IOSH Assessing Risks 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the definition of a 'hazard' in health and safety?
- The likelihood of harm occurring
- Something with the potential to cause harm (Correct answer)
- The severity of an injury
- A breach of health and safety law
Correct answer: Something with the potential to cause harm
A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm. This could be a substance, piece of equipment, work method, or situation. It is distinct from 'risk', which considers the likelihood and severity of that harm.
Question 2: What is the definition of 'risk' in health and safety?
- Another word for hazard
- The likelihood that harm will occur and the severity of that harm (Correct answer)
- The number of accidents in a year
- The cost of implementing safety measures
Correct answer: The likelihood that harm will occur and the severity of that harm
Risk is the combination of the likelihood (probability) that a hazard will cause harm and the severity (consequence) of that harm. Risk = Likelihood × Severity is a common way to express this.
Question 3: How many steps are in the HSE's recommended risk assessment process?
- 3 steps
- 5 steps (Correct answer)
- 7 steps
- 10 steps
Correct answer: 5 steps
The HSE recommends a 5-step approach: (1) Identify hazards, (2) Decide who might be harmed and how, (3) Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions, (4) Record findings and implement them, (5) Review and update regularly.
Question 4: Which of the following is Step 1 of the HSE's 5-step risk assessment?
- Record your findings
- Identify the hazards (Correct answer)
- Evaluate the risks
- Review your assessment
Correct answer: Identify the hazards
Step 1 is to identify the hazards in the workplace. This can be done through workplace inspections, reviewing accident records, consulting workers, reading manufacturers' instructions, and checking industry guidance.
Question 5: What is a 'risk matrix' used for?
- Recording accident statistics
- Ranking risks by combining likelihood and severity ratings (Correct answer)
- Listing all workplace hazards alphabetically
- Calculating insurance premiums
Correct answer: Ranking risks by combining likelihood and severity ratings
A risk matrix is a tool that combines ratings for likelihood (how probable) and severity (how serious) to give an overall risk rating. This helps prioritise which risks need the most urgent attention and resource.
Question 6: Who should be consulted when carrying out a risk assessment?
- Only the health and safety manager
- The employees who do the work and their representatives (Correct answer)
- Only senior management
- The HSE inspector
Correct answer: The employees who do the work and their representatives
Employees who do the work have practical knowledge of the hazards and risks they face. Consulting them (and their representatives) is both a legal requirement and ensures the assessment is realistic and practical.
IOSH Assessing Risks 1
What is the definition of a 'hazard' in health and safety?