Risk Assessment Explanation and Downloadable Forms

RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE SHEETS

To Download this Guide and the accompanying forms, click on the icon below

These sheets aim to provide simple and practical support ( we do not set out to provide advice) to those responsible for the funds and property of community organisations, voluntary groups and charities.

The process of “Risk Assessment” is neither complicated or involved. We all do it, all of the time, for almost any task that we undertake.

For example, when we go to the knife drawer to select a carving knife, we open the drawer and take out a knife by its handle. Why? Well we accurately assess that to every knife, there is a blunt end and a sharp end, and we make the assessment that to pick up the knife by the blunt end controls the risks presented by the sharp end.

The sheets that make up this sample “Risk Assessment” are just one way to organise and record the process you could go through. This process ensures that your organisation is operating in a prudent way to safeguard you against some of the risks you may face as a member or trustee of a community organisation, voluntary group or charity.

Steps:

Firstly, think about the categories of people involved in the affairs of your organisation and list them in the “KEY” box at the foot of the assessment sheet, our example shows just two categories, you may have more.

Now back to the top of the assessment sheet, go down the “Task” column itemising the areas of financial activity which you can identify for your organisation.

Then for each identified Task think about what risks there are and list them in the “Hazard/Risk” column.

Now for each Hazard or Risk decide the level of this risk or hazard. Is it likely to happen, or very unlikely to occur, therefore High, Medium or Low risk. Record your assessment in this “Risk Level” column.

The next column is used to identify which of your Key “Risk Groups” might be involved or affected by the hazard or risk.

Now use the “Control Measures” column to list the measures you currently have in place to control the risks you have identified.

Having done this you need to now go back through your listing and think about how you might improve the controls (and thus reduce risks), making sure that the controls are realistic to and commensurate with the risks. Pay special attention to any area you have identified as “medium or high” risk.

With just a little thought you will find that things all begin to fall into place.

Importantly, you will have gone through a fairly detailed appraisal of how you operate and you and your colleagues will have a much better understanding of how you jointly control your affairs and minimise the risks of things going wrong.

It’s as simple as that. You have just two things left to do. Use the control measures you have identified to minimise the risks for your organisation and review your procedures from time to time to ensure that they remain adequate and relevant to the changing risks to you and your organisation.

SF

17 January 2005