This book is a simple guide to risk assessment for health and safety. It is aimed at individuals who want to learn the basics of risk assessment without making it unnecessarily complicated or time-consuming. It may also be useful to individuals involved in risk assessment who find it confusing or difficult to organise. The book covers the principles of risk assessment which are valid worldwide. However, it refers specifically to GB legislation and provides direction on how to make use of the Health and Safety Executive's guidance and online tools. Readers should find the book useful as a stepping stone to making risk assessment more accessible, easier to understand and less daunting. It may just save you money by helping you to avoid or minimise the need for an external consultant.

The book explains the terms involved in risk assessment and helps to outline how to organise your risk assessments to minimise gaps. It outlines the risk assessment process and dispels a few myths about what risk assessments must include. The hierarchy of protection is explained in simple terms to help you choose the right control measures for your situation. It also addresses the need for specific risk assessments for young persons, pregnant or nursing mothers and specific hazards such as work at height and the use of display screen equipment.

This book is written by a Chartered Member of IOSH and a qualified teacher with over 25 years of practical experience of risk assessment, auditing other organisations and teaching individuals worldwide about risk assessment and the management of health and safety. It draws on years of experience and a no-nonsense approach to compliance and improving health and safety in the workplace.