Hazard and Risk Management

Policy

GPDocs Model Practice has a duty under health and safety legislation to identify hazards and assess, eliminate, and minimise risks. By using a risk management approach, the practice is able to ensure the health and safety of staff, patients, and other people, so far as is reasonably practicable.

All hazards are recorded in the hazard register, and significant hazards are managed through the process described below.

Any hazardous substances kept at the practice are identified and managed appropriately.

Responsibility

The health and safety coordinator is responsible for hazard and risk management. This includes identifying and investigating incidents in conjunction with senior clinical staff.

All staff are encouraged to actively participate in making sure our practice is safe.

See also Health and Safety in Our Practice.

Hazard identification

We identify hazards in the practice by using the following guidelines:

1. Regularly identify and assess hazards within our practice environment.
   • We encourage staff to identify hazards or potential hazards during their working day.
   • If a hazard can't be easily and immediately eliminated, report the hazard using the hazard identification form.
2. Record all identified hazards and risk assessments in the hazard register.
3. Determine the risk associated with each hazard – that is, the likelihood of someone being harmed and how badly they could be harmed by the hazard.

Use a risk assessment matrix to assess the risk level for each hazard.

Risk assessment and management

We manage risks in the practice by identifying hazards and assessing the level of risk each hazard poses. This informs our decision-making about what needs to be done to eliminate or minimise risks, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Risks must be eliminated. If it is not reasonably practicable to do so, the practice follows the guidelines below:

1. Minimise the risk(s) using risk-control measures, such as:
   • replacing the hazard with something that gives rise to lesser risk
   • isolating the hazard from any person exposed to it
   • preventing anyone from coming in contact with the hazard
   • implementing engineering controls.
2. If risk still remains, minimise the remaining risk by implementing administrative controls, such as training.
3. If further risk remains, minimise the remaining risk by ensuring the provision and use of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE).

See also Worksafe – How to Manage Work Risks.

Monitoring hazards and auditing performance

The practice ensures that all health and safety policies and procedures are followed by regularly monitoring hazards and auditing overall risk management, using the guidelines below:

• Regularly review and discuss the hazard register and our management of significant hazards at practice meetings.
• Monitor and discuss our risk management performance in practice meetings and raise issues with practice management for further investigation.

See also Health and Safety Monitoring.

Hazard and Risk Management Documents

Hazard identification form