Risk Management CD-ROM
Original article date: January 2000
Our friends at Laidler Associates have been busy working on a new CD-Rom to help with risk assessment and CE marking. Tommy Miller takes a look at it
Laidler Associates’ Risk Management System makes it easier than ever before to carry out, record and store risk assessment information, based on the Hazard Rating Number (HRN) system for general risk assessments.
The Windows-based package, which is supplied on a CD-Rom and comes with full documentation, uses pull-down menus offering a range of options to investigate hazards, assign a safety rating and then take remedial action. Another safety rating is then assigned to give a comparison.
Comprehensive checklists are included within the package, which makes it easy to be thorough, but these can also be customised to suit the type of equipment that you are dealing with. For each item on the checklists there is an opportunity to add a comment. Whilst this is useful for referring back to later, it is also an invaluable tool when preparing all of the paperwork necessary for the Technical Construction File.
An EN 954 assessment is also built into the package to guide the user through the various stages of identifying the levels of safety required for machinery control systems. Furthermore, a family of complementary software titles is also being launched by Laidler Associates that includes CE marking for machinery, PUWER 98 Compliance Check List, and PUWER 98 Inspection Checklist.
All of these function seamlessly with the core module and provide the user with a number of detailed checklists and a clear step-by-step approach to carrying out risk assessments.
Actions taken by the user can be printed out, recorded for future reference and, if required, shared on an intranet to encourage Health and Safety best practice. This enables the company and its people, working at all levels, to be more safety-conscious and to build up a history of recorded risk assessments.
The Risk Management System is user friendly and comes with a comprehensive help file together with three months free on-line help after registration. The help file has been compiled to answer “Why Risk Assessment?” as well as how to carry it out.
It utilises tried and tested systems and procedures successfully employed by Laidler Associates’ own engineers over several years. “The fact that it has been designed around the requirements and specifications of hands-on engineers is, we feel, a major plus point,” said Laidler Associates’ software author Phil Hampton. More than that, Laidler Associates is, additionally, able to customise or develop systems to meet the specific requirements of clients.
Manual Handling, Low Voltage and EMC Self Certification, Pressure Equipment Directive, Semi 2 S2/93A Risk Assessment and regulations are being developed as additional modules offering the user a way of creating a package based on their requirements.
Minimum system requirements are Windows 95, 98 or NT, SGVA 800 x 600 resolution, 50MB of hard disc space for installation and 64MB RAM.
This package is well worth a look if you have to CE mark machinery or if the PUWER regulations affect you in any way.
More atwww.laidler.co.uk
Guidance for EMC compliance
We don’t often highlight web sites, but we have come across one that has just been re-launched and we think it will be of great help to those who are unclear about the requirements for ensuring their products are EMC-compliant. The site has been assembled by Laplace Instruments, the specialist supplier of emissions measuring equipment and immunity testing equipment, and can be found at www.laplaceinstruments.com.
Sections on the site include an introduction to the subject, some useful background information, practical notes, a summary of each of the common standards, and a guide to what equipment Laplace has available to assist with EMC testing. A particularly good table included on the site shows just what standards are applicable to what categories of product.
Despite the nature of subject matter, the site is not too heavy-going. For example, the EMC Primer section begins with the following statement: “If you make or supply things with ‘electric’ in them they must comply with the EMC directive. This is now law in all EC Countries. If you don’t like it, emigrate, but be warned the rest of the world is gradually following suit.” We like it!
- Laidler Associates
January 2000