How To Do A Seating Risk Assessment:
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 employers must assess risks in the workplace, including seating. A risk assessment involves identiying hazards and deciding whether enough has been done to prevent harm to people. There are 5 simple steps that emplyers can take to make sure that a proper risk assesment has been done:
Look for the hazards
Assess all seating to see what may cause harm. Non adjustable chairs for example may cause back pain. Check all the points on our regulations page and ensure all seating is set up correctly. Ask if the seating is suitable for the workstation in height and approriate for the individual concerned. The HSE book 'Seating at Work' contains more detailed information and diagrams on suitability of seating for different types of workstation
Decide who might be harmed
For the most part this will be any potential user of a chair. If employees are working at home they and the safety of any children should also be considered.
Evaluate the risks
Is the seating suitable and safe? Does it meet the needs for the user? Is it suitable for the task in hand? If all of these can be answered yes then there is no risk present and no further action is needed.
Record the findings
Employers with 5 or more emplyees are required by law to have a written record of their risk assessment. This is so that:
- People in the workplace are informed about hazards and are therefore better placed to deal with them
- Safety representatives can use the information to carry out their duties
- Any action action taken can be referred to in the future in a similar circumstance
Review the assessment regularly
The seating risk assessment should be checked periodically with a view to assessing the impact of any changes in:
- Working practices (for example more frequent bending to change tasks)
- Equipment (for example working at a different level)
- Personnel (for example a pregnant worker may require more suitable seating)