This Risk Assessment must be carried out in accordance with instructions.
| Description of Workplace/task |
| No | Hazards | Risk of? | Who is at risk? | Existing controls | Severity |
Likelihood | Overall risk | Further controls required |
| 1.1 | Staff not aware of contents of risk assessment | Increased risk of accidents | All staff | *Copy of risk assessment to be made available to all staff and reading to be confirmed
*District Manager to be responsible for ensuring that all staff read the assessment and that it is reviewed annually
*Discuss H&S at team meetings | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 1.2 | Risk assessment not reviewed following an accident, ill health or dangerous occurrence, result of health surveillance or confirmed case of occupationally induced disease | Increased risk of accidents
Hazards remain | All staff | *District Manager to be responsible for accident reporting
*District Manager to take immediate action to review assessment and make necessary changes. Discuss and publicise changes with colleagues/staff | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 1.3 | Lack of health and safety training | Lack of awareness of potential hazards or Departmental responsibilities | All staff | *Training available as appropriate | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 1.4 | Lack of awareness of hazards present in working environment | Personal injury | All staff | *Inexperienced staff to complete a familiarisation tour of port or airport environment prior to start of work | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 2.1 | Access to working area
Collision with other vehicles
Knocked down by other vehicles
| Personal injury | All staff | *Mandatory to wear high-visibility clothing
*Observe/use designated walkways
*Heightened awareness of hazards | 3 | 1 | Low | |
| 2.2 | Lack of protective clothing — High-visibility jacket, safety hat, shoes, glasses, thermal clothing
Protective clothing provided but not worn | Not being seen
Personal injury — jewellery caught
Head injury
Broken foot
Chemical contact with eyes resulting in permanent damage | All staff | *Observe trader’s H&S arrangements at all times
*Appropriate PPE to be available and worn as required, e.g. gloves maintained and properly stored
*Damaged or lost PPE to be reported and replaced immediately
*Individual officer’s awareness of risks | 3 | 1 | Low | |
| 2.3 | Examination of hazardous goods
Goods of unknown type/risk of contamination | Inhalation of dust/mineral fibres/asbestos — respiratory tract/lung problems
Chemical contact with skin — burns | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Establish origins of container/trailer and the nature/type of load
*Ensure doors secure
*Read and obey any labels or hazard notices on outside of packaging/container
*If in doubt do not proceed with examination
*PPE to be worn at all times
*Check for presence of dust/powder/ contaminants present in the atmosphere or which could rise into the atmosphere
*Check for presence of fumigants — if unsure do not enter
*Conduct atmosphere test for oxygen levels or presence of fumigants
*If necessary, ventilate container if internal examination required | 3 | 1 | Low | |
| 2.4 | Breaking container seal
Opening trailer/container doors
Struck by door or load
Awareness of possibility of unauthorised persons hiding in cargo | Major injuries
Impact from breaking seal, doors or load
Personal injury/shock | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Operator only to open vehicles
*Ensure staff are clear of vehicle/container when opening doors
*Ensure doors secured when open
*Staff awareness of police contact numbers | 1 | 1 | Insignificant | Two officers must carry out the examination
Mobile phone must be held at all times |
| 2.5 | Examination of shifting/unstable loads
Removal of ropes, tarpaulins or the curtains of curtain-sider lorries may release load | Major injuries: crush/fractures/ bruising | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Safety helmets, gloves and safety boots to be worn as appropriate
*All loads to be examined at ground level with the assistance of on-site labour | 1 | 1 | Insignificant | |
| 2.6 | Examination in a refrigerated unit
Exposure to cold
Accidental locking in
Ice build up, uneven and slippery floors
Standing on and accidental release of inner-sprung stanchions | Cold burns, frost bite, hypothermia
Harmful to those with cardiovascular disease
May trip an asthma attack
Slips, trips and falls — personal injury: sprain, broken limbs | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Wear appropriate PPE, hats, gloves and cold-weather clothing, including insulated boots and safety helmet
*Ensure adequate light
*Limit duration of work in cold store
*Make sure power is switched off
*Make sure hot drinks/food available
*Enter with an authorised person only
*Never work in the unit alone or without anyone outside
*Check individual health/ability to work in the cold
*Never stand on inner-sprung stanchions to gain access to load | 3 | 1 | Low | |
| 2.7 | Vehicle emissions
CO2 and respirable particulates | Irritation to respiratory tract and eyes | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Vehicles to be switched off
*Work area to be well ventilated — doors opened
*If atmosphere causes irritation, discontinue examination until fumes have cleared
*Take breaks in the fresh air, limit duration of activity | 1 | 1 | Insignificant | |
| 2.8 | Struck by moving vehicles
Vehicles moving at speed, e.g. fork-lift trucks
