Risk Assessment in Practice

Risk Assessment — the 5 steps

Keep it practical. Open each step for what to do, what to look for, and simple examples.

1 Identify the hazards
  • Walk the job/area: look for things that could cause harm (equipment, energy sources, environment, substances, work at height, vehicles, behaviour).
  • Check accident/near-miss history, manufacturers’ info, COSHH, noise/vibration data, permits, maintenance logs.
  • Ask the people who do the work — they often spot the real issues.
Examples: unguarded belt; trailing leads; wet floor; solvent degreaser; poor lighting; reversing vehicles.
2 Decide who might be harmed and how
  • Think beyond the immediate task: operators, maintenance, cleaners, contractors, visitors, public, lone workers, young persons, new/expectant mothers.
  • Note the type of harm (cuts, crush, falls, dermatitis, asthma, hearing loss, stress).
Be specific: “Pick-face staff could be struck by FLTs at aisle crossings.”
3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
  • Judge likelihood and consequence (use your matrix if you have one).
  • Apply the Hierarchy of Control: Eliminate → Substitute → Engineering → Admin → PPE.
  • Combine controls where sensible and define who will do what, and by when.
Example: trailing leads across walkway → reroute power overhead or fit floor covers (engineering) + housekeeping check (admin).
4 Record your findings
  • Keep it clear: hazard, who’s at risk, existing controls, further actions, responsible person, target date.
  • Attach evidence where helpful (photos, training, maintenance, monitoring data).
  • Share the outcome: brief the team; make controls visible (signage, SOPs, permits).
If it isn’t recorded and communicated, it’s easy to forget or misinterpret.
5 Review and update
  • Review after changes (people, process, plant, place), after incidents, or on a planned cycle.
  • Verify controls are working: inspection, supervision, maintenance, exposure monitoring, feedback.
Treat it as a living document — quick updates keep it useful.
Key takeaway: Spot the hazard → think who/how → choose the most effective controls → record → review. Keep it short, clear and used.