Risk Assessment

As a designer you must:

• Identify hazards arising from your design
• Assess how serious the risk is, and
• Decide what you need to do to eliminate or reduce these risks

You should have a system in place to document how you have eliminated or reduced risk during the design process and how you have communicated necessary information on any remaining risks to the Project Supervisor Design Process.

Competency for the work

Clients and others hiring designers must satisfy themselves that each designer appointed has adequate training, knowledge, experience, and resources for the work to be performed.

Ask yourself: "Am I competent in relation to the health and safety issues on this project?"

If you are unsure about the answer, you should take further steps to become competent.

Clients will make reasonable enquires to check that you are able to fulfil your responsibilities as a designer and you should be prepared to supply this information. These enquiries may include the following:

• Membership of a relevant professional body
• Knowledge of design and construction, particularly in relation to the nature of the project
• Safety and health qualifications and training
• Safety and health experience on similar projects
• Experience of working with other designers
• Experience of preparing information for Safety and Health Plans
• Knowledge of preparing information for a Safety File
• Sufficient staff with qualifications, training, experience
• Regulatory compliance; convictions, enforcement notices - in particular repeat notices
• Evidence of a functioning Safety Management System, including:
  
  a) is there an up to date Safety Statement?
  b)are individuals identified with responsibility for safety and health for each project?
  c) is there evidence of monitoring and corrective actions, learning from past experience?