Stop - Think - Plan - Risk Assessment

Before you start your booking look around and check for any thing that might be a risk to you or your client. Observe the environment and take everything in. 

If you notice a hazard that could potentially injure someone or cause damage, stop what you’re doing. Nothing is more important than preventing injuries. Ask yourself: 

• What are we doing today and what might go wrong?
• What are the hazards to me and to my client?
• Does my Client’s Support Plan provide enough information to assess any specific risks that relate to their disability that need to be considered? 
• Ask your client if they can see any hazards or things that might go wrong.

What is a hazard?

A safety hazard is anything that might hurt you or a client or cause damage to property. It might be:

• Dangerous surf conditions at the beach
• Medical waste like needles, or other unhygienic material.
• Bad weather impacting travel or the environment.
• Household pets or other animals.
• Sporting or play equipment.

A hazard is a cause of a risk - for example:

• Scenario - Client asks you to hang a picture but their ladder is a bit broken.
• Hazard - the broken ladder.
• Risk - Falling from Height.  

Take a moment and think about what you or your client has seen. It is time to assess the hazards and the risk. Think about: 

• How likely is it that something will go wrong? Likelihood
• What happens if it does go wrong? Consequences
• You can combine Likelihood and Consequence to Rate a Risk

Hireup’s Risk Matrix is shown below - this shows you the combination of Likelihood and Consequence. 

Once you have enough information about the risk or hazard, plan your next steps. 

Ask yourself:

• Is the risk too high to even consider carrying out the activity? 
• What can I do to control the risk?
  • Can I eliminate the hazard?
  • Can I substitute the hazard?
• How can I communicate the hazard effectively? 
  • Does my client have any ideas or thoughts on what we do next? 

• Eliminate the hazard - tell the client we can’t hang the picture until the ladder is fixed. 
• Substitute the hazard - swap the broken ladder with something that is safer?
• Communication is a control - it’s important to talk to your clients and others about the hazards, how high a risk is, and what will help to control them. 

Manual handling: 

Can you access the right equipment?

Are you well positioned?

Are you avoiding heavy loads, highly repetitive or extreme movements? 

Slips and trips:

Are you holding stair handrails?

Are walkways free of trip hazards without slippery surfaces?

Is there adequate lighting?

Personal safety and security:

Are you protected from physical harm?

Are you protected from psychological harm?