Free Risk Assessment Calculator aids compliance with BS EN ISO 12100:2010 and Machinery Directive

>The Risk Assessment Calculator is based on the requirements of the British, European and International standard BS EN ISO 12100:2010, Safety of machinery. General principles for design. Risk assessment and risk reduction, and is designed to be easy to use thanks to extensive built-in checklists and look-up tables. It is based on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, though very little knowledge of Excel is required.

>To undertake a risk assessment, the user simply enters the data for the machine and, with the aid of the guidance provided, chooses values for 'Likelihood of Occurrence', 'Frequency of Exposure', 'Degree of Possible Harm' and the 'Number of Persons at Risk' for each hazard. A Hazard Rating Number (HRN) and Risk Level are calculated automatically for each identified hazard, with colour coding indicating where remedial action should be considered and Hazard Rating Numbers assisting with prioritisation.

>BS EN ISO 12100:2010 is a Type A standard that is referenced by most other machinery safety standards. It is therefore all but essential to carry out a risk assessment in line with the requirements of BS EN ISO 12100:2010, and the Risk Assessment Calculator helps to make the process as straightforward as possible. To demonstrate the ease of use, Procter Machine Guarding has produced a video walkthrough that can be viewed on the company's website.

>Copies of the Machinery Risk Assessment Calculator can be downloaded free of charge from www.machinesafety.co.uk. Alternatively, request a copy by emailing [email protected] or telephoning 02920 855758.