Show Notes
Colin is back for an all-new series of shows, just in time to guide you through the ever-evolving world of health and safety in the workplace.
In this edition he addresses the critical topic of risk assessment, emphasising the often-overlooked implications of categorising risks, particularly those associated with death. He highlights the common practice of using a risk matrix to evaluate likelihood and severity, urging listeners to reflect on the true meaning of a "number five" rating—death
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Risk assessments are often conducted poorly, and it's crucial to take them seriously, especially when they involve severe outcomes like death.
When assessing risks, it's essential to fully comprehend the implications of a severity rating of five (death) and its impact on families, colleagues, and the workplace.
Once a risk assessment indicates a potential for death, there is a duty to ensure that the control measures implemented are effective and genuinely reduce the likelihood of such an event occurring.
All stakeholders, including managers, supervisors, and employees, must believe in and understand the control measures in place; otherwise, they are unlikely to be followed.
BEST MOMENTS
"Risk assessment is one of those things that gets done really, really poorly."
"The minute we put down a five on a risk assessment, the minute we put death on a risk assessment, we've got a duty to really make sure that the control measures... are gonna be effective."
"What sort of impact would it have on the family? What sort of impact does it have on your employees, on the colleagues?"
"We've still got death written on our risk assessment... and I just want you to think about that."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Interesting Health & Safety Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/vn/podcast/the-interesting-health-safety-podcast/id1467771449
Project Mollitiam - https://www.projectmollitiam.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Colin Nottage
‘Making health and safety as important as everything else we do.’
This is the belief that Colin is passionate about and through his consultancy Influential Management Group (IMG) is able to spread into industry. Colin works at a strategic level with company owners and board members. He helps business leaders establish and achieve their health and safety ambitions.
He has developed a number of leading competency improvement programmes that are delivered across industry and his strengths are his ability to take a practical approach to problem-solving and being able to liaise at all levels within an organisation.
Colin also runs a company that vets contractors online and a network that develops and support H&S consultancies to become better businesses.
Colin chairs the Construction Dust Partnership, an industry collaboration directly involving many organisations, including the Health and Safety Executive.
He is a Post Graduate Tutor at Strathclyde University and a highly sought-after health and safety speaker and trainer. He has a Post Graduate Certificate in Safety and Risk management, an engineering degree and is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
More from The Interesting Health & Safety Podcast
Colin is joined by Crystal Danbury to discuss the pervasive issue of loneliness and social isolation and its deep impact on mental and physical health.
Colin meets Becky Ray, the owner of Culture Kick Limited, who’s here to talk about the importance of workplace culture, leadership, and the need for reflection in business practices.
Colin discusses the concept of bottlenecks in a business context, inspired by a LinkedIn post. He relates the common belief that the bottleneck is at the top of a bottle to the idea that senior management is always the issue. He counters this by pointing out that when pouring, the bottleneck is at the bottom, using the simple phrase "not when pouring”.
Colin challenges the perception of health and safety as a passive noun or mere set of documents, reframing it as an active "verb"—something you must consistently do in your business. He introduces a comprehensive set of "doing" activities for health and safety specialists and business leaders, focusing on learning from near-misses, improving competency, integrated planning, and direct engagement with the workforce
Colin discusses the critical role of health and safety professionals in the workplace, emphasising the importance of influence over implementation. He highlights the challenges faced by these professionals, particularly when they lack a seat at the decision-making table, and stresses the need to build strong relationships with operational teams to effectively manage risks