Run a Handyperson Service

When operating a handyperson service specialising in home adaptations, conducting risk assessments is essential for ensuring clients’ and service providers’ safety and wellbeing.

Risk assessments involve identifying potential hazards and evaluating the associated risks to implement appropriate preventive measures. By proactively assessing potential dangers, such as electrical hazards, structural instability, or slip-and-fall risks, the service provider can minimise the likelihood of accidents and injuries.

Failure to conduct risk assessments can have serious implications, including accidents, property damage, legal liabilities, and reputational harm. Prioritising risk assessments allow for a safer working environment, instils confidence in clients, and helps maintain a professional and responsible approach to service delivery.

This risk assessment pro-forma, created by Regional Advisor Stephen Archer, effectively identifies and manages potential hazards in Handyperson operations.

Assessing the Risk

The ‘Risk Assessment’ scoring process is based on the acronym CEP

C = Consequences – the most probable outcome of the potential accident

E = Exposure – the frequency of occurrence of the hazard event

P = Probability – the likelihood of an accident occurring before the completion of work

Timescales for Action

The ‘risk score’ will enable you to make a judgement on how fast any action may need to be implemented to control, reduce or eliminate the risk identified whilst the work/task is being carried out.

Risk Score	Judgement	Classification
0-100	the risk could be acceptable	LOW
100-200	hazard requires attention	MEDIUM
200 +	hazard requires urgent attention/action for control measures	HIGH

It is the Assessor’s responsibility to evaluate the priority timescales for any actions, taking into account the above classifications, for more complex tasks further ‘qualitative analysis’ may be required.

To make a clear judgement on timescales for mitigating risk, you will need to consider: your organisation and workforce capabilities, training provision, existing provisions, management capabilities, availability of equipment/tools and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) along with the following:-

• Consider how the risk will be dealt with – (1) eliminated, (2) postponed, (3) controlled, (4) managed, (5) monitored, (6) potential to reoccur.
• Consider obstacles that may prevent this – (1) environment, (2) technical, (3) management, (4) external factors, (5) 3rd parties, (6) funding/budget.

Below are some suggested options for the above ‘classification’ timescales for typical Handyperson tasks/jobs but remember, it is the Assessor’s responsibility to evaluate the relevant timescales for each risk identified.

Identifying Potential Hazards

Each designated task/job (fitting a Stair Rail, fixing wall tiles, laying flooring etc.) will need its own individual risk assessment, this information is then supplied to the Handyperson, before works commencement, to ensure the task/job is carried out at minimal risk to them and others.

The top Sixteen (16) Hazards likely to be encountered during Handyperson’s works are as follows:-

Identified Hazard	Items to Consider
Slips, trips and falls	Wet/slippery/poorly maintained floors, poor storage, trailing cables, untidy workplace, work at heights/on Ladders etc.
Tools, equipment and machinery	Use of wood/metalwork/printing/catering/laundry/lifting/laser equipment, conflict with traffic and use of DSE
Materials and manual handling	Handling sanitary ware/equipment/machinery, excessive stretching/reaching; handling awkward/multiple items.
Moving objects	Being struck by falling/flying particles/objects, trapping fingers/body parts in machinery, use of hand tools.
Electricity	Work/maintenance on electrical systems, static shock, tampering, careless use of power tools, insufficient sockets
Working at a height	Open/exposed/fragile roofs. Damaged or missing floorboards. Working in loft spaces or on ladders/Scaffolding.
Noise	Machinery/Power tools/Transport causes difficulties in communicating and inhibits concentration/judgement.
Other people	working alone, special needs supervision, Children, those with breathing conditions, Identified as 2 to attend etc.
Transport	Moving vehicles and materials handling equipment. Exhaust fumes and hot surfaces
Chemicals and substances	Use of chemicals/cleaning fluids, hot liquids and surfaces, exposure to infectious diseases/materials, burns/scalds
Fire, combustion and explosions	Poor storage/waste management, disconnected fire systems, arson/terrorist activities, hot building works, and smoking.
Demolition	Presence of dust/fumes/noise. Falling/air-born/sharp objects. Risk of Fire/Explosion/Electric shock. Damage to others.
Confined spaces	Reduced Oxygen levels, higher risk of fire and noxious fumes. Restriction in space and use of suitable tools
Hot works	Naked flames, flammable gases, swarf, waste material and untidiness. Sparks, Conductive material and gases.
Asbestos	Asbestos Awareness Training. Type/Quantity and Condition of Asbestos. Expected levels of exposure and Friability.
Lack of or misinformation	Unidentified hazards, wrong materials or substances being used. Unnecessary work is being carried out.

