Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Risk Assessment form template

£ 15

Our Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Risk Assessment Form template assists in identifying and mitigating risks, ensuring a safer and respectful work environment. 

Use in conjunction with anti-harassment policies and employee training programs.

preventing sexual harassment in the workplace risk assessment form template

Why this form is necessary

The Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Risk Assessment Form is designed to identify and mitigate potential risks related to sexual harassment in the workplace. This form helps organisations evaluate current policies, practices, and workplace culture to uncover areas needing improvement or intervention.

By systematically assessing these risks, employers can implement targeted strategies to create a safer, more inclusive work environment. This form supports compliance with legal requirements and demonstrates a commitment to protecting employees' wellbeing, ultimately fostering a respectful and productive workplace.

  • Equality Act 2010: Prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace, defining it as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates an individual's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.

  • Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Requires employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees, which includes taking steps to prevent and address sexual harassment.

  • Employment Rights Act 1996: Ensures fair treatment of employees, including the right to work in a safe and respectful environment free from harassment.

  • Acas Guidance on Sexual Harassment: Offers practical advice on preventing and dealing with sexual harassment at work, promoting a proactive approach to creating a safe workplace.

  • Best Practice: Comprehensive Training and Clear Reporting Procedures: Implement regular training on recognising and preventing sexual harassment and establish clear, accessible reporting procedures for employees to raise concerns confidentially.

In 2024, new UK legislation mandates that employers take "reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. This change, part of the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act, is set to take effect in October 2024. This new duty requires employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment, differing from the previous requirement where employers had to show they had taken "all reasonable steps" only as a defence in claims.

Key points of the new law include:

  1. New Duty: Employers must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work.

  2. Enforcement: Employment tribunals can increase compensation by up to 25% if an employer is found in breach of this duty.

Employers are advised to:

  • Implement comprehensive reporting mechanisms for harassment.

  • Update and disseminate clear anti-harassment policies.

  • Conduct regular, meaningful training on harassment prevention.

Workflow sequence

Previous step
Policies
Workplace Anti-Harassment Prevention policy

Our Workplace Anti-Harassment Prevention policy ensures a respectful, secure work environment by defining unacceptable behaviours and the actions to address them.

This step
Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Risk Assessment form template
Next step
Scripts
TRAINING - Understanding the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 script

Our Understanding the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 training session script template equips trainers with a framework to run a course to help managers and supervisors understand new sexual harassment protection rules.

Specifications

Reading time icon
Time to read / prep / use
5 mins
Document specs icon
Word count / length
493 words, 2 pages A4
Date last reviewed icon
Date last reviewed
28 October 2024

Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Risk Assessment

Assessment Date: [Insert Date]
Review Date: [Insert Date]
Assessor(s): [Insert Name(s)]
Department/Location: [Insert Department/Location]

1. Objective of the Assessment

To identify potential risks related to sexual harassment in the workplace and implement measures to prevent incidents, ensuring compliance with the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023.

2. Risk Identification

Hazard Who Might Be Harmed Potential Impact Current Control Measures Risk Level (Low/Medium/High) Further Actions Required
Inadequate Training on Harassment All employees Increased incidents of harassment, lack of awareness Mandatory training for all employees upon hiring and annual refreshers Medium Ensure training materials are updated annually and feedback is collected to improve content
Poor Reporting Mechanism Victims of harassment, all employees Fear of retaliation, underreporting of incidents Anonymous reporting options available, clear reporting guidelines communicated Medium Promote awareness of reporting channels regularly and improve accessibility
Unaddressed Third-Party Harassment Employees interacting with clients/customers Emotional distress, decreased morale Procedures for reporting and addressing third-party harassment Medium Regularly review third-party interactions and enhance response protocols
Workplace Culture Tolerance of Inappropriate Behaviour All employees Normalisation of harassment, decreased morale Anti-harassment policy communicated, leadership support for zero tolerance High Conduct regular surveys to gauge workplace culture and make necessary changes
Lack of Support Services Employees affected by harassment Increased stress, reduced wellbeing Access to employee assistance programmes (EAPs) Medium Promote EAP services regularly and assess employee usage and feedback
Insufficient Monitoring of Policy Effectiveness All employees Ineffective policy application, recurring issues Annual policy review and assessments High Establish metrics for effectiveness and implement a feedback mechanism for employees

3. Risk Evaluation

After identifying the hazards, evaluating the risks involves determining the level of risk associated with each hazard, considering existing control measures.

  • High Risk: Immediate action required.
  • Medium Risk: Action required as soon as practicable.
  • Low Risk: Monitor and review regularly.

4. Action Plan

This section outlines specific actions required to mitigate identified risks, including responsibilities and deadlines.

Action Responsible Person Deadline Completion Date
Review and update training materials to include recent legislation changes. HR Manager [Insert Date] [Insert Date]
Promote awareness of reporting mechanisms through email and staff meetings. Communications Officer [Insert Date] [Insert Date]
Conduct an anonymous employee survey on workplace culture regarding harassment. HR Team [Insert Date] [Insert Date]
Evaluate and promote employee assistance programme (EAP) usage and effectiveness. HR Manager [Insert Date] [Insert Date]
Monitor incidents of third-party harassment and assess response effectiveness. Operations Manager [Insert Date] [Insert Date]

5. Review and Monitoring

This risk assessment will be reviewed annually or following significant incidents or changes in legislation. Continuous monitoring will be undertaken to ensure effectiveness, and adjustments will be made as necessary.

Assessor Signature: ______________________
Date: ______________________

A purchase is required to view    Protected content: Make a Purchase to unlock.

A purchase is required to view    Protected content: Make a Purchase to unlock.

Version: [1.0]

Issue date: [date]

Why choose our Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Risk Assessment form template?

Our content:

Is easy to edit and execute, with comprehensive implementation guidance.
Is designed by accredited, experienced HR practitioners.
Maintains your compliance with ACAS guidelines, legislation, and industry best practices.
Includes 12 months access to your purchase, with email alerts if updated or expanded.

I have just renewed our membership for another year for HRdocbox. It's an extremely useful resource with a wide variety of documents and knowledge...
★★★★★
- Rachel Masing, ETM Group

I have previously posted a review on their service, however thought I should add an update. I have just signed up with them again...
★★★★★
- Jamie Allan, Armstrong Craven

Excellent library of resources and templates which have made my job in my small business so much easier to manage HR for my employees...
★★★★★
- Emma Hunt

Great value and the site contains an extensive library of essential HR documents. I access the site probably once a week...
★★★★★
- Laura Alliss-Etty

HRDocBox is a great resource. It is incredibly good value, providing a large selection of HR guidance materials as well as...
★★★★★
- Emma Beauchamp