Risk Assessments

All members of the college must carry out a risk assessment where their work has the potential for harm to themselves or others.

No experimental work should be carried out without a signed risk assessment.

Risk assessments should be reviewed and updated annually or if there is a significant change to equipment or procedures. All risk assessments should be completed using the IOSH 5x5 Risk Assessment Matrix. MMBE Project Risk Assessment forms and guidance notes on completing risk assessments can be downloaded from Appendix A of the MMBE Safety Statement.

Responsibility lies with the supervisor / principal investigator to ensure risk assessments are kept up to date.

Project risk assessments can only be signed by the responsible Principal Investigator.

Equipment risk assessments can be compiled by an expert user (Experimental Officer, Chief Technical Officer) but must be authorised(signed) by the relevant PI if their student wishes to use the said equipment.

Don't sign anything you are not comfortable with, seek expert advice if required.

There are 4 basic steps to Risk Assessment:

1. Identify the hazards - hazards are anything that can cause serious harm
2. Assess risk from these hazards - the probability of harm occurring and to what degree of severity
3. Determine and implement relevant safety measures - your control measures are the most significant part of the risk assessment, as they set out the steps that must be followed to protect yourself and others
4. Assess residual risk - any risk that remains after the initial risk assessment is completed, refine control measures to account for this also

Risk assessments that may also be completed include:

• Bio Project & Biological Agents Risk Assessment
• Chemical Risk Assessment
• Laser Safety Risk Assessment
• Pregnant Employees Risk Assessment Form
• VDU Risk Assessment
• Lone Working Risk Assessment
• MMBE Risk Assessment 2022