Risk management: Expert guidance

This page sets out the approach that we ourselves use to evaluate risks. We are showing it in the interests of openness and because we know it is useful to some health and safety professionals and academics. But it is not something we would expect the average manager to look at.

ALARP suite of guidance

This is guidance to HSE's own staff about what they should expect to see in dutyholders' demonstrations that the risk has been reduced 'as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP)'; in those situations where the work activity is unusual (ie good practice is not yet established) or where there is a risk of a disaster (eg petrochemical and nuclear installations).

• Principles and guidelines to assist HSE in its judgements that duty-holders have reduced risk as low as reasonably practicable
• Assessing compliance with the law in individual cases and the use of good practice
• Policy and guidance on reducing risks as low as reasonably practicable in design
• HSE principles for Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) in support of ALARP decisions
• Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) Checklist
• ALARP "at a glance"

Reducing risks, protecting people (R2P2)

R2P2 describes HSE's decision-making process. It makes transparent the protocols and procedures we follow to ensure that the process of decision-making, including risk assessment and risk management, is perceived as valid. An electronic version of R2P2 has recently been updated to include a detailed index.

Remember this is a guide to our decisions-making process, not a guide to making a risk assessment.