The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published new guidance on risk management in Summer 2006. It included the following advice on 'sensible risk management' and advice on how to conduct a risk assessment and produce control measures.

Sensible risk management IS about:

• ensuring that workers and the public are properly protected;
• providing overall benefit to society by balancing benefits and risks, focusing on reducing real risks – those which arise more often and those with serious consequences;
• enabling innovation and learning, not stifling them;
• ensuring that those who create risks manage them;
• enabling individuals to understand that as well as the right to protection they also have to exercise responsibility.

Sensible risk management IS NOT about:

• creating a totally risk-free society;
• generating useless paperwork mountains;
• scaring people by exaggerating or publicising trivial risks;
• stopping important recreational and learning activities for individuals where the risks are managed;
• reducing protection of people from risks that cause real harm and suffering.

See Risk Assessment Database for In-school Activities in RAS3A and a Database for Off-site Activities in RAS3. Guidance on assessing risks is contained in RAS1 and 'how to do it' is in RAS2A.

To see the complete HSE guidance go to the HSE website www.hse.gov/pubns

January 2007