislation, workplace practices, or after a major incident. Any necessary amendments will be made to reflect best practices and ensure continued compliance.
6. Appendices
Appendix A: PPE Guidelines
| PPE Type | When required | Who should wear it |
|---|---|---|
| Disposable gloves | First aid — handling cleaning materials | First aiders, staff when required |
| First aid kit | Administering first aid | First aiders |
| Wrist supports | Repetitive typing, wrist strain prevention | Employees (as needed) |
| Ergonomic chairs & Back supports | Prolonged sitting, back strain prevention | Employees (as needed) |
| Adjustable monitor stands | To ensure correct screen height and reduce neck strain | Employees (as needed) |
| Anti-glare | To reduce eyestrain from screens | Employees (as needed) |
| Footrests & standing desks | To support posture and circulation | Employees (as needed) |
Appendix B: Accident reporting procedures
A physical Health and Safety Accident Reporting book will be distributed to all staff for the purpose of documenting any incidents or accidents that occur.
Appendix C: Lone worker safety
To ensure the safety and well-being of lone workers, UC tracks various factors related to remote and isolated working conditions. The following table outlines key elements that can be monitored:
| Category | What can be tracked | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Work location | WFH days, off-site locations | Ensures visibility of employee location |
| Check-ins | Regular check ins via phone, email | Confirms worker safety and well-being |
| Health and well-being | Stress levels, workload assessments | Identifies potential burnout/well-being concern |
| Emergency contacts | Up-to-date contact info | Enables quick response in an emergency |
| Risk assessments | Office ergonomic checks | Ensure safe working environment |
| Incident reporting | Near misses/accidents | Support continuous safety improvements |
Appendix D: Risk assessment templates
Risk assessments for any event held on behalf of UC must be conducted thoroughly. These assessments apply to a range of events, including but not limited to social gatherings, food and catering events, office-related activities, travel, and corporate functions.
Template to follow:
| Hazard | Potential risk | Control measures | Responsible person | Likelihood | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|