This list is not exhaustive and you may find that there are some particularly obscure risks, associated with some tasks or environments, which will need to be included.

Once you have identified the hazards for each task/job, these will need to be entered in the left-hand column of the risk assessment form/table.

Control the Risk

The Top row of the risk assessment form/table will have Five (5) standard questions that will need to be answered for each hazard identified, these questions are as follows:-

• Who/what may be harmed and how? – Give details of specific people (contractors, children, residents, careers, disabled occupants, etc.). Estimate the number of people that may be affected and in what way; also include significant property damage that may occur.
• What can be done now? – Provision of training, corporate and local standards complied with, existing codes of safe working practice, protective equipment, guarding, supervision, monitoring systems, specific assessments under health and safety regulations e.g. COSHH, DSE, noise, manual handling, fire etc.
• How Bad is the Risk? – This is where you enter your CEP risk score classification (low, medium, or high)
• What needs to be done? – What action should be taken or needs to be considered so that the risks identified are effectively controlled, reduced or eliminated?
• By When? – What is the target date for completion of the above ‘needs to be done’ actions?

So you will now have a risk assessment form/table with the following row and column headings:-

	Who/what may be harmed and how?	What can be done?	How bad is the risk?	What needs to be done?	By when?
First identified hazard
Second identified hazard
Third identified hazard

The most effective control measure should always be introduced to ensure the maximum safety of operatives and individuals.

This chart details the levels of controls that may be applied to each hazard, every effort must be made to ‘eliminate’ risks where possible, if not then work down the hierarchy as required.

Record Your Findings

The next stage is to complete the ‘risk assessment form/table’ for each task/job, using section 1) above to assess low, medium or high risk and imputing preventions that can be carried out immediately.

You will then need to include measures that need to be done to control any risk remaining after your initial prevention interventions above and crucially, what timescale these further measures will need to be actioned by.

NOTE: You only need to complete the ‘hazards’ that are relevant to the task/job being assessed, the others can be deleted from the completed form. (Not all of the ‘top 24’ hazards previously mentioned will apply to every task/job and there may also be unique hazards, not previously mentioned, that may need to be included/substituted).

Remember that the intention of risk assessments is not to create paperwork for the sake of it; the main objective is to communicate the risk to those affected and to control the risk in practice.

It may therefore not always be appropriate or necessary to produce a ‘full’ risk assessment if the task to be carried out is minor and has minimal risks associated with it, a ‘short’ risk assessment may communicate the risks more understandably, faster and without compromise.

The following pages provide templates for the ‘short’ risk assessment and ‘full’ risk assessment, combine your chosen risk assessment format from the below templates.

When done, this will provide the risk assessment information that your business needs to record and communicate as part of its legal obligations under health & safety legislation.

Risk Assessment Proformas

Short Risk Assessment (Minor works, Minimal Risks)

What are the hazards?	Who might be harmed and how?	What is being done to control the risks?	What further actions need to be taken to control the risks?	Who needs to act?	When is the action needed?	Date final action completed
Electrics	Operative	Cable Detector supplied.	Regular servicing of equipment
Machinery/tools	Operative	Use cordless tools.	Regular servicing of tools
Dust	Operative and others in the vicinity	Cordless vacuum cleaner and/or dustpan & brush	PPE – masks and Goggles to be readily accessible/available to all operatives.
Hazardous substances	Operative and others in the vicinity	Asbestos Awareness training	Update Asbestos Awareness Training annually.
Noise	Operative and others in the vicinity	Keep noise levels below 80 dB (A)	Refer to the Manufacturer’s documentation for noise levels
Hand tools	Operative	Store correctly & wear PPE as required	Regular upkeep & inspection of hand tools and toolboxes
Lone worker	Operative	Calendar updated	Operatives to ‘log off’ each day
Slips, trips and falls	Operative	Good Housekeeping	Store tools/materials safely.

