Despite its central importance for occupational health and safety, a risk assessment does not cover all risks - chronic suffering and the potential for natural disasters or soft factors, as well as technological risks, for example, are often not taken into account.
Discover here what a risk assessment does not identify in order to close the safety gaps in your company and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the potential hazards.
The most important facts in brief
✓ A risk assessment often does not cover individual health risks, long-term effects on health, technological risks and unforeseeable events such as natural disasters or pandemics.
✓ Additional measures such as regular health checks, occupational health management, training and the consideration of soft factors and technological risks can help to overcome the limitations of risk assessment and improve occupational health and safety.
✓ Employers are legally obliged to carry out risk assessments and can be held liable if safety regulations are not adhered to, which can even lead to fines or penalties.
What a risk assessment does not determine
Individual health risks
Every employee is unique and has personal health conditions that include different susceptibilities to certain illnesses. Chronic illnesses, allergies or personal predispositions to certain diseases can pose individual health risks that are often not identified in a risk assessment.
While the focus is on the general risks arising from working conditions, specific protective measures that may require individual employee health conditions are often overlooked. This can lead to certain employees being exposed to a higher risk without appropriate precautions being taken.
Long-term effects
In addition to the immediate risks, it is often the long-term effects that are not identified in a risk assessment. Risk assessments often focus on acute risks and may neglect the cumulative effects of long-term exposures on employee health. The collection and analysis of data, such as key performance indicators, can help to identify longer-term trends.
These trends may not pose any immediate risks at present, but could affect the health and safety of employees in the future. A proactive approach to monitoring and assessing long-term risks is therefore crucial in order to be able to take action at an early stage.
Unforeseeable events
Unforeseeable events such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks or pandemics are other aspects that cannot always be anticipated in a risk assessment and are therefore also not identified in a risk assessment. They are outside the normal operational risk but can still have a significant impact on occupational safety if they lead to unexpected hazards.
Such events often require an immediate response and an adjustment of safety protocols. An organization's ability to respond to these events and ensure the safety of employees often depends on good preparation and strong emergency planning. Regular emergency drills and a comprehensive emergency plan are essential to be able to act quickly and effectively in crisis situations.
Soft factors
Traditional risk assessments often do not take into account soft factors such as daily mood, stress, anger and hatred, which can have a significant impact on the safety and well-being of employees. These emotional and psychological aspects play a significant role in everyday working life and can greatly affect performance and safety in the workplace. It is therefore important to include these factors in the assessment and occupational health management.
Technological risks
With increasing digitalization and automation, new risks are emerging that a traditional risk assessment does not identify. Cyberattacks and technical malfunctions can have a significant impact on a company's safety and operations. These technological risks must therefore be integrated into the risk assessment in order to ensure comprehensive safety management.
Supplementary measures for risk assessment
To overcome the limitations of risk assessment, there are various supplementary measures that companies can take. These include regular health checks, occupational health management and training.
Regular health checks
Occupational health screening is an effective method of identifying and preventing work-related health risks at an early stage. They include medical consultations and, if necessary, further examinations such as hearing tests, which can be offered by the company doctor.
There are three types of occupational health precautions: compulsory precautions, mandatory precautions and optional precautions. Compulsory precautions must be arranged for particularly hazardous activities. Optional preventive care must be offered for certain hazardous activities. Optional preventive care must be made possible if damage to health cannot be ruled out as a result of the activity.
Company health management
Effective occupational health management (OHM) promotes the health of employees and integrates health measures within the company. It includes prevention and health-promoting behavior. OHM increases employee satisfaction and loyalty, reduces sick days and saves costs.
Basic principles:
- Integration in all areas of the company
- Participation of all employees
- Demand-oriented project management
- Holistic approach (occupational health and safety, personnel management, health promotion)
The objectives of occupational health management should reflect the interests of the company and be geared towards promoting the health of employees.
Preventive measures against work stress and burnout are just as important as physical health measures.
Training and further education
Training and further education in the field of occupational safety are essential for companies. They enable companies to effectively implement and integrate occupational health and safety into operational practice.
The occupational safety specialist should always keep their knowledge up to date in order to be able to support the employer effectively. Regular training for employees can help to reduce occupational safety violations and promote understanding of the need for safety measures.
Consideration of soft factors
To adequately address soft factors, companies should introduce flexible working hours and breaks to stabilize work performance. Stress management programs such as workshops, yoga and mindfulness training can help to reduce stress. A conflict management system and training in non-violent communication can help deal with negative emotions such as anger and hatred. Policies against bullying and discrimination should also be developed and social activities in the workplace encouraged. These measures help to create a safe and healthy working environment.
