Online HSE Risk Assessment Template & Documents

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A risk assessment is a health and safety document that not only looks at specific risks, but also looks at control measures to reduce the likelihood of an injury occurring. The document should be concise and easy for anyone carrying out a relevant task to understand.

Sometimes it's easy to see risk assessments as a necessary evil. Something that creates more work and you have to do because principal contractors require it, however completing a simple risk assessment template minimises risks on site.

A risk assessment template identifies potential situations or working practices that could cause harm, as well as finding ways to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of an incident happening, or reduce the severity of injury if the risk can't be eliminated.

HSE risk assessments are a vital part of health & safety precautions. By identifying and eliminating risks, you’ll ensure the safety of yourself and others, including your staff and the public. If you fail to complete a risk assessment or other essential HSE documents, and as an employer you’ll put yourself at risk of fines and/or criminal prosecution if an accident occurs. In many dangerous industries, such as construction or manufacturing, risk assessments can be the difference between life and death.

Dynamic risk assessments are typically used in high-risk environments where hazards have the potential to change quickly, usually by sole traders or smaller teams. These are used when a worker will continually assess their surroundings and potential hazards in order to ensure safety and reduce risks. You must note that dynamic risk assessments are not a replacement for a standard risk assessment (done before any work commences), you must complete both.

The employer is the one responsible for completing a risk assessment, as well as reviewing the document as needed. If you are self employed, it is your responsibility to complete one - even if there is nobody working with you. If, as an employer, you feel you don’t have sufficient knowledge to complete the risk assessment to a good enough standard, then it is recommended that you appoint someone (like a site or project manager) to complete the assessment instead.

Under HSE guidance, you should review your risk assessment once a year at minimum; risk assessments, no matter your industry, are only effective if they are kept up to date. If you notice the nature of your work changing, or there are new dangers present, you should update your risk assessment accordingly. Examples of when to update your risk assessment include:

• New staff joining your team
• Extreme weather
• Adjustment of business operations
• Work being carried out on a new site
• New equipment

To show you what a risk assessment is, let's look at the following example that covers some of the risks from using low access equipment. In this case, it's a hop-up with a working height of 500mm. The potential hazard or risk in this situation is falling from a height. The people at risk are the people using the access equipment and risk of injuries include both minor and major injuries. Actions already in place to reduce the likelihood of an injury occurring include:

• Hop ups inspected prior to use, fit for purpose, with a maximum working height of 500mm
• Ensure hop up legs are securely locked in place prior to use
• Ensure the ground base for the hop ups is firm and level
• Avoid overreaching when working and storing tools or materials on the hop up
• Painted hop ups are not to be used
• And finally, Further action required states that a manager is to conduct a toolbox talk on working at heights prior to work commencing