Full Risk Assessment

What are the hazards?	Who/what may be harmed and how	What can be done now?	How bad is the risk? (low, medium, high)	What needs to be done?	When?
Slips, trips and falls	All operators, occupants, visitors and tradesmen nearby, may suffer sprains, bruising or fractures if they trip over objects, such as work debris, or slip-on spillages.	All Operatives are to wear safety boots – ‘no boots, no job’ policy. Good housekeeping, e.g. debris and rubbish to be stored in a safe location before removal from the site, brush available for use to keep the work area clear. Any leaks and/or spills are to be mopped up immediately. Clear unobstructed route to the job agreed upon with the occupant, before commencement.	40.5 (3 x 3 x 4.5) LOW	Check on-site housekeeping at regular intervals. Induct any new/supporting/visiting operatives before entering the site.	Twice daily, ideally mid-day and at the end of each working day.
Workplace transport	Operatives and others risk fatal or serious injuries from moving and manoeuvring vehicles, particularly when reversing.	Safe routes, parking, and drop-off/pick-up areas are to be agreed upon before work commences. Staff are to wear high-visibility tabards when directing or working near parked or moving vehicles.
Manual handling injuries	Operators risk injury, particularly to the back, from lifting and handling heavy or awkward objects.	Where possible, use mechanical means to transport heavy materials such as ceramic toilet suites. Where the movement requires short distances, operatives will use trolleys/barrows or where the risk is minimal, they will pass materials between several Operatives. All items to be handled/lifted should be below the recommended guidance weight of 25kg, when against the body, at waist height and carried no further than 10 metres. This limit increases to 65kg for 2 people handling/lifting under the same conditions. Break up cast iron baths, In itu, before attempting to remove them. Operatives know and follow manoeuvring guidance.
Electric Shock	Operatives and others risk fatal or debilitating injuries if they receive a shock from faulty or damaged equipment.
Exposure to hazardous substances	Adhesives, grouts, and sealants may aggravate skin and irritate eyes. Short-term respiratory irritation or shortness of breath may also be experienced.
Hot works	Operatives and those in close vicinity, are at risk from burns and/or fire.
Working at low levels	Operatives may experience knee or back injuries.
Noise	Operatives and others in the immediate vicinity may suffer hearing damage from exposure to high levels of notice for extended periods.
Sharp edges	Operatives may experience cuts and abrasions to their hands, feet, and legs.
Lone worker	Operatives could suffer ill health or injury while working alone.
Dust	Short-term respiratory irritation or shortness of breath may be experienced by Operatives or those within close vicinity. Some polymer floor tiles and Bitumen floor sealers may contain ACMs.
Soldering and/or use of blow torches	Operatives and others in the close vicinity are at risk of burns, fire, and inhalation of potentially hazardous fumes.
Fire/explosion	Operatives and others in the vicinity could suffer from burns and smoke inhalation if sparks from grinders were to cause a fire.
Noise	Operatives and others in the immediate area may suffer hearing damage from exposure to high levels of noise for extended periods.
Hand tools	Operatives could suffer injuries when using hand tools.

Review your Findings

Your final risk assessment process is to review the controls you have put in place and update your risk assessments to record any changes.

This is necessary for the following reasons:

• The controls or preventative measures you have put in place may no longer be effective
• Working practices may have changed (equipment or substances being used)
• Staff may have changed, operatives or management, who may not be as familiar with the task, as well trained or capable)
• The process may have changed (how you carry out the task, alternative materials used or impacted by other tasks)
• Previous accidents or incidents recorded when carrying out the task that has identified new risks.

Tasks/jobs that are more complex, time-consuming or dangerous will also require ‘method statements’, these are essential if the work involves demolition, dismantling or structural alterations.

Method statements are not a legal requirement but can be very helpful in communicating the more complex/involved actions required to reduce, eliminate, control or manage risks and to maintain the continuity of work from site to site.

Your risk assessments will also form a crucial part of your toolbox talks, construction phase plan and health & safety file on larger jobs, so it is always worth keeping good records of them.

Finally, your risk assessments can also be used to defend you in the event of any claim or investigation into the work that has been carried out and can also help mitigate Insurance costs on more dangerous tasks.