Union involvement in risk assessment: hazard mapping

Although risk assessment is the responsibility of the employer, unions can involve their members in trying to identify what hazards they face in their workplace. The TUC recommends a method known as hazard mapping. This method provides a much more visual picture than statistics from surveys and so on, and should help identify and prioritise hazards. A simple map of the workplace is used to highlight where problems are found, using colour-coding for different hazards so that patterns of potential hazards and ill health can be seen at a glance.