Blog post: IOSH competition

PSS health, safety and environment technician apprentice, Umayya Rahman, was placed as a runner-up in a recent IOSH Student Competition on risk assessments and reflects on how the process must adapt to today’s working landscape. Her entry is reproduced here for the interest of members.

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying and evaluating risks to prevent harm. Traditionally, these are static: planned in advance, documented, and predictable. While effective, they lack the adaptability required for modern, fluid work settings.

Another type of risk assessment is dynamic risk assessments, which are conducted during activities. While this makes them more unpredictable it also offers greater flexibility and responsiveness, particular qualities essential in remote and hybrid workplaces, where environments are often isolated or variable.

In an era of hybrid and remote working, dynamic risk assessments present the most benefits in encouraging continuous and immediate safety checks, but could be bettered with characteristics of static risk assessments like documentation for benchmarking and continued safety monitoring.

Hybrid vs remote working:

Employers must also distinguish between hybrid and remote models. Hybrid working introduces risks from travel, inconsistent routines, and location-based burnout while remote working, increases isolation and can blur work-life boundaries. Risk assessments should consider both employee models’ nuances, adjusting controls accordingly especially with regard to commuting, flexible hours, and ensuring access to resources.

Risk assessment strategy plan:

Risk assessments can form the basis of new safety policies or respond to existing ones. For remote and hybrid working, a strategy anchored on four core pillars is vital: Cybersecurity, Communication and Accessibility, Ergonomics, and Wellbeing.

Cybersecurity must be prioritised as digital threats from cyber-attacks, scams, and data breaches which can pose real risk. Assessments should identify these vulnerabilities and enforce controls like IT security protocols, multi-factor authentication, and regular training.

Communication and Accessibility is the second pillar. Remote and hybrid working bring the particular risk of two extremes; a lack of surveillance leading to reduced productivity, or work interrupting one’s personal life leading to things like burnout. There is also the additional concern of an employee isolation, which can also affect mental wellbeing and create bias from on-site workers in access to unequal opportunities. AI can aid in performance analysis and bias reduction, but human communication remains essential. Regular check-ins, feedback loops, and inclusive policies ensure remote workers stay connected and supported.

Ergonomics, the third pillar, addresses physical health. Home offices often lack supervision, leading to poor setups and associated health risks. DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessments should be adapted to modern contexts, ensuring personalised, compliant, and comfortable workstations. Employees should be encouraged to take full breaks, go outdoors, and use tools like body maps to report discomfort. Additionally, location-specific factors like compliance laws and tax implications must also be considered.

Finally, Wellbeing encompasses both physical and mental health. Risk assessments must go beyond hazard identification to reflect a moral duty of care. Physical wellbeing can be supported through health promotion, while mental health requires open discussions, inclusivity, and proactive support systems. Regular mental health check-ins, mindfulness sessions, accessible reporting tools, and policies that accommodate vulnerabilities such as neurodivergent conditions, are vital.

Ultimately, risk assessments must not just be updated, they must be redefined. This ensures safety remains central to the evolving world of work while promoting inclusivity, adaptability, and long-term wellbeing for all employees.