Restricted view of drivers — blind corners | Possible fatality, major injury | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Mandatory to wear high-visibility clothing
*Observe designated walkways
*Heightened awareness of visual and audible signals controlling vehicle movements, e.g. horns, flashing lights, warning signs or hand signalling
*Buddy system for hearing-impaired staff
*Never walk under a raised mast or load
*Park vehicles with awareness of hazards and access
*Advise site operator that an examination is being carried out
Beware at corners — operator might not be able to see you | 3 | 1 | Low | |
| 2.9 | Fork-lift trucks on site
Collision with pedestrians, other fork-lift trucks, plant and equipment
Overloading causing instability and increasing braking distances
Stack unsafe when stacking or de-stacking
Contact with overhead obstacles
Use of broken pallets and/or unstable loads | Impact (physical injury, loss of limbs)
Trapping/ crushing
Inhalation of toxic exhaust gases and particulates
Fire | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Always use marked pedestrian routes and crossings
*Wear high-visibility clothing on site
*Always keep a look-out for fork-lift trucks
*Remain alert to audible alarms and flashing lights to warn of vehicle movements
*Buddy system for hearing-impaired staff
*Do not operate or ride on a fork-lift truck
*Stand clear of fork-lift trucks when lifting and lowering
*Do not walk under a raised mast or load | 3 | 1 | Low | |
| 2.10 | Poor lighting in customs examination shed | Injury/falls
Eye strain | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Move activity to a better-lit area or outside
*Provide additional lighting
*Use torches if safe to do so | 1 | 1 | Insignificant | |
| 2.11 | Poor conditions for access to and exit from customs examination shed
No loading bay to access trailer/container
Use tail-lift access or dock leveller | Risk of falls, personal injury, bruising, sprain, break, trapping, trips | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Officer awareness of hazards and need for caution
*Stand away from tail-lift edge to prevent falling, trapping fingers or body parts by moving mechanism
*Keep clear of moving platform
*Ensure that examination is carried out at ground level | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 2.12 | Working in a loading bay
Reversing vehicles
Premature departure of vehicles
Falls of persons or loads from vehicle | Injury/death due to contact, collision, impact, crushing, trapping
Falling from back of trailer | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Obtain and observe traders’ H&S arrangements at all times
*E.g. pedestrian-only routes
*Identify with trader what work is to be undertaken prior to commencement
*Abide by roles and responsibilities for examination of goods and inspections of vehicles or containers | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 2.13 | Breaking container seal
Opening trailer/container doors
Struck by door or load | Major injuries
Impact from breaking seal doors or load | All staff present (including port operatives) | *Supervisory controls in place
*Do not stand behind reversing vehicles
*Wear high-visibility clothing on site | 1 | 1 | Insignificant | |
| 2.14 | Examination of load | Care to be taken when examining boxes | All staff present (including port operatives) | *All heavy loads to be moved by fork-lift truck or pallet
*Wear PPE, e.g. safety shoes/boots, non-slip gloves, etc., as appropriate
*Goods to be examined to be produced to a standard acceptable to the officer
*Any action in respect of the goods or their containers for the purposes of examination by an officer to be taken by, or at the expense, of the proprietor of the goods | 1 | 1 | Insignificant | |
| 2.15 | Access to goods in vehicle loads | Physical injury
Trapping, crushing | All staff present (including port operatives) | *All loads must be examined at ground level | 2 | 2 | Low | |
| 2.16 | Weapons/explosives | Possible fatality, major injury | All staff present (including port operatives) | *On discovery of weapons/explosives, seek expert assistance immediately unless trained
*Make-safe officer to be informed
*Liaise with port authority/site operator on discovery of explosives to clear area/keep area clear | 5 | 1 | Medium | |
Use the risk rate to prioritise action
Where risks are assessed as requiring additional controls the following action plan should be used to manage the process. Action timescales depend on levels of risk — as far as reasonably practicable, the greater the risk the sooner action must be taken.
| ACTION PLAN FOR FURTHER CONTROLS |
| What is required? | By whom? | By when? |
| Mobile Phone to be kept on station and fully charged | Office Manager | At all times |
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In order to ensure that work continues to be safe, the control measures identified in the risk assessment must be implemented and maintained. The following checklist should be used to highlight how controls will be checked.
| PLAN FOR ACTIVE MONITORING |
| Control measure | How monitored? | By whom? | How often? |
| All Measures | Review and reminder to staff | Line Manager | Annually |
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Risk assessments must be reviewed following any significant change, e.g. if there is any reason to suspect that the assessment is no longer valid and at least annually. The results of the reviews are to be recorded below.
Any changes must be recorded on the assessment and communicated to the relevant staff.
| DETAILS OF REVIEW |
| Date of review | Findings | Reviewed by? | Signature |
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