Risk Rating and Action Priorities (BS8800)

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Dear all Safety Professionals

Reference for Risk assessments

Risk level Action and timescale Defined as per BS 8800 OR OHSAS 18001

1)Trivial: No action is required and no documentary records need be kept.

2)Tolerable : No additional controls are required. A more cost-effective solution or control measure that imposes no additional cost measure may be considered. Monitoring will help ensure that the controls are maintained.

3) Moderate: Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the costs of preventive measures should be carefully weighed up and limited. Risk reduction measures should be implemented within a defined time period. Where the moderate risk is associated with extremely harmful consequences, it may be necessary to carry out a further assessment to determine more precisely the likelihood of harm as a basis for improved control measures.

4) Substantial: Work should not be started until the risk has been reduced. This may call for considerable resources. Where work is already in progress, urgent action should be taken.

5) Intolerable: Work should not be started or continued until risk has been reduced. If risk cannot be reduced at any cost, then work must not proceed.