Consideration of technological risks
In order to adequately address technological risks, companies should carry out regular IT security audits to identify and rectify security gaps in the IT infrastructure. In addition, regular cybersecurity training for employees is essential to raise awareness of cyber risks and promote secure behavior. These measures help to adapt the risk assessment to modern technological challenges and ensure a safe and disruption-free working environment.
Cooperation with external experts
Continuous cooperation with external experts, such as company doctors and occupational safety specialists, can help to optimize risk assessment and occupational safety measures.
Company doctor
The company doctor plays a central role at work and in occupational health and safety. He or she supports the employer in all health protection issues and is an important part of occupational safety in the company.
From carrying out risk assessments to implementing protective measures and instructing employees - the company doctor is an important partner for employers and employees.
Occupational safety specialist
The occupational safety specialist has an advisory role and provides support in occupational health and safety. They develop alternative solutions to reduce risks and support their implementation.
These specialists help to identify and assess the risks of various activities. They help to keep the risk assessment up to date and check the effectiveness of protective measures.
Legal aspects and responsibilities
Employers are legally obliged to carry out a risk assessment and implement occupational health and safety measures. There are both obligations and liabilities associated with carrying out a risk assessment.
Occupational Health and Safety Act
The German Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG) is the central legal framework for occupational health and safety to protect employees. Within the framework of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, it obliges employers to ensure the safety and health of employees in the workplace and uses risk assessment as a central instrument for this purpose. The risk assessment should be geared towards the specific circumstances of the company. It includes the preparation, determination, assessment, definition and implementation of occupational health and safety measures as well as their review and updating. There is an obligation to document the results of the risk assessment, the health and safety measures implemented and their review.
Liability and sanctions
Employers are legally responsible for the risk assessment and remain obliged to carry out checks even when commissioning third parties. Failure to comply with specific safety regulations can lead to liability risks. Fines of up to 30,000 euros can be imposed for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Serious violations, such as negligently endangering the health or lives of employees, can result in fines or imprisonment. For more information on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, you can visit Bund Verlag.
Best practices for employers
There are best practices that employers can follow to improve occupational health and safety in the workplace. These include open communication and feedback as well as continuous improvement.
Open communication and feedback
Open communication improves the process of hazard identification. Employees involved in daily operations can provide critical feedback on risks. Employers should hold regular safety talks or safety briefings to remind employees of the importance of adhering to safety guidelines and inform them of the risks of non-compliance.
Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement in workplace safety is essential for responding to challenges and adapting based on critical feedback and data. To achieve truly effective improvements, the focus must be on finding the root causes of problems rather than just treating the symptoms. Unforeseen situations, such as sudden changes in team composition or management, require flexible adaptation of safety concepts. Risk assessments should not be static, but should be regularly reviewed and updated to take account of new risks and changes in operations.
Development of a safety culture
A strong safety culture is crucial for occupational safety. Managers should exemplify safety and promote openness. Involving employees in safety measures increases commitment and acceptance. Regular meetings and updates create awareness. Recognition of safety-conscious behavior and continuous training ensure that everyone has the necessary knowledge. These measures promote proactive risk management and improve overall safety in the workplace.
Conclusion
In summary, it can be said that risk assessment is an indispensable tool in occupational health and safety, but it has its limitations. Individual health risks, long-term effects and unforeseeable events are often not identified or not fully recorded. It is therefore important to introduce supplementary measures such as regular health checks, effective occupational health management and training.
Cooperation with external experts can further optimize the risk assessment and occupational health and safety measures. Employers are legally obliged to carry out a risk assessment and implement occupational health and safety measures. Failure to do so may result in liability risks and sanctions.
Open communication and continuous improvement are good practices that employers can follow to improve health and safety in the workplace.
Frequently asked questions
What happens after the risk assessment?
Following the risk assessment, protective measures must be taken and the working conditions adapted if necessary. In some cases, it may not be possible to continue working at this workplace.
What happens if you don't carry out a risk assessment?
Without a risk assessment, employers risk a ban on employment for their employees and possible fines. There is also an increased risk of accidents as potential hazards are not identified and eliminated. It is important that employers carry out the necessary assessment to ensure workplace safety.
What is determined with a risk assessment?
A risk assessment is used to identify potential hazards in the workplace and define measures to reduce risks. This analysis forms the basis for occupational health management.
What are the limits of a risk assessment?
The limits of a risk assessment lie in the possible incompleteness of the recording of individual health risks, long-term effects, unforeseeable events, soft and technological factors.
What are supplementary measures to the risk assessment?
Additional risk assessment measures may include regular health checks, occupational health management and training. These measures are important to ensure health and safety in the workplace.
