New software is available which is designed to help and support managers in risk management. Each faculty and service is currently working with their health and safety team to develop an implementation plan.
The software is called Safeguard (made by the company RIVO) and is a user-friendly online package of template risk assessments. They have been designed to suit different needs – from a general activity risk assessment (ready now) through to a COSHH risk assessment (due in May).

We are working towards a full range of generic assessments including fieldwork, offices, personal safety and operational fire assessments. These will save managers time by giving a starting point for producing risk assessments that are performed regularly and they can be tailored to requirements locally.

There will be two levels of access to the software. Following training, managers will be either an assessor or a viewer. An assessor will be able to originate and alter the risk assessment and a viewer (someone who may be affected by the risks) will only be able to view it.

Key benefits include:

• Easily legible risk assessments accessible to all who need them
• A library of support information and examples of risk assessments which staff can refer to, to help them create effective risk assessments.
• Built in reminders to ensure staff update risk assessments as appropriate
• Consistent high quality risk assessments
• Ease of identifying managers who have signed off risk assessments
• Improved monitoring facility to ensure compliance
• Clear audit trail itemising who has approved which areas, ensuring requested actions have been fulfilled and clarifying sign off processes.

Training and support
 For further information on training for the RIVO Safeguard online software contact your Health and Safety Manager. To register your interest in general risk assessment training courses contact Health and Safety Services on 34201 or by email to Health & Safety Services.

On-line training is available here in four chapters:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

 

Timescales
The RIVO Safeguard package which focuses on activity assessments has been successfully piloted and launched. It will be rolled out to all managers once the implementation plan is agreed in each faculty and service.  

The RIVO Safeguard training is available now. The next stage will focus on the COSHH assessment including approval processes, renewal reminders and compliance monitoring. This stage was piloted in November 2008, but feedback suggested it was not robust enough to manage the University’s multiple COSHH process requirements. RIVO are therefore redeveloping the module to ensure it meets our needs. We aim to launch the redeveloped COSHH e-risk assessment in May 2010.

If you need more information, please contact your health and safety manager or call health and safety services on 34201.